Difficult People | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Julie Klausner |
Starring |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 28 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Ryan McCormick |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 22–29 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | Hulu |
Release | August 5, 2015 – September 26, 2017 |
Difficult People is an American comedy television series created by Julie Klausner. Klausner stars alongside Billy Eichner as two struggling and jaded comedians living in New York City; the duo seemingly hate everyone but each other.
The series premiered on August 5, 2015 on Hulu, [1] and was renewed for two additional seasons. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] In Australia Difficult People premiered on 3 August 2020 on SBS Viceland and the SBS On Demand streaming service.
In May 2014, it was announced that Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner would star in a pilot for USA Network, with Klausner penning the script and Andrew Fleming directing. Amy Poehler would executive produce under Universal Cable Productions, with Dave Becky also executive producing under his 3 Arts banner, and Michele Armor of Marobru also executive producing. [8] That same month it was announced that Rachel Dratch, Andrea Martin, James Urbaniak, and Tracee Chimo had all been cast in the series, with Martin portraying Klausner's mother. [9] In November 2014, Hulu had acquired the series, with a straight-to-series order. [10] In March 2015, Gabourey Sidibe and Cole Escola were cast in recurring roles. [11]
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 8 | August 5, 2015 | September 16, 2015 | |
2 | 10 | July 12, 2016 | September 6, 2016 | |
3 | 10 | August 8, 2017 | September 26, 2017 |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Library Water" | Andrew Fleming & Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 5, 2015 | |
2 | 2 | "Devil's Three Way" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 5, 2015 | |
Julie seeks out an old high-school crush and brings him to bed with her and Arthur. Meanwhile, Billy finds a father figure in Denise's husband, Nate. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Pledge Week" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 12, 2015 | |
Billy hits it off with a new man, only to find out he is a "participator". Meanwhile, Julie's home-life crumbles as Arthur cracks under the pressure of the PBS pledge drive. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "The Courage of a Soldier" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 19, 2015 | |
Billy visits his very Jewish brother for Yom Kippur dinner and Julie attempts to befriend a veteran to prove to Marilyn's surrogate daughter that she is charitable. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "The Children's Menu" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 26, 2015 | |
While Billy's boss is out of town, Billy and Julie overhaul the café menu with children's cuisine at adult prices. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "Even Later" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | September 2, 2015 | |
Billy and Julie prepare a portfolio for a writing job, but find it easier to procrastinate than write. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "Premium Membership" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | September 9, 2015 | |
Billy and Julie decide to create their own podcast, but it proves more difficult than anticipated; Billy has some unexpected fun at the indoor dog park. | ||||||
8 | 8 | "Difficult Christmas" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | September 16, 2015 | |
Julie and Billy book a gig at The Cutting Room, but Billy's newfound obligation to family threatens to compromise their big break. |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | 1 | "Unplugged" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | July 12, 2016 | |
Julie tries to fit in with a group of powerful TV writers as Billy attempts to get used to being his rich boyfriend's (John Mulaney) kept man; Marilyn creates a video will. | ||||||
10 | 2 | "Kessler Epstein Foundation" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | July 12, 2016 | |
Billy and Julie try to create their own version of the ice bucket challenge in hopes of becoming famous. | ||||||
11 | 3 | "Italian Pinata" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | July 19, 2016 | |
Mistaken perceptions about heritage and sexual orientation leads to Julie and Billy living double lives in New Jersey. | ||||||
12 | 4 | "Blade Stallion" | Neil Daly | Julie Klausner & Scott King | July 26, 2016 | |
Time alone become elusive after Julie is caught watching porn and Billy's brother (Fred Armisen) moves in with him. | ||||||
13 | 5 | "Patches" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 2, 2016 | |
Problems at Billy's apartment lead to him staying with Marilyn; a misunderstanding results in Julie landing a part on a TV show. | ||||||
14 | 6 | "36 Candles" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 9, 2016 | |
As her birthday gets closer, Julie discovers that she enjoys her mom's company when they are drinking; Billy tries to date a guy he met through an app. | ||||||
15 | 7 | "Carter" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 16, 2016 | |
Inspired by the success of Hamilton , Billy and Julie want to write and star in their own historical musical. Mother and doctor Marilyn competes with their child for their own TV score. | ||||||
16 | 8 | "Hashtag Cats" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 23, 2016 | |
Billy and Julie gain their first famous fan, who tries to help them sell a sketch show to a TV network. | ||||||
