Clockwise from top left: Kevin Iso and Dan Perlman in Flatbush Misdemeanors (Photo: Grace Rivera/Showtime), Mithila Palkar in Little Things (Photo: Netflix), Rose Matafeo in Starstruck (Photo: Mark Johnson/HBO Max), Dug Days (Image: Disney Plus/Pixar)Graphic: Natalie Peeples
Despite our best efforts, some of the most promising shows still manage to slip through the cracks—even those of us who consume TV for a living find ourselves catching up at the end of the year with everyone else. Before the wave of superlatives begins, The A.V. Club is highlighting some of TV’s hidden gems, including quietly great shows that have flown under the radar, and shows whose greatness can’t be ignored.
Starstruck (HBO Max)
The title says it all. “Starstruck” is exactly how you’ll feel after falling for this dreamy, sparky, hilarious British romantic comedy series from New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo. She plays Jessie, an aimless twentysomething Londoner whose New Year’s Eve hook-up turns out to be a major movie star. What follows is like a gender-flipped riff on , with Nikesh Patel’s dashing Tom Kapoor in the Julia Roberts role and Matafeo as her own enchanting riff on the Hugh Grant archetype. As Tom and Jessie dance along their will-they/won’t they (or more like could-they/should-they), Starstruck updates the feel-good vibes of a classic ’90s rom-com with a thoughtful modern perspective on sex, dating, and growing up. At some point, Tom’s movie star status almost becomes incidental to a story about vulnerability, self-doubt, and the line between friendship and something more. Through it all, Matafeo and Patel generate off-the-charts chemistry that’ll make any rom-com lover swoon. With just six episodes that clock in at about 20 minutes each, you can easily binge-watch the series in an afternoon. Don’t worry, there’s already a second season in the works. [Caroline Siede]For more on romantic comedies, be sure to read Caroline Siede’s A.V. Club column .
