Bupkis (2023)

A deft, oddly lovely, eight-episode semi-autobiographical comedy.

Bupkis in general nails a well-balanced mix of humor, self-awareness, and drama stemming from both reality and fiction, giving us a multi-flavored comedy that goes down easy.

Happily, the premiere is the weakest of Bupkis’ eight episodes. As the show, which debuts May 4, progresses, it evolves into something as distinctive and authentic as it is messy. ... Davidson proves to be the most competent narrator of his own story.

Bupkis consistently straddles this line of reality in its (lightly fictionalized) portrayal of Davidson’s life and the whirlwind that surrounds his brand of stardom, with a surprising amount of candor and depth.

Bupkis is as zany and wacky as can be and, regardless of personal verdict, it's hard to deny the ambition both in front of and behind the camera. From its excellent ensemble to its strong direction, Bupkis is one of the best new shows of the year.

The show is at its best when Davidson allows it to feel revealing about his insecurities, relationships, and flaws. The first season is a bit rocky in terms of overall quality, but there are enough unexpected comedy beats and moments of truth to make it feel like it could be the first real breakthrough for Davidson the actor, even if he’s also playing Davidson the public figure.

Not all the episodes of “Bupkis” are of equal quality, but none are bad. Episode 1 is a homerun — if you don’t like it, go no further. The weakest is probably Episode 8, which concentrates on Davidson’s effort to get off drugs.

No matter how strange or silly things gets, Bupkis keeps one foot on the ground thanks to its endearing central characters, including Pete’s mom, Amy (Edie Falco), a woman who’s no longer surprised by her son’s behavior, and his grandfather (Joe Pesci).

Davidson and showrunner Judah Miller have teamed up for a quasi-autobiographical series that is absolutely absurd, and yet might not be that far off from Pete Davidson’s insanely crowded, messy and endlessly fascinating actual world.

Bupkis' ever-shifting tone sometimes leads to long lulls between the laughs, and the premiere leans too hard on lazy, lewd antics that aren't representative of the show's evident ambitions. But even when Bupkis fails to be funny, it's consistently interesting — sometimes weird and sad, but interesting.

Pete Davidson's rep as a druggie and all-around slacker is well-established. His numerous girlfriends and other incidents have overshadowed his genuine abilities. This series, which he co-wrote with friends from his other work, examines the life of a somewhat real Pete along with moments of absurdity to up the entertainment value. Actually, his maturing skills reminded me of an early Woody Allen, an awkward personality with a sharp understanding of humor, storytelling and cinematic style. Edie Falco and Bobby Cannavale provide solid support with Joe Pesci, as the grandfather, adding humorous insight (a welcome return to the screen). There's also a continuous parade of cameos, including Jon Stewart (his last line is the best line of the series), John Mulaney, Ray Romano, Kenan Thompson (he's got a very funny one-liner too). In grappling with all of his foibles, Davidson demonstrates an ability that cuts thru the comic clutter to unveil unexpected candor and depth, creating a funny but also sweet series. Promisingly, it ends with in such a way that a 2nd season seems inevitable.

admirable [ ad-mer-uh-buhl ] adjective worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.