The Studio on Apple TV+ is a roast! Subtle but powerful dig by Seth Rogen at the growing oner trend, much like the style Adolescence on Netflix was shot.
When most of us were busy binge-watching Netflix’s latest dark release, Adolescence, an immersive one-take experience that barely lets you breathe, somewhere in Hollywood, Seth Rogen was laughing while lighting up a very expensive joint.
Why? Because The Studio on Apple TV+ was in the works! This new satire takes a scope of modern filmmaking techniques. It started streaming on 26th March 2025, and with 4 episodes out as of today, there has been a precise and subtle roast delivered, which is so Meta and ironically layered, that several viewers will miss it entirely.
Ike Barinholtz and Seth Rogen in a still from The Studio. Credit: AppleTV+
Lo and behold; the mighty “Oner”
What fuelled the dig? An honest, comical takedown on this increasing “Oner culture”- The Great Single-Take! You know what I’m talking about, pouting actors cramming up their performance in a single breath because the director won’t say cut for like 10 whole minutes; all so that someone’s portfolio can read “Master of One-shot filming”.
In The Studio, garnering raging reviews this trend is properly ridiculed. “The Oner”, an episode shows the new studio head Matt Remick (played by the comical genius Seth Rogen) convinced that shooting a one-take scene will make him feel Scorsese-like. He doesn’t seem to care about actors that look like deer in headlights or the fact that nothing of substance to the story is being said in the said scene.
Did someone say roast?
It’s hard to ignore that it feels like a dig on Adolescence, a recent Netflix hit and critic’s favorite (with divided public opinion), which has widely been acclaimed for its shooting style. The kind that critics get high on, but for the average user, may feel like nothing short of a hostage situation! The sense of urgency it creates can sometimes feel like a lot because there’s no time to consume the developments in the story.
Owen Cooper and Erin Dorothy in Adolescence. Credit: Netflix
While Netflix seems to have immersed itself into this Indie style of “minimalistic value”, where style can overshadow substance at times; The Studio doesn’t give a hoot. Seth Rogen’s show is maximalist, messy, loud, and hilarious.
No wistful stares out the window on a cold winter night, no walking down a silent empty street with an inner monologue. It is here as a reminder of the chaotic work of film-making, where most of the cast and crew are just scurrying to survive the next take.
Irony that fuels discussion
The delicious irony is what you can bite into. The idea of hollow prestige is challenged, where shows are sometimes created more to satisfy the ego of the directors than to appeal to the common viewer. Adolescence requires you to sit still and applaud the technique and cinematographic finesse, The Studio makes you laugh at how vain the desire for admiration and approval can be.
Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara in The Studio. Credit: AppleTV+
It’s a sort of juxtaposition, with content either being high-value art or no-value trash, and little room for much else. The Studio asks an important question; what if the process of creating something high-value and poised is messy, embarrassing, and hilarious, than the final product ever lets you know?
You can think of it as a delectable roast and love letter all wrapped in one, to one of the most fragile Hollywood species: The Serious Auteur. If you didn’t catch it yet, you’re missing out!
The Studio is currently streaming on Apple TV+
