The Studio Season-Finale Recap: The Main Event

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The fact that Apple TV+ has chosen to produce another season of The Studio helps ease the confusion surrounding this season’s finale, which seems more like an incomplete conclusion to a first season rather than a perplexing ending to a series. Written by the show’s creative team, consisting of Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, “The Presentation” wraps up the initial period of Matt’s leadership at Continental’s studio head position, following on from the penultimate episode titled “Cinemacon.” However, this season’s briefest installment frequently feels like it could have been part of the previous one, and the final scene leaves numerous questions unanswered, leading to a somewhat underwhelming ending.

This doesn’t mean it lacks humor; quite the contrary, even the least amusing episodes of “The Studio” are brimming with infectious energy and hilarious jokes. The episode titled “The Presentation” is no exception, as it opens with an unexpectedly awkward scene featuring Griffin Mill, the Continental CEO who’s still high out of his mind, engaging in a questionable act with a statue of Aphrodite while Patty watches approvingly. Little does she know that her confidence in him not embarrassing himself in public is crucial, as she even calls Matt Belloni to witness this moment, unaware that this could be the very evidence Continental’s owners need to finalize their sale to Amazon. Hearing about this development only intensifies Patty’s anxiety and she joins the Continental crew in their efforts to keep the situation under wraps.

The predicament: According to Sal, Griffin is barely clinging to life. Inspired by Matt’s youth classics, Quinn proposes a humorous solution – they should fake Griffin’s vitality, similar to the characters in the movie “Weekend at Bernie’s.” She acknowledges the film’s poor quality but appreciates its innovative concept. Matt concurs, expressing the need for cinematic illusion.

However, their effort to replicate this illusion encounters obstacles. The first issue arises with Dave Franco, who is still under the influence of drugs and has just won a substantial amount at poker, causing his adversaries to react unfavorably. (Franco doesn’t recognize this as an issue yet.) The second challenge presents itself in the form of Belloni, whom they least want to encounter. Despite rumors of a sale, he fails to discern through Griffin’s semi-animated state that something is amiss.

At the hotel, Griffin shows a bit more alertness yet remains unable to dress himself, an assignment taken up by Sal who encounters difficulties because of his boss’s unusually large private parts. It’s no secret that Griffin is well-endowed, as Matt describes him. Griffin and others are feeling the aftermath of the previous night’s indulgence. Zoë Kravitz is still in the throes of recovering. In a literal sense, Matt and Patty discover her sitting on a nightstand, giggling over the absurdity of getting down. Somehow, this chaotic scene prompts Matt and Maya to start kissing passionately, albeit briefly and intensely.

Regarding Griffin, there’s consensus among everyone to try an innovative cinematic trick to help him get in the right shape for his performance. Drawing inspiration from the film “Flight,” they decide to counterbalance the influence of all those shrooms using cocaine. Initially, this seems effective, if only for a brief moment. Griffin gains strength as Patty brings Kravitz back. However, Kravitz becomes puzzled about how she can be both Zoë and her film character, Agent Blackwing simultaneously. As she cries out, “Where’s Zoë?!,” Griffin succumbs. It appears that this plan isn’t working as intended. Tyler’s late arrival and exclamation of “Oh no” adds a fitting conclusion to the scene.

Now it’s time for the main event, and the Continental team’s nervous backstage demeanor gives director Nicholas Stoller pause, almost causing him to back out. However, a threat from Sal to replace him with Shawn Levy on the Kool-Aid sequel makes him reconsider. On the other hand, James Franco shows up covered in blood after getting into a fight with his poker opponents who suspected him of cheating using illusions from the Now You See Me movies. (Matt: “Were you?” Franco: “Oh yeah!”) Despite this, Franco decides to take the stage to present Alphabet City, which he does while in character. After completing his introduction, he collapses.

Next up is Kravitz, who’s in high spirits since she’s come to realize that everything doesn’t really matter, likening us all to “skinned sausages.” As Quinn observes, she’s simply going through a bit of self-realization, or as they call it, a “tiny ego death.” This leaves her team a tad concerned, but it sparks Matt to send Patty out first instead. Despite being an excellent producer, Patty isn’t much of a storyteller. Her account of going to her initial movie is jumbled due to fuzzy memories. (“I can’t recall if it was for kids or not. There was quite a bit of drinking.”) In the meantime, Matt and Kravitz’s team argue over her readiness to perform, but to everyone’s astonishment, she manages the stage smoothly before passing the microphone to Stoller. (She even holds off on showing her nerves until she’s backstage.)

In Stoller’s conversation about Kool-Aid, it becomes evident that Griffin is unreliable when addressing large crowds. Following some motivational words from Patty, Matt decides to take the lead and deliver what he believes will be an inspiring speech for Continental. With gratitude towards his colleagues, Matt invites them on stage, referring to them as the “most crucial elements in his existence.” He proceeds to embrace each one of them. Suddenly, Griffin appears from above via ropes, landing heavily and appearing somewhat dazed. Nevertheless, he utters the first word of his speech: “Movies.” This causes Matt to instigate the crowd into chanting “movies,” concluding the episode with a camera shot that soars upwards before focusing on Matt’s face for a close-up, marking a fitting finale in a season overflowing with impressive technical effects.

The presentation as a season finale was only moderately disappointing due to its strong ties to the previous installment, making it seem more like an ending coda rather than a standalone episode. Additionally, Matt’s emotional outburst felt overly conclusive in wrapping up his relationships with others and his personal realization of his isolation. However, the ambiguous expression on his face in the final shot leaves some uncertainty about the sincerity of this emotional moment. Despite these reservations, the season as a whole has been humorous and successful, leaving us eager for the Continental story to continue if it persists into season two.

And … Cut!

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I can’t help but speculate about potential plotlines for upcoming seasons. One thread that undoubtedly needs exploration is the enigmatic bond shared between Matt and Maya. It appears that their connection, which once seemed like a clandestine secret, has at least been acknowledged by Sal. This revelation opens up a fascinating narrative path to delve deeper into their relationship dynamics.

• Quinn drawing inspiration from Matt’s trashy movie recommendations has been a fun recurring gag.

Considering that each film is, to some extent, a satire of a particular genre of Hollywood movies, Continental’s upcoming lineup seems quite promising! Sarah Polley directing Greta Lee in a ’60s romantic drama? That sounds intriguing. Anthony Mackie and Dave Franco in a gritty New York crime flick? Sign me up! Zoë Kravitz in a supernatural action movie? Count me in. And, let’s not forget, a Kool-Aid film might not seem enticing, but Stoller has an impressive history, so Movies! Movies!

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2025-05-21 15:54