What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2022
Where’s it showing? Hulu
Dr. Toby Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg) can’t find his wife, Rachel (Claire Danes). Well, ex-wife that is. He’s working through the dissolution of his marriage, diving into the world of dating apps, trading a fancy New York apartment for a bachelor pad, and reconnecting with his friends from the past. One friend, Libby (Lizzy Caplan), is the narrator for this series and dives into his life before Rachel, with her, and after.
It’s not so great if you dislike watching conflict on-screen or uncomfortable emotional difficulty. Neither Rachel nor Toby are particularly appealing. He’s nebbish and nitpicky and jealously obsessive. She’s cold and unwilling to change or work on herself, disconnected, and generally pretty mean. But their emotional difficulties feel real, and the acting is terrific.
With five episodes out as of press time and three more to come, Fleishman is in Trouble offers a look at imperfection, a fly-on-the-wall view of an unhealthy and unhappy relationship, but also perspective on when it wasn’t those things. Fans of quiet drama who don’t mind a bit of discomfort watching intimate fights will appreciate this FX series. (eight 48-min. episodes)
This article appears in Last-Minute Gift Guide 2022.