Unstable (2023– ) User Reviews

If you like the 1st episode then you'd like the whole of it

[hazard111 · 7/10 · 30 March 2023]

I was planning to just play this as background noise but found myself tuning in. It's not a HAHAHA type of comedy nor slapstick. It's more serious set up with characters who are unserious, chaotic, unhinged, and campy. The whole bit is just dry dead pan and sarcastic humor. You'd laugh because it's ridiculous and somehow true too.

Reminds me of IT Crowd mixed with Big Bang Theory and Park & Rec. I found the characters fit the cast so it felt natural especially Rob Lowe's character who's an eccentric narcissist. The overall banter exchange is also fun to watch.

There's some little serious sweet moments but it's overall just unserious. Just watch the 1st episode and if you like it then you'd like the whole bit because it keeps a constant vibe. It follows a thin storyline but aside from that is episodic.

The humor grows on you

[yooniverse · 8/10 · 3 April 2023]

I didn't at first like the frenetic energy of the fast talking dialog and the handheld camera work that seemed like it was flying off chaotically, but it does grow on you and the story and cast chemistry settles in. The shows humor, look and feel, as well as the sound effects reminds me a lot of Avenue 5, and that's a good thing.

At first, Rob Lowe seemed to be reprising his Grinder role, but it's the schtick that he is good at. And the quirky cast are hilarious and very likable. And unlike Will Smith's untalented son who didn't deserve to be in show business, Rob Lowe's son is fantastic and delivers his lines perfectly. And the twins! Funny! Parody of the Winklevoss twins, maybe?

This is a good comedy fix.

A High For Lowe(s)

[alan_holloway_2 · 8/10 · 30 March 2023]

I didn't expect much from this, as Netflix don't really have a great comedy record.

From the start it's a quirky, fun watch. From the creator of Better Off Ted it's full of interesting weirdos and a generous amount of very funny lines and situations.

Rob Lowe is great as always, with a character not a million miles from his Parks And Rec one, and his son really does a good job as, well, his son as well as showing some serious writing chops.

Not at all high brow despite the science tech firm setting, this is absolutely worth watching.

Funny, silly and charming. Yes, I know that describes Tob Lowe as well...

Good potential. Annoying writing.

[ian-864 · 6/10 · 1 April 2023]

I was please to see this new show with the easily watchable Rob Lowe. Unlike others, it bothers me not in the slightest that his son also appears. Everyone in a position to do so helps their kids - especially if they have an altitude for something. What does grate a little with me is the writing: People just don't talk like this. Every line is a testament to "look how clever my writing is" and the constant unnatural loquaciousness of the dialogue is unrealistic and distracting. On the upside, the premise is a good one and the Lowes work well together. It's often the case that a show needs 3-6 episodes to "settle in" and hopefully, this show will do so and become an entertaining watch.

Finally a show for neurodivergents

[mayagargesh-91564 · 10/10 · 1 April 2023]

I feel like I relate to every single character so much and the pacing of the show doesn't bore me and have me constantly scrolling on my phone. As someone with ADHD I can get very bored and go through shows very quickly. I also have a hard time relating to many characters in typical sitcom style shows. I don't know if this was written or directed by someone nuerodivergent but all the characters are so realistic based on my experiences. I am writing this review in hopes to get more people to watch it because I need a longer season 2. I get very influenced by the shows I watch and this show does not have intense stressful plot lines that can overwhelm me while still being so interesting and stimulating.

I love these guys

[oliviagcolanto · 7/10 · 13 May 2023]

I want to start this first off by announcing............I am a huge fan of Rob Lowe. I enjoy him in honestly most things that I do see him in. My guy Chris is always making jokes because I think all leading male characters are Rob Lowe. He thinks I don't see so well, truly I don't hear so good either. This is my first time being introduced to his son but I enjoyed them together.... Now you can Take it or leave it but I tell you Rob and his offspring are great together. This show is corny but love the cornball experience with these two and all the supporting characters! Pretty, pretty good. I would recommend it to any other Lowe fans.

Funny!

[aciarleglio-1 · 9/10 · 2 April 2023]

This is a really fun and funny show. I know not everyone likes all comedies. One star? Some of these reviews are way too critical. This really is a good show. Much funnier than those horrible reboots how I met your father, that 90's show, and Night Court!

This was a lot funnier than I had expected, hopefully it get's renewed for another season. There is no ridiculous laugh track, thankfully. The writing is fresh and funny. The actress that plays Anna is perfect as the CEO of Rob Lowes Character Ellis's company. She is great as the funny yet "straight" man to Lowe's wildness. Rob Lowe's son does a great job playing his son in the show. Def worth the time.

