Life & Beth

Last updated

Life & Beth
Life & Beth.jpg
Genre Comedy drama
Created by Amy Schumer
StarringAmy Schumer
Violet Young
Michael Cera
Susannah Flood
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producersAmy Schumer
Kevin Kane
Daniel Powell
Ryan McFaul
Running time22–36 minutes
Production companiesIt's So Easy Productions
Irony Point
Endeavor Content
Original release
Network Hulu
ReleaseMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18) 
February 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)

Life & Beth is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Schumer, who also stars alongside Violet Young, Michael Cera, Yamaneika Saunders, Michael Rapaport, and Susannah Flood. The show premiered on Hulu on March 18, 2022. [1] In April 2022, the series was renewed for a ten-episode second season. [2] On February 16, 2024, the second season was released. [3] In July 2024, Hulu cancelled the series after two seasons. [4]

Contents

Premise

The series follows wine salesperson Beth who realizes that she is dissatisfied with her life when her mother unexpectedly dies. The storyline in season 2 involving Matt suddenly discovering he has a teenage daughter is partially based on a real-life event that happened to the actor playing Matt, Kevin Kane. [5]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1 10March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
2 10February 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)

Season 1 (2022)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Life & Beth" Amy Schumer Amy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
22"We're Grieving"Ryan McFaulAmy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
33"Out on the Island"Ryan McFaul Colleen McGuinness March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
44"Pancakes"Amy SchumerAmy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
55"Fair"Kevin KaneAmy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
66"Boat"Ryan McFaulEmily GoldwynMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
77"Leonard"Daniel Powell Ron Weiner March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
88"Homegoing"Ryan McFaulColleen McGuinnessMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
99"MRI"Amy SchumerAmy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
1010"Kiss from a Rose"Amy SchumerAmy SchumerMarch 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)

Season 2 (2024)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten by [6] Original release date [7]
111"Trust Me" Amy Schumer Amy SchumerFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
122"Who Dat?"Ryan McFaulChuck Hayward & Mia JacksonFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
133"Nothing Can Get Me Down"Ryan McFaulPhoebe WalshFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
144"This Soup is Gonna Be Good"Ryan McFaulRon WeinerFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
155"Claire"Daniel PowellDaniel PowellFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
166"The Work"Ryan McFaul Tami Sagher February 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
177"That's What Friends Are For"Ryan McFaulTova DikerFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
188"Shower Sex"Kevin KaneJeremy BeilerFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
199"Toxic"Amy SchumerAlison Leiby & Sahar Jahani February 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)
2010"Road to Nowhere"Amy SchumerAmy SchumerFebruary 16, 2024 (2024-02-16)

Release

Life & Beth premiered with all 10 episodes on March 18, 2022, on Hulu. [8] It was later released internationally through Disney’s Star content hub on Disney+. [9] In Latin America, it was made available to stream on Star+. [10] The series was also made accessible on Disney+ Hotstar in Southeast Asia. [11]

Reception

Viewership

Whip Media, which tracks viewership data for the more than 21 million worldwide users of its TV Time app, reporte that Life & Beth was the seventh most-streamed original series in the U.S. during the week of March 27, 2022. [12]

Critical reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 90% approval rating with an average rating of 7.30/10, based on 38 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Beth proves there's still plenty of life left in Amy Schumer's artistic project, boasting the comedian's most nuanced performance yet." [13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 70 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews." [14]

Amanda Whiting of The Independent stated that Life & Beth marks a significant shift in Amy Schumer’s work, moving away from her previous, more self-indulgent roles. They praised the series for its focus on self-reflection rather than humor, noting how Schumer draws on personal experiences, like her struggles with trichotillomania and her relationship with her husband, to add depth to the show. Whiting also appreciated Schumer’s new, introspective approach to comedy, pointing out that her jokes and performances now show a greater level of emotional maturity. [15] Kathryn VanArendonk of Vulture observed that Life & Beth offers a contemporary spin on the classic theme of returning home to rediscover oneself, reminiscent of romance novels and Hallmark movies. VanArendonk praised its engaging performances, particularly by Schumer and Michael Cera, as well as its genuine exploration of personal growth. However, they noted that the series sometimes struggles to integrate its elements, especially when transitioning between Schumer’s personal experiences and Beth’s childhood. Despite this, VanArendonk found the show’s blend of comedy and heartfelt storytelling often satisfying. [16]

Caroline Framke of Variety found Schumer’s shift from her usual brash comedy to a more introspective, semi-autobiographical story refreshing and fitting. They praised the series for its evocative direction and strong performances, particularly by Schumer, Michael Cera, and Violet Young. However, Framke asserted that the show initially struggled with a slow start and passive character dynamics but gained momentum as it progressed. They complimented the series for its emotional depth and the effective chemistry between Schumer and Cera. [17] Clare Martin of Paste rated Life & Beth 7.5 out of 10, saying it captures the bittersweet experience of returning to one’s roots. They praised Schumer for her introspective approach and for drawing on her own life experiences, including her relationship with her real-life husband. Martin complimented the performances, particularly Michael Cera and Violet Young, for adding emotional depth, though they noted some tonal inconsistencies between the comedic present and dramatic flashbacks. Despite these issues, they highlighted the show’s emotional resonance and strong performances as key reasons to watch. [18]

