The latest sitcom on Disney +, Mid-Century Modern, reunites Will & Grace masterminds Max Mutchnick and David Kohan for a delightfully campy and occasionally poignant ride. A multi-camera throwback complete with a live studio audience, the series feels like The Golden Girls moved to Palm Springs, traded cheesecake for cocktails, and let the sass fly without a network censors’ leash.
The premise is sitcom simplicity at its finest: Three gay best friends of a certain age find themselves cohabiting after an unexpected death shakes up their lives. Brassiere magnate Bunny Schneiderman (Nathan Lane, serving peak dramatic exasperation), fashion journalist-turned-retail-worker Arthur Broussard (Nathan Lee Graham, a glorious mix of Blanche Devereaux and André Leon Talley), and Jerry Frank (Matt Bomer, playing the pretty-yet-clueless flight attendant with a heart of gold) must navigate love, loss, and living arrangements—all under the sharp-tongued watch of Bunny’s mother, Sybil (the late, legend Linda Lavin, who blesses us with one last scene-stealing performance).
The show kicks off at a funeral of their mutual friend. Bunny is busy producing tears like a Broadway diva, Arthur is critiquing the deceased’s unfortunate suit choice, and Jerry bursts in late, fresh off a flight and dragging his suitcase behind him like a lost puppy. It’s classic farce, elevated by a cast that knows how to milk every joke for maximum impact.
Lane is in full force here, he commands the lead beautifully allowing his characters vulnerabilities to be exposed, providing a witty and catty remark at every turn. His family constantly popping in and out of his home and seeing their love and acceptance of who he is is the glue that holds the emotional centre of the story together. Bomer does play into the Golden Girls Rose stereotype of the simple-minded, loving, hilarious puppy that seems to be dialled up to 10 in the first few episodes, as the characters are moving through their new living arrangement, he does settle into the character and provide some tender moments that discuss religion and acceptance perfectly. Graham is the moment, he is wildly funnier than everyone else playing, he can convey so much with just one vicious stare that will have you laughing and crying in fits. He truly is a comedic gem and has a different relationship with each family member, showing us a different side.
Structurally, Mid-Century Modern isn’t reinventing the sitcom wheel, but does it need to? The characters are familiar in the best way: Bunny, the neurotic romantic who doesn’t believe he’s worthy of love; Arthur, the fabulous control freak with a sharp wit and sharper wardrobe; Jerry, the well-meaning but occasionally dim golden retriever of the group; and Sybil, the feisty matriarch who delivers zingers with a knowing smirk. If The Golden Girls formula isn’t broken, why fix it?
The series leans gleefully into its humor, mixing sharp one-liners with absurd set pieces. Episode 2, “Working Girls,” has Arthur struggling to adjust to life as a luxury boutique salesman while Jerry navigates his obsessive lifelong crush on Donny Osmond. Episode 5, “Hello, Fisty’s,” sends the trio on a Fire Island getaway, where Bunny must confront his own self-loathing in the most gloriously ridiculous way possible. Some episodes hit harder than others, but when the jokes land, they land. While the production team were restricted on Will & Grace from exploring the dirtier themes,thanks to streaming, they get to lean into some truly crass, wildly funny territory.
Of course, the real heart of the show is its ensemble, and Linda Lavin’s Sybil is the salty glue holding everything together. Her passing in late 2024 left Mid-Century Modern to finish out its first season without its reigning queen of snark, and her absence is deeply felt. Pamela Adlon steps in as Bunny’s sister, Mindy, and while she’s great, she’s no replacement for Lavin’s razor-sharp comedic timing.
Ultimately, Mid-Century Modern isn’t trying to be groundbreaking. It’s a comfort show providing warmth, mixed with the familiar, and peppered with enough laugh-out-loud moments to make it worth a binge. It may not redefine the sitcom landscape, but in a world that feels increasingly chaotic, a little lighthearted escapism with a side of martinis and melodrama is exactly what we need right now.
Mid Century Modern is streaming all episodes on Disney + on March 28.