Quirky Lowe redux

[SimonSaysSmallScreen · 6/10 · 1 April 2023]

It's a little disappointing that this show is built around what is basically Rob Lowe's character from Parks & Rec. Any fan of that show has probably already gotten everything they can out of that guy. The same manic drive for perfection, odd self-absorbed monologue regardless of who's standing in front of him. You take that out of the mix and all you have is support characters and environments we're already used to from shows like Brooklyn 99 and Mythic Quest. So, it's ok, but every episode seems like we've already seen it. The plot points are predictable, the comedy simple and mechanical. I give it a six because I like Rob Lowe, but this is pretty empty.

Horrible.

[Bordric · 1/10 · 1 April 2023]

I am not even sure what is supposed to be going on but the science is bad, the jokes are boring and not funny and the supporting cast are bad at their jobs. I know several of them are new to acting but seriously they were bad.

The was a major let down and not sure what the point of it is because it was poorly directed. Rob Lowe is not able to save this disaster. The weird interactions between characters was so bad and forced just could not even remotely get into this series.

Don't even think it will be good for background noise while I do other things. Which is pretty bad since I can watch poorly dubbed Euro shows in the background easily. This show is just annoying.

Not much to not like about this funny and charming show

[andycottier · 8/10 · 15 April 2023]

From the creator of the the brilliant Better off Ted and it shows.

If you like that show (especially the science/lab bits) you'll like this and if also like Rob Lowe in stuff like Parks n Rec and The Closer then you'll love this.

Its basically if you took Rob's Parks n Rec character and put him in charge of Better off Ted lab.

Add his real life son for some nice bonding over the loss of the wife/mum and this show has some nice tender moments too.

As others have said this is very fast/fake talking - its knows its funny and its trying to be, not realistic. That style might not be for everyone but I personally love it.

Hmmmm

[Sky4021 · 6/10 · 31 March 2023]

As much as I love Rob Lowe this fell a little flat,let's be honest anything with Rob is great as he just gets better looking with age lol sorry but it's true and very shallow of me I know!

This is the only thing I've seen with him in which didn't really do it for me felt like they tried too hard for laughs and like he's trying too much!but he still looks great did I say that already lol lovely he can work with his son also,i wish I could love it but can't it's the only flop I've seen from him which is a shame just not working for me not really funny,great acting but not very amusing some parts ok but not great....sorry again Rob!

Lowe Level

[berndgeiling · 3/10 · 6 April 2023]

I can see the potential in it. Father-Son issues, nerdy characters, but no working story-line in sight. Instead you get cartoonish card-board two dimensional creatures, desperately trying to sound or look funny. But I can't help it, it simply doesn't work. It's not even funny at all, the acting almost amateurish.

It lacks a soul, a core, a heart. Humour working on an almost scientific routine level, formulaic, predictable, milking every character to death.

We have seen so much of this, based on a similar recipe, but working much better than that. The longer you watch, the more annoying and irritating it gets.

Soundtrack seems the funniest element.

Doable

[bone1428 · 7/10 · 2 November 2023]

Not a bad show. Not ground breaking, does not make me overly picky about it plot wise. Yes it could be better. But I'm just wanting something that will give a fun quirky mix to what I'm watching. Most shows need time and this is one. The actors may get better with anther season to move the points around. We need to quit dropping the ax, both good and bad, on the first few episodes of a series. Can you imagine how many we would have lost strictly after that? Many classics take their time and while I don't think this has the legs it may prove me wrong. Giving it a chance does not hurt anyone. Who knows?

Rob Lowe must be desperate for money

[jonchamps · 6/10 · 26 April 2023]

Rob Lowe is sadly miscast. He is neither funny or believable. I only watched it because of the Jackson character being so nerdiciously sexy. There seems to be a lot of chat then nothing. There are odd and unnecessary scenes where literally nothing happens.

It seems unrehearsed and generic. What's particularly annoying are the twins that aren't twins and the token characters who seem to not really matter no matter what they say or do. In fact the entire program ceases to be anything more than mediocre.

So much so I'm Inventing things to say just to get to the minimum characters required to list this review.