17 | 9 | "Cedar Cove" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 30, 2016 | |
When Julie gets sick and Billy is cast in a children's TV show, they jeopardize their chance at becoming fashion elites. | ||||||
18 | 10 | "High Alert" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | September 6, 2016 | |
Julie writes a personal essay about 9/11 that is optioned for a movie; Billy helps with preparations for Matthew's wedding. |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | 1 | "Passover Bump" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner | August 8, 2017 | |
Julie and Billy get community service after disrupting the CBS live presentation of Bazinga in the Park with George . Julie gets a new meditation app when she is denied antidepressants to survive her family's Passover seder. Billy gets a job as a warmup comic for Larry Wilmore's new show. | ||||||
20 | 2 | "Strike Rat" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 8, 2017 | |
Julie gets cast in Woody Allen's new Amazon TV series. Billy and Marilyn get involved in Mike Pence's gay conversion program. Matthew's ex-wife (Vanessa Williams) visits. | ||||||
21 | 3 | "Code Change" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 8, 2017 | |
Julie decides she has an addiction to her mother, and treats it by joining AA. Billy helps his sister-in-law Rachel exorcise a Jewish demon from her basement. Arthur experiences frustration in the bedroom and at work, and takes both into his own hands. | ||||||
22 | 4 | "Rabbitversary" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 15, 2017 | |
Alone for the weekend, Julie hires a creepy handyman (Chris Elliott) who overstays his welcome. Meanwhile, Billy feuds with an advertising exec (John Cho), and Marilyn gets a book deal from a patient's mother (Lucy Liu). | ||||||
23 | 5 | "Cindarestylox" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 22, 2017 | |
Julie gets a sketchy Botox treatment that freezes her face in a smile. She's amazed by how much better people treat her and attempts to exploit that. | ||||||
24 | 6 | "Bernie and Blythe" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | August 29, 2017 | |
Julie and Arthur stumble into sexual roleplay, while Billy worries he’s been miscast as a supportive spouse at Todd’s work parties. Meanwhile, Julie’s dogs become social media stars without Julie’s consent, and Marilyn re-unites with a former lover (John Turturro) from her free-spirited youth. | ||||||
25 | 7 | "Fuzz Buddies" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | September 5, 2017 | |
Lifelong dreams come true when Julie gets hired to write on a TV show, Micky Dolenz answers Billy’s childhood fan letter, and Marilyn throws herself a Bat Mitzvah. | ||||||
26 | 8 | "Criminal Minds" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | September 12, 2017 | |
Julie “Yes And’s” her way into a corner with her former improv teammates and ends up being caught in a significant lie. Billy and Todd can’t fall asleep in the same bed together. Meanwhile, Arthur uncovers a secret at work, and Marilyn and Matthew bond. | ||||||
27 | 9 | "Sweet Tea" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | September 19, 2017 | |
Julie considers trading her showbiz dreams for a life of happy crafting as Billy sickens of New York City. Arthur is over his job, and Marilyn experiences writer’s block. Meanwhile a visit from Lola’s sorority may hold the answer to all of their problems. | ||||||
28 | 10 | "The Silkwood" | Jeffrey Walker | Julie Klausner & Scott King | September 26, 2017 | |
Billy moves to Los Angeles with Julie's help. Marilyn writes a best-selling memoir, also with Julie's help. Changes at the cafe include a new waiter, and eventually, new ownership. Arthur's office in Florida meets an untimely demise. |
Difficult People received generally positive reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, gave the first season an 85% approval rating and an average rating of 8 out of 10, sampled from reviews from 20 critics. Seasons two and three both received a 100% from polled critics. The site's consensus reads, "Difficult People makes the unlikable likable with mean-spirited, unhappy characters who still can't help but amuse." [13] On Metacritic, the first season holds a rating of 76 out of 100, based on 12 critics' reviews, implying "generally favorable reviews". [14]
The series frequently leveled jokes about Kevin Spacey prior to public allegations against the actor. [15]
Amy Poehler is an American actress and comedian. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade. The group moved to New York City in 1996, where their act became a half-hour sketch-comedy series on Comedy Central in 1998. Along with other members of the comedy group, Poehler is a founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Rachel Susan Dratch is an American actress. After she graduated from Dartmouth College, she moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre at The Second City and ImprovOlympic. Dratch's breakthrough role was her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006. During her time on SNL, she portrayed a variety of roles including Debbie Downer. She has since occasionally returned to SNL as a guest portraying Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Seth Adam Meyers is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, producer, and podcaster. He currently hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers, a late-night talk show on NBC. Prior to Late Night, Meyers was a cast member on NBC's sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2014, and served as the show's head writer and anchor of their news parody segment, Weekend Update, from 2006 until his departure in 2014.
