Difficult People (2015–2017) User Reviews (36)

Not for the slow-witted or pop culturally illiterate

[ekeby · 7/10 · 26 August 2016]

This is a show for a very narrow demographic. The range of pop culture put downs is vast. It's hard to imagine anyone but gay, full-time couch potatoes understanding all of it. I come close to that category, but I'm old. Younger versions of me will probably get more of it. And, you've got to be quick to even take it all in. The show may be just a so-so framework for a barrage of rat-a-tat-tat jokes, but oh, what jokes!

The lines are tossed off so fast and are so all-over-the-place topically they barely register. If you waste time laughing, you'll miss the next joke. Not many shows can work in a line like "If I've learned anything, it's that there are limits to even what Viola Davis can make plausible." Now, for me, that's funny. And it's funny because it's true. But I can easily understand that a lot of people would be baffled. Not only do you have to know who Viola Davis is, you have to have seen enough of her work to know that she's been in some real turkeys.

I especially like some of the side players, truly original characters we haven't seen before. E.g., the transgender server who's a 911 conspiracy theory nut. When she says to a co-worker, "I wish you'd been on Flight 93," it's stunning. I'm not sure what my reaction was. Did I laugh because it was funny, or was I just astonished by the anything-is-fair-game attitude? I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. I was entertained, and in the broadest sense of the word.

You may hate the characters, and you may not like their constantly snarky attitude. But you have to admire how they can simultaneously celebrate and fearlessly skewer the values American pop culture has engendered in us all.

Joy to watch!

[yertlemcfuzz · 8/10 · 31 March 2021]

Difficult People is like Broad City blended with 30 Rock. Some semi-toxic New Yorkers greatly involved in show business. The jokes are great, the side characters are fun, and sentimentality seeps its way in time to time. Let's be clear "Difficult People" punches down. Powerful people are made fun of and jokes are at the expense of others. Yet that's the show's charm.

At one point one of the main characters, Julie, decides on a life pursuing her dream and being miserable over a life of happiness making crafts. I can relate. If you can too, then this is the show for you.

Difficult People is shaping up to be the highlight of Hulu original programming.

[cfcurrie · 7/10 · 15 August 2015]

To enjoy Hulus new original program Difficult People is to appreciate a formula that is one part Seinfelds self-absorbed/self-sabotaging characters and one part Will and Graces' warmly weathering friendship, as written for a post-cable sitcom audience familiar with R-rated material.

Difficult People is, after three episodes, already demonstrating clever writing that both leads comfortably embrace. Both Billy Eichner and Jule Klausner play caricatures of themselves, or perhaps more accurately, play up to their public personas. As they are written to be clearly self-aware and not just aloft buffoons, this can make the two all the more difficult to sympathize with. This will be quite jarring to fans of Executive Producer Amy Poehlers series Parks and Rec, where Billy Eichner arguably received his largest exposure. The majority of fans investigating this series will do so on Poehlers reputation and not Eichner, despite humor that is clearly in sync with his work hosting Fuses gameshow 'Billy on the Street'.

The audience will, most likely, find it easier to sympathize with the supporting cast. These characters, be it the episode specific offended-mother-of-two in the pilot or the recurring; Such as the brilliantly comedic James Ubaniak and surprisingly nuanced Andrea Martin give breadth for the audience to connect with.

It is the combination of the leads shrewd temperament and the series decidedly profane material that audiences will find most inaccessible. It is profane, and the characters are decidedly abusive. And while each fail, the leads have been rewarded for this behavior. Difficult People has already demonstrated that while they will embrace Seinfeds cynicism, they will not be beholden to the No-Hugging-No-Learning rule. It can overshadow the strong pacing of the writing and excellent camera work. Episodes are best appreciated on multiple viewings, and like Netflix 'Bojack Horseman' you must look past the initial "shock" jokes to reveal a layer to the writing where themes are given the entire episode to flourish.

*****SPOILERS BELOW*****

The weakest aspect to the series writing may yet to have revealed itself, but it may well be continuity. Will we find out Billys fate in regards to his hit-and-run accident? Will Marilyn's hypnosis training be a one episode gag? Three episodes in, the viewers are left with no impression a season story arc is present and that we are looking down the barrel of a joke- of-the-week series. Liked or not, these characters are already to well realized to suffer this dole sitcom fate.

One of the most underrated shows ever

[jakethesnake-42007 · 9/10 · 15 February 2021]

I never heard of this show till It showed up on my streaming service so I thought I'd give it a try and what a surprise. I loved loved loved this show it deserves way more credit then it got. It reminds me of Seinfeld , broad city all out into one. I loved how the characters are awful but it's real awful. I wish more people would talk about this show it deserves more credit. One of the best comedies ever.

