Uncoupled review: Breaking up is hard to do for Neil Patrick Harris in this sweet rom-sitcom
Neil Patrick Harris is a bit like the Dick Clark of actors: You can plop him into any situation and he'll command the room with a magnetism that looks deceptively effortless. After a three-year break from series TV, Harris makes a winning return with Uncoupled, a smartly crafted snack of a rom-sitcom from Darren Star (Sex and the City) and Jeffrey Richman.
NPH stars as Michael, a high-end real estate agent in New York City who's happily settled with Colin (Tuc Watkins), his successful investment-banker boyfriend of 17 years. When Colin abruptly moves out on his 50th birthday, Michael is left to navigate the five stages of sudden singlehood — denial, anger, dating apps, rebounds, and acceptance — while coming to terms with his own role in the relationship's demise. There to guide Michael through it all are a telegenically eclectic group of friends: Suzanne (Tisha Campbell), Michael's frank, funny, and also reluctantly single co-worker; Stanley (Brooks Ashmanskas), a level-headed gallery owner who's unlucky in love; and Billy (Emerson Brooks), a sexy meteorologist who parlays his TV fame into a steady stream of one-night stands.
Netflix Neil Patrick Harris and Tisha Campbell in 'Uncoupled'
On paper, it all sounds a little Gay Sex and the City, right down to the twinkly theme music. But Uncoupled is — and I mean this as a compliment — more akin to a gay And Just Like That. Michael and his friends aren't carefree, twenty-something urban adventurers; they're adults looking for security and stability, with some manageable doses of fun mixed in. The prospect of starting over in middle age is bittersweet, terrifying, and absurd — perfect fodder for a sitcom that's by and for grown-ups. Harris is a superb fit as Michael; the role requires vulnerability and emotional depth, as well as the ability to deliver even the most perilous of punchlines — "You want to Botox my butthole?" — with aplomb. (Uncoupled is an adult comedy in more ways than one.)
Michael lands a demanding new client, Claire (Marcia Gay Harden, in full grande dame mode), who's going through her own divorce, and her burgeoning, odd-couple friendship with Suzanne allows Uncoupled to explore the midlife dating scene from a female perspective as well. The writers balance out borderline-silly b-storylines with authentic sentiment about relationships — especially the importance of friendships as we age — and the pacing is about as clean and efficient as it gets. (Proper sitcom writing is hard, y'all! Star and Richman are veteran comedy architects, and it shows.)
If the eight episodes lead up to a predictable cliffhanger, well, that's part of the appeal. There's comfort in the well-worn shape of a rom-com story, especially one as stylish and easy-to-digest as this. B+
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