Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
A genius biotech engineer faces a severe existential crisis due to his wife’s death, he is on the verge from being ousted by his own company, so his manager reaches out to his son, who ends up joining the firm while he battles his father’s newfound eccentricity.
Created by Victor Fresco, John Owen Lowe, and Rob Lowe, the Netflix comedy Unstable stars the real-life father-son duo Rob Lowe and John Owen Lowe as estranged father and son, genius Ellis Dragon and aspiring flutist Jackson Dragon. The story follows their reconciliation after Ellis’s CFO, Anna (Sian Clifford), persuades Jackson to travel from New York to Los Angeles to help prevent the grieving Ellis from completely losing his marbles.
Most of the action in Unstable takes place at Ellis Dragon’s firm (it’s called Dragon btw), where the board is contemplating ousting him due to his deteriorating mental health. Sian Clifford (Fleabag, Life After Life) is riotously good as Ellis’s no-nonsense CFO and right-hand woman, doing everything in her power to ensure he retains his position in the company. Rachel Marsh and Emma Ferreira are adorable as Luna and Ruby, two young scientists working under Ellis on a groundbreaking project that could mint millions if successful. A major comedic subplot involves a potential love triangle between Luna, Ruby, and Jackson. However, it’s all kept lighthearted, funny, and amicable, steering clear of toxic drama or catfights. Aaron Branch plays Malcomn, another staff member at
Spanning eight episodes, Unstable maintains a brisk pace with sharp, concise dialogue – there’s hardly any time wasted on hemming and hawing. It captures the vibe of a workplace sitcom, minus the distracting recorded laughter playing at the back, yet retains a subtle, stage-like construction in the way interactions and scenarios unfold with quick precision. As a result, some interactions may feel a bit stilted at times. A particularly annoying trope in the series involves two wealthy twin brothers, who come across as if they were lifted from a Dumb & Dumber sketch. They despise Ellis and are determined to push him out.
One of the funnier twists in Unstable unfolds in the very first episode, where Ellis kidnaps the company therapist, Leslie (Fred Armisen), to stop him from submitting a damning report. In a hilarious turn of events, Leslie and Ellis become co-dependent best friends, leaving Jackson baffled by their odd relationship. At the heart of the series is Ellis and Jackson’s love-hate dynamic: while Ellis is a celebrated scientist featured on the cover of TIME magazine, Jackson resents the immense pressure of living up to his father’s legacy. A brilliant scientific mind in his own right, Jackson chooses an offbeat musical career to escape Ellis’s shadow, until his mother’s death forces him to follow his father’s footpath.
Overall, Unstable is a fun, easy watch, with some kooky characters who keep things entertaining until the end.
Rating: 3.5 on 5. Stream “Unstable” on Netflix.
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