Accolades

Life & Beth was nominated for Best Comedy/Drama TrailerByte for a TV/Streaming Series at the 2024 Golden Trailer Awards. [19] The series was also one of 200 television series that received the ReFrame Stamp for the years 2020 to 2021. The stamp is awarded by the gender equity coalition ReFrame and industry database IMDbPro for film and television projects that are proven to have gender-balanced hiring, with stamps being awarded to projects that hire female-identifying people, especially women of color, in four out of eight key roles for their production. [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cera</span> Canadian actor (born 1988)

Michael Austin Cera is a Canadian actor. He is known for frequently portraying awkward, shy, quirky, and offbeat characters on stage and screen. Over his career he has received include nominations for a British Academy Film Award, three Critics' Choice Movie Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Schumer</span> American comedian and actress (born 1981)

Amy Beth Schumer is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. Schumer ventured into comedy in the early 2000s before appearing as a contestant on the fifth season of the NBC reality competition series Last Comic Standing in 2007. From 2013 to 2016, she was the creator, co-producer, co-writer, and star of the Comedy Central sketch comedy series Inside Amy Schumer, for which she received a Peabody Award and was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Variety Sketch Series in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumail Nanjiani</span> Pakistani-American comedian and actor (born 1978)

Kumail Ali Nanjiani is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian and actor. He is known for his role as Dinesh in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley (2014–2019) and for co-writing and starring in the romantic comedy film The Big Sick (2017). For co-writing the latter with his wife, Emily V. Gordon, they were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Twilight Zone executive produced by Jordan Peele in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Feinstein (comedian)</span> American comedian

Rachel Feinstein is an American actress and stand-up comedian. Feinstein was a finalist on season 7 of Last Comic Standing (2010). In 2011, she released her first comedy album, Thug Tears. Her first comedy special, Only Whores Wear Purple, was released in 2016 on Comedy Central, and her second special, Big Guy, was released on Netflix in 2024.

<i>Pen15</i> American comedy TV series

Pen15 is an American comedy television series, created by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman, that premiered on February 8, 2019, on Hulu. The series stars Erskine and Konkle, who also serve as executive producers alongside Zvibleman, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Becky Sloviter, Marc Provissiero, Brooke Pobjoy, Debbie Liebling, and Gabe Liedman.

<i>Ramy</i> (TV series) American comedy-drama TV series

Ramy is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on April 19, 2019, on Hulu. In May 2019, Hulu renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on May 29, 2020. The series stars Ramy Youssef as the titular character. In July 2020, Hulu renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on September 30, 2022.

Woke is an American comedy television series co-created by Keith Knight and Marshall Todd and starring Lamorne Morris. The series premiered on Hulu on September 9, 2020. On November 17, 2020, Hulu renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on April 8, 2022. In June 2022, Hulu cancelled the series after two seasons.

<i>The Dropout</i> 2022 American drama television miniseries

The Dropout is an American biographical drama television miniseries that dramatizes the rise and fall of the disgraced biotechnology company Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, played by Amanda Seyfried. It features an ensemble supporting cast, including Naveen Andrews, Elizabeth Marvel, William H. Macy, Stephen Fry, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Bill Irwin, Utkarsh Ambudkar, LisaGay Hamilton, Michael Ironside, Laurie Metcalf, Anne Archer, and Sam Waterston. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, the series is based on the podcast of the same name hosted by Rebecca Jarvis and produced by ABC News.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramy Youssef</span> American actor, comedian, director, and writer (born 1991)

Ramy Youssef is an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and director. He is known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the Hulu comedy series Ramy (2019–2022), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Peabody Award in 2020. He was also nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

<i>Love, Victor</i> 2020 American teen drama television series

Love, Victor is an American teen comedy drama television series created by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, inspired by and set in the same world as the 2018 film Love, Simon. The series premiered on June 17, 2020, on Hulu and ended on June 15, 2022, with 28 episodes over three seasons. It is produced by 20th Television, with Aptaker and Berger serving as showrunners.

<i>Julia</i> (2022 TV series) American television series based on the life of television chef Julia Child

Julia is an American comedy drama television series created by Daniel Goldfarb that premiered on HBO Max on March 31, 2022. It is based on the life of Julia Child in 1960s Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the production of her television cooking show The French Chef. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on November 16, 2023. In January 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.

<i>Only Murders in the Building</i> American mystery comedy-drama television series (2021–present)

Only Murders in the Building, often abbreviated as OMITB, is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The main plot focuses on a trio of strangers, all with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their affluent Upper West Side apartment building, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled Only Murders in the Building. Its four ten-episode seasons premiered on Hulu in August 2021, June 2022, August 2023, and August 2024. The series was renewed for a fifth season in September 2024.