Please keep this show

[belleauwood · 10/10 · 4 April 2023]

Please keep this show and let it develop its potential. I see great possibilities. This deserves a chance to hit its rhythm and build a fan base. Rob Lowe us just so fun to watch. And the science information and humor is greatly needed. The cast is all very solid and talented. I'm looking forward to watching it develop. It has Parks & Recreation and Big Bang Theory vibes going on - what's not to love about that. And I love a show that talks about things I need to look up! Bonus to learn something along the way. I need more brain challenges. Thanks for an impressive start. Give this show a chance, I think you'll like it!

The son is just not good

[drvaleriaheimann · 6/10 · 11 April 2023]

Here's a true story: I started watching the show without knowing anything about the actors (I remembered Rob from Parks & Recs, but I did not know his name), liked it quite a bit -- except for the actor playing the son. I was then thinking: "he must be somebody's son, coz there is no way anyone would cast a person with so little charisma for this role. For any role, really..." Then I checked it, and indeed, the actor playing the son is an actual son of the lead actor of the show.

I mean, the guy does not look comical or embarrassingly bad, but he is just not an interesting actor to watch. Not at all. And it kind of ruins it a bit.

Funny thing is, to my understanding, "the son" is also one of the writers of the show, and the writing is actually good. I wish he just stayed in his element.

Otherwise, the twins are my absolute favourites. The guys are truly hilarious.

It's a Mix of Everything

[castlegirl09 · 9/10 · 30 March 2023]

Rob Lowe is from a generation of kitschy and heartfelt sitcoms. John Owen Lowe is from a generation of bizarre and raunchy comedy.

This show has both.

The show navigates difficult family relationships and grief. Comedy-laden banter is often followed by deep heartfelt conversations. Not every storyline or quip hits, but that comes with every show in its inaugural season.

Unstable also relies heavily on the real-life father-son relationship between Rob and John Owen, which leads to some missed digs and jokes if the audience isn't keen to their reality. Johnny loves to dig on Rob's golden retriever personality and narcissism, and Rob makes several digs about John Owen choosing show business over his success in stem-cell research.

It's the first time I've laughed out loud at a show in years. It also kept my attention enough to keep me off my phone without a need to endlessly scroll.

Poor direction

[rajateli · 6/10 · 29 May 2023]

A very poorly directed show that could have been good if only the director had ensured that dialogue delivery was not so mechanical. This is an example of how to mess up a probably good story with poor direction. The way actors execute their part seem to disconnected. There is no connection between the characters. The director failed to establish the required connection between the characters that actually makes a show have a soul. I tried 2 episodes in the hope that it would improve but it continued to disappoint me. It's a shame that good actors were made to act this way You got to watch it to understand what I mean.

Very funny show

[bluemanmtl · 10/10 · 2 April 2023]

I really enjoyed this series! Science nerds, lovely, love seeing nerds filling a shows spaces; Rob Lowe, awesome in the lead role, funny; the characters in the show are well realized and interesting, my favourites are the blue lab ladies; soundtrack, it adds a great ambiance and vibe to the show; funny, yes, laughed out loud alot, for me the true test of whether a comedy is very funny; i am looking forward to hopefully a 2nd season. Lastly I really don't like IMDB making reviews a certain number of words, reviews should be the length the reviewer wants it too be, a great review can be just a few words long, as long as it catches how u feel about what u are reviewing, that's all that matters.

I did watch the whole season but I'm not sure why

[pdangler-06534 · 4/10 · 30 May 2023]

The first episode was enough to get me to watch the second, but instead of getting better this series just got progressively worse. It's quirky, I guess, but it's not in a way that makes the show any better. It's like they substituted weirdness for actual substance in the porous plotline and called it a day.

The father-son thing is completely self-indulgent, the romantic angles are strangely off-putting, the stereotypical gay character is borderline offensive, and Fred Armisen's role and performance is horrible, which is a real sign that things have gone terribly askew.

I watched all eight episodes and now I'm writing this to maybe save someone else from making the same mistake. It's not worth it--this is just some sort of odd vanity project. Maybe if Netflix pays their writers there will be better season two, but I'm not betting on it.

Enjoy the quirks, groan at the absurdity

[jasivillo-00544 · 6/10 · 2 April 2023]

Right now I am about six episodes into season one This show generates some pretty decent laughs and characters you want to root for with a good premise, even though the office environment on display is akin to the stuff of fantasy. On the down side it really falls flat when they're trying too hard to be absurd (e.g. The gospel singers at the birthday. What the hell? Would rob Lowe's character have them sing a song about how his son is there to save the company from himself? Then the whole Fred armisen storyline which started out interesting and is now just weird and not funny). I could see (and hope to see) this becoming a better show if it gets another season and finds its voice. Right now it's stumbling and inconsistent. It's an easy watch at sitcom length so worth a shot if you haven't seen it and enjoy something quirky.

