Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) stars in the Peacock comedy series “Laid,” where she also serves as an executive producer.
In “Laid,” Ruby Yao (Stephanie Hsu) is searching for love, along with help from her best friend AJ and roommate (Zosia Mamet) who makes a timeline of Ruby’s sex encounters so she can track down all of her exes.
These exes include guys, the girls, the one-night stands, as well as the man she only remembers as “Green Day Shirt,” as well as comedian John Early, to tell them that they are all going to die.
Ruby is a party planner in her early 30s and she is trying to solve why her former partners are dying in the order in which she slept with them.
The only one who Ruby has slept with who is still alive is Richie (played by Michael Angarano), whom they affectionately declare the “sex loophole” of her timeline.
Stephanie Hsu is effervescent and witty as Ruby, while Zosia Mamet is sympathetic, resourceful, and caring as AJ; at the same time, AJ holds her ground, whenever Ruby hides things from her and is not truthful.
Tommy Martinez is charming as Isaac Torres, a client who hires Ruby to plan his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, and he subsequently develops a relationship with Ruby.
Susan Berger is hilarious as Jill, the cranky elderly neighbor of Ruby and AJ. The same holds true for Elizabeth Bowen, who plays Ruby’s therapist Debra, who is a hoot.
The show “Laid” features some noteworthy guest stars, which include Andre Hyland (as Zach, who plays AJ’s boyfriend), Kate Berlant, David Denman (who portrays Detective Brenowitz), John Early, Ettore “Big E” Ewen, Chloe Fineman, Olivia Holt (who plays Merci, Isaac’s marine biologist girlfriend), Simu Liu, Finneas O’Connell (Billie Eilish’s brother), and Alexandra Shipp.
The Verdict
Overall, “Laid” is a witty, fun, and outrageous new series on Peacock. It is feel-good escapism and bound to be people’s guilty pleasure. Stephanie Hsu will command the viewer’s attention for the entire duration of each 30-minute episode.
It is worth more than just a passing glance, and it garners 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is an engaging series that deserves a second season.
