The Funniest Fantasy Comedy Series In Years Is Already Being Lost
The rise of streaming has led many incredible movies and shows to fall through the cracks, as not every service can accommodate a library of acclaimed sleeper hits and cult classics. One such example of this trend is the FX original series Man Seeking Woman, which is currently unavailable to stream on any major service. The show touts massive critical praise, an A-list cast, and has earned cult status for its hilarious depiction of modern dating.
A Certified Fresh Cult Classic
Man Seeking Woman was created and developed for television by Simon Rich. Rich previously got his start with Saturday Night Live, and has since gained notoriety for writing the Seth Rogen two-hander An American Pickle, as well as creating the TBS original series Miracle Workers with Daniel Radcliffe.
Simon Rich based the show off of his own book of short stories titled The Last Girlfriend on Earth, which examines the dating landscape through a series of absurd or surrealist vignettes.
Though the series only ran for three brief seasons, Man Seeking Woman has become something of a cult classic with audiences, and maintained excellent reviews during its short time on the air. The show currently has a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 94 percent certified fresh as of this writing. Man Seeking Woman stars Jay Baruchel in the leading role, alongside actors such as Eric Andre, Robin Duke, Maya Erskine, Rosa Salazar, Katie Findlay, and Severance’s Britt Lower.
Surreal And Hyperbolic Humor Steals The Show
Like the book upon which the show is based, Man Seeking Woman follows a naive romantic who struggles with finding love in the modern world of dating apps, hook-up culture, and other awkward complications. Unlike other sitcoms that center on these same themes, such as Seinfeld or How I Met Your Mother, Man Seeking Woman ratchets up the absurdity by placing its main characters in a surrealist world where the grandest of hyperboles regarding dating become a reality.
Troll Romance In Man Seeking Woman
For instance, Jay Baruchel’s Josh finds himself in a variety of insane situations, including going on a blind date with a literal troll who lives in the sewer, struggling to accept that his girlfriend’s male friend is a monster composed entirely of grotesque male private parts, and fighting his friend for a woman’s affection by leaping into a pair of Power Rangers-style mech suits and destroying the city.
As Man Seeking Woman continues, the audience is also introduced to Josh’s family members, including his successful career-focused older sister, and his overbearing mother.
Problematic Personalities
One of the best episodes of Man Seeking Woman sees Josh struggling to reconcile with his ex, who has moved on and started dating another man. Everyone seems to love the new guy and his charismatic personality, despite the fact that he is literally Adolf Hitler. The episode perfectly captures that nearly-unexplainable feeling of frustration you have when everyone in the friend group loves someone who just rubs you the wrong way- perhaps due to their involvement with the Holocaust.
Man Seeking Woman Is Not On Streaming
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If you’re looking to kick back and enjoy a fresh binge-watch of Man Seeking Woman, you may be completely out of luck, as the show is currently not available on any streaming service. The show was an FX original, so there’s no real reason not to have it up on Hulu, alongside other FX classics such as Archer, Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and The Bear. Regardless, if you get the chance to dig up a DVD copy of the show (or purchase through Apple TV+), you should definitely jump at the opportunity to check it out.