I love this show!

[thisisjoslyn · 10/10 · 5 August 2016]

I am totally obsessed with this show. I feel like it was made for me. I love talking about random celebrities! But I can't really watch it with other people without having to answer the question "Who's that?" or "What does that mean?" every 30 seconds. Billy Eichner was my absolute favorite actor on Parks and Recreation (he played Craig) and I am totally in love with his street comedy show. Thank god Difficult People exists. The fact that it's successful makes me feel like maybe the rest of the world is starting to be as mean and weird as me! And I love that it's about people in their 30s and not their 20s. I can't stand shows about super successful people right out of college where everyone has their dream job and dream life and everything is perfect. This show is real life, for people who are as cynical as me. I love it.

Great comedy! Not for the easily offended.

[yianiy · 9/10 · 12 August 2015]

Great new comedy!

It's been a while since I watched something labeled as comedy and actually laughed because of it. I have survived through many comedy series where the laughter in the background is making me feel guilty that I am not laughing when it is clearly a "Hey! This part is funny!You should laugh as well!" sign. Watching this was refreshing.

Mean comedy is not really that new and it is not really nice when you encounter it in real life if it is enforced by negativeness. But even with that, I really did laugh and enjoyed the first three episodes.

It might be a just a bit harder for some with all of the celebrity references, but even without that knowledge, they will make you laugh.

I hope that people will be able to look at this for what it is: a comedy series. And in comedy, nothing is offensive.

Like You're the Worst without interesting characters or funny jokes

[cherold · 29 September 2016]

Difficult people is about two really awful people who go around being awful and catty and mean.

This can work, as it does in You're the Worst. But Difficult People is far less ambition. It basically feels like a couple of comedians who thought it would be funny to make a show where they just do insult comedy every week.

The first episode was *mildly* amusing. I laughed once or twice, even though I found the characters unlikable and the premise thin. The second episode had all the flaws of the first but was even less funny. So that's the last episode I'll be watching.

The show for viewers who hate people - and themselves

[haranguemeringue · 7/10 · 17 August 2017]

The first & second seasons of Difficult People were outstanding - hilarious, comedic and charming. "They hate the same people I do!" is a common statement to make while viewing. But the third season just isn't as funny. At least, not yet. I'm picky about comedy, but political humor, the easy jokes about our current president, etc, YAWN. I enjoyed this show when the episodes were unpredictable even with raunchy outcomes. I'm not easily offended, and if you are, steer clear of this show. But I am bored by so many shows that take the easy way out with comedy by vomiting hatred of the current people in power. And hating their fellow voters who put said people in power. We get it, liberals hate conservatives - and vice-versa. That horse died long ago and yet still they keep on beating it. Both sides, yes, but which side gets the most air time? ;) I hate everyone equally, as did the two leads in the first two seasons. But somehow in developing the third round, the writers swapped dark sarcasm and global hatred for bitter rants and typical one-party hatred. The part that offends me is that this is considered comedy. Not anymore. Which is a damn shame because the first two seasons were phenomenal - edgy, unique, and the show offered a voice to those who find most people ridiculous. But now Difficult People is in danger of becoming mainstream, which means it'll keep taking sides and keep celebrating the very people the leads used to despise. This just isn't original anymore. It makes me sad that these two so lost their way... and yet I know this will end up on the road to mainstream success. Compromise your values by preaching the same tired mantra and you'll end up successful - as long as you're on the "right" side. But that means what I loved about this show - the global hatred of everyone, especially themselves, is gone. Written out. Replaced by the unoriginal slop that plagues most network comedy shows. My rating is based on all three seasons -what has aired so far for S3. This started as a 10, and was among my top recommended shows - if I could converse with people long enough to recommend a show to them. But it's slipping. Sign of the times? Perhaps. Just stop with the dead horse/political humor, even if you decide to take on all sides, but I'm no fool. I know nowadays entertainers have to lean one way or else they'll get blackballed. These two used to spit on the system but now they're embracing the ridiculousness. They used to stand up against the BS, but now that rolls off their tongues as well. I guess I gave them too much credit, too soon

Biting Satire for the Jaded

[johndixonramsey · 9/10 · 14 August 2015]

The low ratings thus far on this show made me create an account just to log on and tell you what you're missing out on.

Difficult People is difficult. Yes, the main characters can be abhorrent. Yes, especially in the pilot. No, they're not the best people. They're pretty annoying, actually. But.

The show is a deconstruction and homage to every show about comedians and comedies based in New York. It's very obvious halfway through the first episode (in a library fountain water drinking water joke) that the two are completely clueless, and every episode ends with them (very cruelly, in some of the later episodes) getting their just desserts.

