The Netflix Sci-Fi Comedy Clones Fan-Favorite Avenger
Some actors are known for their dual performances, appearing as multiple characters in a film or series, who sometimes, through the miracle of modern film editing, interact with one another physically. Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, and Tom Hardy have each taken a crack at this demanding style of performance, with actors such as Seth Rogen helming films like American Pickle. One such project which sees a key A-lister taking on two very different roles is the 2019 limited sci-fi series Living with Yourself, starring Paul Rudd.
Miles Is At The End Of His Rope
Living with Yourself is a Netflix original series which centers on Paul Rudd‘s Miles Elliot, a perpetually miserable man constantly drowning in negativity due to his busy schedule, demanding work, and unfulfilled potential. Miles and his wife Kate have been struggling to conceive a baby for some time, leaving them both concerned and unhappy about the state of their marriage.
The Cure Is Worse Than The Disease
Following up on a recommendation from a co-worker, Miles attends a shady spa in a strip mall outside of town, which is said to utilize the latest technology in rejuvenation, providing clients with a fresh new outlook on life.
Despite his reservations about trying the spa out, Miles sees none other than 6-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady exiting the storefront, in a hilarious cameo that references the Hall of Famer’s unbelievably successful legacy with the NFL. Unbeknownst to Miles, or any other customer of the spa, the rejuvenation technology is actually a cloning device, which leaves the new clone feeling fresh and full of life, while the original consumer is killed and buried in the forest.
Living With Himself
Through 8 episodes, Living With Yourself explores the dark but hilarious concept of cloning by displaying Miles-Prime and Clone Miles struggling to find a compromise in life after original Miles survives the procedure.
If the premise of Living With Yourself sounds vaguely familiar, a similar concept was explored in a 2017 episode of Rick and Morty, which sees the titular dimension-hopping duo attending a spa day of their own, only to have all of their most toxic traits stripped from their bodies and formed into wholly new creatures. Living With Yourself takes this premise far beyond the adult cartoon’s examination, however, by looking at how difficult it would be to navigate the world as two people who share an identity, a social security number, and a job.
The Cast And Crew
In addition to Paul Rudd’s dual leading performance, Living With Yourself has a cast loaded with talent, including Aisling Bea, Desmin Borges, Gene Jones, Jon Glaser, and Severance‘s Zach Cherry. The series was created by former Daily Show with Jon Stewart producer Timothy Greenberg, who is currently working on a new Amazon original series starring Ewan McGregor.
Season 2?
Living With Yourself has an open-ended conclusion, leaving some possibility of a second season, though most fans seem convinced at this point that future seasons of the show are off the table, since so many key players have moved on to more time-consuming projects.
If you’d like to see for yourself, Living With Yourself is currently available to stream on Netflix.