Rosemary "Rosebud" Baker is an American comedian, actress, and writer. Based in New York City, she is known for her dark humor based on personal, often satirical stories. In 2010, She worked as an actress in independent films, non-union television projects, and off-Broadway. She later began appearing in a recurring role on the Hulu series Life & Beth (2022–present). Baker started her career in stand-up in 2014 by performing at open mics throughout New York City. In 2021, her debut comedy special, Whiskey Fists, premiered on Comedy Central. She became a writer for the HBO Max television series That Damn Michael Che in 2020 and a writer for Saturday Night Live in 2022.

Maggie is an American television sitcom created by Justin Adler and Maggie Mull, based on the short film of the same name by Tim Curcio. It premiered on Hulu on July 6, 2022. In September 2022, the series was cancelled after one season. The series was removed from Hulu on May 26, 2023 following a Disney+ and Hulu content removal purge as part of a broader cost cutting initiative under Disney CEO Bob Iger.

This Fool is an American comedy television series created by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman, and starring Estrada and Frankie Quiñones. It premiered on Hulu on August 12, 2022 and concluded on July 28, 2023. The show includes a comedic look at cholo culture and lifestyle.

<i>Reasonable Doubt</i> (TV series) American television series

Reasonable Doubt is an American legal drama television series created by Raamla Mohamed for Hulu. The series stars Emayatzy Corinealdi as a corporate defense lawyer navigating challenging high-profile cases. The series also stars McKinley Freeman, Tim Jo, Angela Grovey, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Aderinsola Olabode, and Michael Ealy. Reasonable Doubt is Onyx Collective's first scripted television series. It premiered on September 27, 2022. On April 17, 2023, it was renewed for a second season which premiered on August 22, 2024. The series generally received positive reviews from critics.

Extraordinary is a British superhero comedy television series created by Emma Moran. It premiered on the Disney+ Star platform internationally, Star+ in Latin America and Hulu in the United States, on 25 January 2023. It received generally positive reviews, and was renewed for a second season on 23 January 2023, ahead of the series premiere. Season 2 became available to stream 6 March 2024 on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ in other markets. The premise is that everyone in the world develops a superpower at the age of 18, and the show follows Jen, who, six years after turning 18, still hasn't discovered her superpower.

Kevin Kane is an American actor, director and producer.

References

  1. Chapman, Wilson (February 8, 2022). "Amy Schumer Falls for Michael Cera in Hulu's 'Life & Beth' Trailer". Variety . Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  2. Petski, Denise (April 13, 2022). "Amy Schumer's 'Life & Beth' Renewed For Season 2 By Hulu". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  3. Rouse, Isaac (January 18, 2024). "Amy Schumer's 'Life & Beth' Season 2 Sees Beth & John Get Married (VIDEO)". TV Insider . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  4. Iannucci, Rebecca (July 26, 2024). "Life & Beth Cancelled at Hulu After 2 Seasons". TVLine . Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  5. Roots, Kimberly (March 11, 2024). "Law & Order: SVU's Kevin Kane Teases 'Lingering Revenge' Lurking in Bruno's Future". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  6. "Life & Beth - WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West . Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  7. "Shows A-Z – Life & Beth on Hulu". The Futon Critic . Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  8. Petski, Denise (February 8, 2022). "'Life & Beth' Trailer: Amy Schumer Is Ready For a Fresh Start With Michael Cera In Hulu Comedy". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  9. Palmer, Roger (January 24, 2024). ""Life & Beth" Season 2 Coming Soon To Disney+ (UK/IE/AU/NZ)". WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  10. Martínez, Xochitl (February 16, 2024). "Star+: Hoy se estrena "Life & Beth" en Star+". El Informador (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  11. Goel, Yashika (March 8, 2024). "Women's Day: Disney+ Hotstar Spotlights Empowering Female Characters". TelecomTalk. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  12. Prange, Stephanie (March 29, 2022). "'Bridgerton,' 'Turning Red' Top Weekly Whip Media Streaming Charts". Media Play News . Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  13. "Life & Beth: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  14. "Life & Beth: Season 1". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  15. Whiting, Amanda (May 19, 2022). "In Life & Beth, Amy Schumer finally plays a human being". The Independent . Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  16. VanArendonk, Kathryn (March 28, 2022). "Amy Schumer's Life & Beth Feels Like a Prestige-Comedy Hallmark Movie". Vulture . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  17. Framke, Caroline (March 18, 2022). "Amy Schumer's 'Life & Beth' Shifts the Comedian Into a More Passive, Introspective Gear: TV Review". Variety . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  18. Martin, Claire (March 21, 2022). "Life & Beth Reveals a Different Side of Amy Schumer". Paste . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  19. "GTA24 Nominees – Golden Trailer Awards". Golden Trailer Awards . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  20. Behzadi, Sofia (July 19, 2022). "'Euphoria', 'Abbott Elementary' & Apple Among ReFrame Stamp Recipients For Gender-Balanced Hiring; Numbers Down From 2020-2021". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  21. Hailu, Selome (July 19, 2022). "Gender-Balanced Hiring in Scripted TV Down 7% From Last Year, Says New Report from Reframe". Variety . Retrieved September 17, 2024.