Relatable, absurd, hugely funny: the return of this tale of a male/female friendship duo soars when the two are onscreen together
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ylvia and Will are old college friends, without benefits, who have reunited in their 40s. They’re very close without being romantically interested in each other, and she has a habit of meddling in his relationships. Hmmm. We’re accustomed to onscreen chemistry of the explosive kind, which is generally used to exploit a heteronormative set-up. We see a man and woman getting along, and can’t help but wonder when they will burst into flames.
Platonic (Apple TV+, from Wednesday), which stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne and returns for a second series, is flame-retardant. Will and the married Sylvia do not pine for or want to roll around on each other, but they do rely on, delight in, irritate and deeply understand each other. It’s a worthy addition to what we might call the Ephroniverse – the slim canon of stories about whether straight women and men can be friends. As their titles suggest, Platonic comes to a different conclusion than When Harry Met Sally. It’s the correct conclusion – so why is the question still interesting?
Platonic digs into situations we’re more used to seeing in WhatsApp group chats. Sylvia is horrified that Will’s male friendships are more ribald than theirs is. Will realises he has incompatible personalities when he’s with his fiancee and oldest friend, so tries to avoid socialising with them together. Can a man and woman stay friends if his fiancee does not like her? Where do his allegiances lie? While these dilemmas could arise within any friendship, the gendered aspect has a specific thorniness.