Julie Marie Berman is an American actress. She is known for her role as Lulu Spencer on the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, for which she received three Daytime Emmy Awards, and for her role on the Golden Globe nominated Hulu comedy series Casual as Leia, Valerie's receptionist.
James Christian Urbaniak is an American character actor. He is best known for his roles as Simon Grim in three Hal Hartley films: Henry Fool (1997), Fay Grim (2006) and Ned Rifle (2014), Robert Crumb in American Splendor (2003), Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture on the animated series The Venture Bros. (2003–2023), Grant Grunderschmidt on Review (2014–2017), and Arthur Tack on Difficult People (2015–2017).
The thirty-fourth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 13, 2008, and May 16, 2009.
Julie Klausner is an American writer, comedian, actress, and podcaster. She is best known for creating, writing, and starring in the Hulu sitcom Difficult People (2015–2017), which also starred comedian Billy Eichner.
Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 2009 film Precious, a role that earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, in addition to nominations for the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film roles include Tower Heist (2011), White Bird in a Blizzard (2014), Grimsby (2016), and Antebellum (2020).
Billy Eichner is an American actor and comedian. He is the star, executive producer, and creator of Funny or Die's Billy on the Street, a comedy game show that aired on truTV.
East Los High is a teen drama television series that revolves around the lives of a group of teens navigating their final years at a fictional high school in East LA. Created, written, and produced by Wise Entertainment, the series is Hulu's first and only series with an all Latino cast and crew and is predominantly filmed in East Los Angeles. The producers of the show work closely with numerous public health organizations to incorporate information within the storylines that encourage young Latinos to make healthy life choices.
The Awesomes is an American adult animated comedy television series created by Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker for Hulu. Meyers and Shoemaker serve as executive producers alongside Lorne Michaels. It debuted on August 1, 2013 and ended on November 3, 2015.
Alex Saxon is an American actor known for playing Wyatt in The Fosters, Max in Finding Carter, and Ace in Nancy Drew. He has also had roles in other television series: Awkward (2011); Ray Donovan (2013–2015); and The Mentalist (2015).
The Path is an American drama television series created by Jessica Goldberg, and starring Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, and Hugh Dancy. The show portrays members of a fictional religion known as Meyerism.
Casual is an American television comedy drama television series that premiered on October 7, 2015, on Hulu. Created by Zander Lehmann and directed by Jason Reitman, it centers on Valerie, a newly divorced single mother living with her brother Alex and her daughter Laura. The cast also includes Frances Conroy and Nyasha Hatendi.
The following is the complete filmography of actress, comedian, writer, and producer Tina Fey.
Goliath is an American legal drama television series by Amazon Studios. The show was commissioned with a straight-to-series order of eight episodes on December 1, 2015 and premiered on October 13, 2016, on Amazon Prime Video. On February 15, 2017, Amazon announced the series had been renewed for a second season and confirmed that Clyde Phillips was joining the series as showrunner. The trailer for season 2 was released on May 1, 2018. Season 2, consisting of eight episodes, was released on June 15, 2018. On December 11, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on October 4, 2019. On November 14, 2019, Amazon announced the series was renewed for a fourth and final season, which premiered on September 24, 2021.
The eighth season of the American horror anthology television series American Horror Story, subtitled Apocalypse, features the witches from the New Orleans coven as they battle the Antichrist and attempt to prevent the world from ending. The season is presented as a crossover between Murder House, Coven, and Hotel. The ensemble cast includes Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Adina Porter, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Cody Fern, Emma Roberts, Cheyenne Jackson, and Kathy Bates, with all returning from previous seasons, except newcomer Fern.
Cole Escola is an American comedian, actor, and singer. They are best known for their cabaret work and their appearances on the television series Jeffery & Cole Casserole (2009–2010), Difficult People (2015–2017), At Home with Amy Sedaris (2017–2020), Search Party (2016–2022), and Big Mouth (2022–present).
Paper Kite Productions is an American film and television production company founded by actress and producer Amy Poehler. It is known for producing the series The Mighty B!, Broad City,Difficult People, Making It, Russian Doll, and Duncanville.
Duncanville is an American adult animated sitcom created by Amy Poehler, Mike Scully and Julie Scully for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series features the voices of Poehler, Ty Burrell, Riki Lindhome, Zach Cherry, Yassir Lester, Betsy Sodaro, Rashida Jones, Joy Osmanski, and Wiz Khalifa. The series premiered in the United States on February 16, 2020.