Good show turned decent by Nepo casting

[bpb99 · 6/10 · 31 March 2023]

I enjoyed the show for its characters more so then its plot. In that sense it is your run of the mill sit-com. It is most definitely handicapped by locking in a subpar actor as a lead role though.

I thought the acting and character building was very good.. mostly. It seems like all the 'supporting cast' were the best characters, performed with the best acting. By this I mean all the employees of the company as well as the board members.. They had big roles but they weren't the focus.

The main characters (Rob lowe and his son) were standouts as the worst parts of the show. Rob Lowe's over the top acting could have played well into his character - but the combination with the son character (being his actual son) just ruined both. The sons not only an awful actor - he just looks odd. He is right in the same acting boat as Seth Macfarlane (particularly him in Orville). The amount of awkward facial expressions is just cringy.

Without spoiling anything - there is one particular upbeat scene in this show that literally makes you feel awkward. It seems like its a bad joke but then with no punchline.. Not the only scene to highlight the very strange dynamic, but definitely the weirdest.

They basically dug themselves a hole in this show with its casting..

It will never be great with a subpar Hollywood Nepo actor. If Rob lowe was only offering a package deal to get his son into the job - then they should have gotten some more unknown actors to replace him and the son. He didn't do that incredible of a job that his Hollywood icon status would lead you to expect. Or felt at all necessary. All the supporting actors, who I have never seen before, outperform them both (probably at a fraction of the salary). They could have hired 2 more and saved themselves money and actually made a great show.. Instead we have whatever you call this.

Quick witted and easy to binge!

[jenishome-32095 · 9/10 · 2 April 2023]

Clever, great casting and humor. Interesting setting at an R&D company.

Some great comedic timing for sure. It's nice to see all these new actors.

A good mix of humor to include a lil bathroom or "juvenile" humor as they call it, so the best mix!

Our favorite moments include flute karaoke, dancing scenes and the interspersed heartwarming scenes.

It's also nice to be pleasantly surprised with a series and not have much predicability like with so many other series I've lost interest in.

So nice to see Rob Lowe in another series!

Many lol moments for us this weekend :) Please renew for more seasons!

Refreshing and funny

[babsensei · 8/10 · 7 April 2023]

I'm quite surprised by Unstable. I starts as an umpteenth Rob Lowe comedy, with its fair share of cheesy lines and cringy acting but then it grows into something rather good, and turns flaws into qualities. There is something around episode 2 that somehow perfectly tune everything into place, and jokes that would miss on others occasions somehow hit the mark. There is something that clicks, and it's like someone turned on the humor translator.

The pace is really great, it doesn't drag on when the events are unfolding and you crave for more, yet it allows space for some slower situations that requires a bit of breathing.

I really like the consistency between episodes and scenes, : they don't start off the next episode coming back on something for the sake of stalling, and you don't get lost in a maze of conversation fillers that adds nothing to the show. Actions have consequences and the characters display a refreshing normalcy in their behavior, apart from their emphasized personalities. Their goals are understandable, the stakes are clear, and the obstacles are challengeable. The main storyline is fluid, all the detours the shows takes from it are worth the trip and it only adds extra flavors. Also, it's clear someone on set paid attention to details : the position of the mug, the outfits, the direction of the walk... It just wraps everything with an additional layer of likeability. Every character has its own little subplots, which give them some thickness and texture and everything is perfectly calibrated and connected.

This said, there are some things that itches the rational part of my brain but the show keeps me interested and focused so that I don't ruminate on these issues. Unstable has a low rewatchability value, but it managed to make me hit that Next Episode button like I rarely do.

It's a 10

[Tr-u-mpbilly · 10/10 · 4 April 2023]

I hesitated, then hesitated some more, but I'm happy I finally broke down and watched it. I hadn't heard anything about, but I've always thought Rob Lowe was very funny - he's great in this.

I've read a some other reviews that criticize the rest of the cast and state that Rob Lowe carries the show. He is fantastically funny, but it's because he has such a wonderful cast around him. I can't think of one actor in this series that isn't pulling their weight. They are all wonderful and funny in their own special way. Maybe it's slight variances of characters that bring it home for Unstable.

I do have one criticism, why are there so few episodes and those episodes are only @ 20 minutes each? Cmon guys, I want more!