A new series, described as an 'addictive binge watch' and featuring Jon Hamm's best performance since Mad Men, is now available on Apple TV+.
The show, Your Friends and Neighbors, began streaming today (April 11) with a two-episode premiere and will continue to be released weekly until the finale.
Apple TV+ has already shown confidence in the series by greenlighting a second season before the first episode was even aired. The series marks Jon Hamm's return to a leading role on television for the first time since his award-winning run on the hit series Mad Men. Early reactions have inevitably drawn comparisons between the two shows.
In the series, Hamm portrays a hedge fund manager who finds himself suddenly dismissed in disgrace, while also dealing with his recent divorce. In order to maintain his lavish lifestyle, he resorts to burgling his neighbours' homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, reports the Mirror US.
However, he soon realises that the secrets and affairs concealed behind those wealthy facades could be more perilous than he ever anticipated. Hamm is joined in the cast by Olivia Munn and Amanda Peet.
Your Friends and Neighbors was created by showrunner Jonathan Tropper, known for his work on series like Banshee and Warrior, as well as contributions to shows like See and Vinyl, and the Netflix film The Adam Project.
Early reviews are in for the newly streaming series, with Glamour hailing it as potentially everyone's next binge-watch sensation, describing the show as: "It's a mix of Big Little Lies meets Breaking Bad but with its own unique spin on class, money, and gender dynamics."
The show has garnered an 80% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, though opinions may shift as more episodes become available. Praising the series, one critic shared: "It's an addictive binge-watch with the type of Apple TV+ sheen that you'd come to expect. Further, it centralizes a Hamm performance that perfectly encapsulates the type of likable loser that he's so good at portraying."
Another succinct remark read: "Your Friends and Neighbors answers the question, What if Don Draper lived in Westchester in the 21st century?".
Screen Rant offered a tempered viewpoint, stating: "Jon Hamm's Your Friends and Neighbors never fully overcomes feeling like a Breaking Bad clone, but is still charming enough to entertain."
Not every critic was enchanted, however, as one commented on the decision not to continue watching: "A chattier Hamm character is a differentiator. But in early episodes, it's kind of a one-note story that didn't inspire me to want to watch more."
Nonetheless, Jon Hamm's leading role has garnered acclaim, with one viewer commenting: "This is Hamm's first leading role in a drama series since Mad Men, and he delivers like a pro who never stepped away for even a half a hot second from the limelight."
Your Friends & Neighbors is streaming on Apple TV+.
