“It’s not yours in case you can’t hold it.”
In “Your Buddies and Neighbors,” this line emerges from Jack Bailey (Corbin Bernsen), a wealthy previous dude who runs a hedge fund and simply fired Andrew Cooper (Jon Hamm), a slightly-less-rich, slightly-less-old dude who manages, er, managed a hedge fund. Bailey’s level is mainly nothing that belongs to the agency belongs to Andrew, even when Andrew — who goes by “Coop,” as a result of he’s cool and relatable like that — introduced within the purchasers, their investments, and their affect. It’s a shitty factor to say, identical to firing Coop is a shitty factor to do, however hey, that’s Jack — and that’s enterprise.
Nonetheless, the phrase inevitably springs to thoughts later, as Coop pivots from taking anybody’s cash to make the wealthy richer and into taking the wealthy’s cash to make himself richer. As he sneaks into his rich neighbors’ capacious mansions, pinching a designer purse from this drawer and a spare roll of money from that one, you’ll be able to nearly hear Coop pondering to himself, “Effectively, it’s not yours in case you can’t hold it.” What he truly says (through Hamm’s spokesman-polished voiceover) are variations of “they received’t even realize it’s gone” or “that asshole doesn’t deserve this.”
However we all know what he means: “I would like this, so I’m taking it, since you’re too silly to cease me.” His caveman perspective isn’t far faraway from that of the ex-boss he hates. But, for the majority of the primary season, Coop can’t open his eyes to acknowledge the congruity, nor can he acknowledge the broader corresponding fact that’s been abundantly clear since at least 1964, when The Beatles launched the hit music “Can’t Purchase Me Love”: Cash, or no matter it buys, isn’t going to make Coop pleased. What he wants… is…
Shoot. I simply had it. Is it… gloves?
“Your Buddies and Neighbors” dances round many a titillating matter: the parallels between Coop’s socially acceptable former enterprise and his illicit present technique of being profitable (aka stealing it); the looks of affluence and what it buys you vs. the looks of poverty and what it prices; the nagging repulsion for Coop’s haughty, privileged angle towards absolutely anything and the persisting enchantment of Jon Hamm‘s naughty, no-fucks-given method towards being Jon Hamm.
However regardless of flirting with some superb concepts, creator Jonathan Tropper’s drama by no means confronts them (at the least, not but — Apple offered seven of the 9 episodes for assessment). As a substitute, it sticks to a dependable, predictable plot, trusting its high quality forged and refined aesthetic to raise a present that’s as primary as they arrive.
Backing up a bit, “Your Buddies and Neighbors” is a brand new sequence on Apple TV+ about wealthy white-people issues. In case you are a wealthy white particular person, particularly a man, then it is best to have the ability to establish with Coop’s mid-life disaster in methods these of us too busy being raked over the coals by capitalism can’t. As an illustration, Coop’s largest downside is that he’s been fired. OK, relatable sufficient, besides his rapid points upon shedding his sole supply of revenue aren’t paying the mortgage or shopping for groceries; they’re studying methods to flip down $20,000-a-plate charity dinners and transferring his sister out of the residence he rents for her and into his personal home with an additional bed room.
Positive, at first, his challenges are about saving face. I suppose folks can get on board with that. Nobody likes to be embarrassed, and Coop’s dismissal was embarrassing: There’s a scandal concerned… though, it’s actually simply the look of a scandal, as a result of Coop didn’t do something flawed. (The premiere episode bends over backwards to make that clear.) There’s additionally a two-year non-compete to beat… solely, he does get different job presents, simply not ones that he likes.
So actually, the embarrassment he’s attempting to get previous is placing his belief in a boss who didn’t deserve it, which if Coop noticed a therapist, would ultimately be his breakthrough second: Not solely did Coop lately lose his job as a result of his boss threw him beneath the bus, he additionally lately misplaced his spouse of 18 years when he walked in on her banging his greatest buddy. Three life-changing betrayals, all inside a couple of weeks.
