There’s an interesting sort of phenomenon where often the lesser hyped Netflix shows turn out to be some of their best and biggest breakout hits. In contrast to the massive hype that greeted “The Get Down” or those lukewarm Marvel shows, series like “Orange Is The New Black,” “Bojack Horseman,” “Stranger Things” and “13 Reasons Why” were mostly under the radar, but word of mouth turned them into flagship shows for the streaming service.
Could we about to see the same happen again? This past weekend saw “Friends From College,” a star-studded show from big-name comedy director Nicholas Stoller, debut to bad buzz and worse reviews, whereas “Atypical” was a show that most barely knew exists a month ahead of its debut, but actually looks quite sweet?
Created by former “How I Met Your Mother” and “The Goldbergs” writer/producer Robia Rashid, it’s a family comedy somewhat in the vein of one of those ABC shows like “Speechless,” about an 18 year old boy (Keir Gilchrist from “It Follows”) on the autistic spectrum, and his family, including parents Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Rapaport. “Horrible Bosses” helmer Seth Gordon directs the pilot, and Leigh herself produces, which given her relative pickiness feels like a good sign.
The trailer looks sort of familiar, but quite charming, and Leigh and Rapaport are a pretty great combination for a show like this. It hits August 11th — check back nearer the time for our verdict, and watch the trailer above and below in the meantime.