'Loot' Is the Rare Comedy These Days That's Actually Funny

In the current television landscape, truly great comedies are few and far between. While there are some notable exceptions, such as Hacks, my personal favorites are predominantly found on Apple TV+. These include Trying, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, and Acapulco, in that order. However, these four series share a common thread: they are story-driven and heartwarming, with occasional funny moments sprinkled throughout. For instance, Harrison Ford’s rendition of a Sugar Ray song in Shrinking is amusing, but these shows are not typically the kind that elicit uproarious laughter.

Comedies that consistently provoke genuine laughter are a rare breed these days. Among the select few are Ted, Hacks, It’s Always Sunny, and Girls5Eva (RIP, probably). Loot, which recently concluded its second season, belongs in this category.

The show’s pedigree is outstanding. It’s co-created by Matt Hubbard (a protégé of Tina Fey) and Alan Yang (who hails from the Mike Schur school of comedy). Admittedly, until the midpoint of the first season, Loot feels somewhat like a product of Apple’s seemingly bottomless financial resources rather than a show driven by a clear creative vision. However, it begins to find its footing halfway through the inaugural season and truly hits its stride in the second, bolstered by the addition of Aniz Adam Ansari (Master of None) to the writing team. The series benefits from shifting its focus away from Molly Wells’ (Maya Rudolph) preoccupation with her billionaire ex-husband (Adam Scott) and toward the workplace dynamics of her charitable organization, which is dedicated to providing housing for the unhoused. Molly proves to be particularly skilled at fundraising from her fellow billionaires, each of whom is eccentric in their own unique way.

Rudolph delivers a stellar performance, as does Nat Faxon in the role of her co-worker and love interest. MJ Rodriguez is equally fantastic as the buttoned-down activist leader of the organization. When Rudolph isn’t stealing the show, Joel Kim Booster and Ron Funches command the spotlight as an unlikely but hysterical duo. Meagen Fay and Stephanie Styles, who portray the other two co-workers, may only have a minute or two of screen time per episode, but they make the most of it, reminiscent of Dot Com and Grizz from 30 Rock.

Ron Funches’ character, Howard, flips through a magazine and remarks, “Oooh. Jude Law’s second act? This is an article I have to read!”

Joel Kim Booster’s character, Nicholas, chimes in, “I once masturbated to The Holiday so many times they had to take me to the E.R.”

While I certainly appreciate a comedy that warms the heart and puts a smile on one’s face, there is a dearth of joke-driven comedies in the current landscape. Loot stands out as one of the few remaining examples of this genre. It may not be the absolute best comedy on television, but it is consistently good and often downright hilarious. A prime example of this is a widely circulated clip from the show, which has gained popularity even among those who haven’t watched the series in its entirety.

I don’t think that Apple cares that much about ratings as long as viewers like a show — I can think of no other reason why Trying is still on, but thank you — so as they decide on the fate of season three, please put me down in the “please renew” column. We need more comedies with actual comedy in them.