Ouch. Now I believe most individuals can drum up some pity for this poor (however not poor) cuckold, as he varieties new opinions of his life and himself whereas attempting to place the items again collectively. Besides in fleshing out Mel (Amanda Peet), “Your Buddies and Neighbors” makes it fairly clear that she’s not some chilly, spoiled asshole. She didn’t cheat on Coop for the enjoyable of it, nor did she savor the stabbing him within the again. There are two sides to each break-up story, and regardless that Coop refuses to see Mel’s perspective, the present suggestions it for her in a method that doubles our frustration over Coop’s sluggish acceptance of any accountability by any means.
Maybe if “Your Buddies and Neighbors” was keen to take its protagonist to activity for his ethical failings and lunkish oversights, the sequence wouldn’t really feel so emotionally inert. As a substitute, it coasts on Hamm’s affability and focuses on Coop’s new career as a petty thief. Drunk and depressed at a celebration the place Mel and Nick (Mark Tallman) are seated within the buddy circle he as soon as accomplished, Coop goes wandering by his host’s lavish home. Oh, isn’t {that a} cute little piece of cleaning soap. Ah, aren’t these mattress pillows fluffy. Hey, is {that a} drawer full of cash? Guess I’ll take a stack for myself, thanks very a lot.
Thus a behavior is born, each Coop’s and the present’s. Coop might not know why he determined to steal a wad of money from his supposed buddy. Within the second, he popped it in his pocket as casually as you or I would take a matchbook from a restaurant bar. However after holding onto it for a couple of days, pondering over simply how a lot cash is laying round his neighbors’ suburban palaces, he decides he needs extra. Finally, he even admits he likes the act of stealing. Nevermind that wanting extra is what ended him in a multitude of debt and face-saving lies to start with. Habits are exhausting to interrupt.
The present’s behavior, nonetheless, is complicated suspense with battle. For a lot of the season, Coop slides open unlocked doorways or follows YouTube tutorials when locks are literally latched. Typically there might be an surprising alarm or canine or safety guard, and in these moments, it’s solely pure to fret about Coop getting caught. There’s rigidity, nevertheless it’s fleeting. “Your Buddies and Neighbors” isn’t dumb sufficient to lock up its main asset so early, and it’s not slick sufficient to make every new break in an “Ocean’s”-esque thrill trip. In order he’s puttering round his neighborhood, it’s too straightforward to appreciate there’s little or no battle right here — which can match Coop’s posh way of life as snugly as his cashmere sweaters, however does little to raise the present round him.
Apple has made these sort of exhibits earlier than. “Darkish Matter” is sad-dad mid-life disaster science-fiction. (“Howdy Tomorrow” sort of is, too.) “Ted Lasso” is sad-dad mid-life disaster comedy. (“Shrinking” much more so.) However extra importantly, Hamm has been right here earlier than, with a lot richer outcomes. Don Draper is his personal model of unhappy dad: the ’60s household patriarch whose existential disaster sends him bouncing between absurd heights of self-confidence and heartbreaking lows of absolute fraudulence.
Watching him shift between every was magnetic as a result of every motion was unpredictable and identifiable, conscious and foolhardy, particular to Don and balanced towards the complete lives of these round him, the lens of historical past, and a lot extra. Perhaps being actually good at enterprise may make up for what he did within the conflict, what he did to his household, and who he believes himself to be, deep down. When that technique inevitably failed (and even when it shockingly succeeded), we discovered a bit of bit extra about Don, as a result of he discovered a bit of bit extra about himself (not all the time the fitting classes, however hey, that simply makes him extra human and the present extra self-aware).
Right here, you’re solely ready for Coop to determine what you already know. There’s not sufficient drama to it. There’s not sufficient shock or perception. No present needs to be judged towards “Mad Males” simply because they each share the identical star, however in a method, each present needs to be judged towards “Mad Males” as a result of each present ought to wish to be that good. “Your Buddies and Neighbors” isn’t a let-down as a result of it falls wanting greatness. It’s a let-down as a result of it doesn’t attempt that arduous to be nice. And that’s who Coop is, by and thru.
Grade: C-
“Your Buddies and Neighbors” premieres Friday, April 11 on Apple TV+ with two episodes. New episodes might be launched weekly by the finale (Episode 9) on Might 30.