I almost didn't continue watching after the pilot. I mean, it was funny, in a gleefully malicious revenge porn way. But as I continued I realized that this is the Will and Grace of the new century. It's original, and the vein of humor that runs through the show is true irony in a Dahl-esque fashion. This is a show where we have vapid, vain characters searching for self-acceptance in the arms of others and they're failing miserably. Everywhere they turn and look they are denied access to minor successes and it' solely a result of their behavior. It's a critical look at the entire idea of comedy... and that Amy Poehler had the courage to try a non-formulaic comedy that didn't rely on a laugh track says a lot about her.

Give it a shot, stick with it to the second episode. The characters grow on you. Even as they're punished they grow, and it's a treat to watch.

Season 1 is the high point and then it's all downhill ...

[smithnumber · 6/10 · 26 August 2021]

Two aspiring entertainers in their 30s and brimming with bitterness, slam everyone and everything in this almost ridiculously diverse comedy show that veers strongly into dark territory. Season 1 is a riot, with all it's pop culture references and situations gone awry, but the cracks are showing by Season 2.

This show just doesn't have enough juice to sustain itself and the writers aren't helping all that much. It's like they pitched this via a few YouTube videos and maybe that's the format this comedy is best suited to. By Season 3 it's two people hating everything, with a few tired anti-Trump/Christian jokes that sit awkwardly amongst very familiar Jewish stereotypes and the odd mushy scene to add some artificial "heart" to the proceedings. There's also no common storyline running through the episodes, so it's like a Jewish skit show by the end.

I like dark comedy, but maybe they should have done what the Brits do - knock out two short seasons and call it a day and hope for cult status.

Sharp, well written comedy

[b-rick690 · 5/10 · 20 August 2015]

I went into this show knowing literally nothing about it.

The show follows two friends Billy and Julia trying to break into show business. They dislike pretty much everyone except each other and are completely narcissistic and shallow.

Both of the main characters are constantly talking trash about celebrities whom they are obviously envious of. I really enjoy how self absorbed the main characters are as I feel like it's pretty much a job requirement for a comedian or actor.

Although a lot of the jokes targeting various celebrities are funny, a lot of the humor comes from the characters dropping a joke to the wrong audience. One example is the controversial Blue Ivy joke. Billy and Julia attend a dinner party hosted by some rather square friends. Julia tells a story about posting a tweet that said She can't wait for Blue ivy to be old enough for R Kelly too pee on." Everyone at the party is offended and rather than back peddling, she continues to explain the joke further. I did find that joke to be pretty funny, but I feel like the people getting offended are failing to recognize that the joke was intended to show how socially daft the main characters are as opposed to just being offensive for the sake of being offensive. There are also a ton of great guest stars including a "Sober Magician" Named Abra Cadouglas played by Kate Mckinnon who only does magic tricks that tie into her sobriety.

This show is MA and takes full advantage of being able to say what it wants. Although it is edgy and no at times dark you really do emotionally connect to the characters.

I foresee a long run from thus show. I am very impressed with "Difficult People" so far and look forward to seeing a long run it may not have been able to have on traditional television.

My Favorite Horrible People!

[madhouserevival · 10/10 · 24 December 2015]

I'm overwhelmed by the sheer volume of great shows that come via either Netflix or Amazon that absolutely impress me. I don't have enough time to watch them all. Add this to the list of shows I HAVE to watch. The characters, caricatures of their real life counterparts, are so crazy and clueless. And I can't get enough of James Urbaniak, of course, as he's one of my absolute favorite voice-actors in history. His character is kind of a satellite that passes by at just the right time but he's always noticed.

Wish the haters would all just go kill each other off. We don't need people who are that stupid to ruin a show's ratings. Please go find a comet to worship and leave our planet!

Tedious People

[schmandel · 4/10 · 26 August 2015]

Another show that I wanted to like that managed to persuade me to think otherwise in only a few episodes.

The characters were mildly amusing at first, but are neither particularly likable or not likable; they are mostly tedious and affected. Their one-dimensional personalities evidently contain no surprises after only a few shows.

The scripts so far haven't offered any novel premises or even particularly good jokes. What they all share in common seems to be pointlessness. An episode is a unit dose of tepid comedy smooth and featureless from end to end, definitely not a short story.

I don't see this one being renewed but I do hope to see the cast move on to better things.

Not for everyone

[debtinnirello · 10/10 · 19 June 2019]

But 100% for me. Not for the faint of heart or the slow witted, this New York centric is the R rated Seinfeld for my generation. They are characters you love to hate and yet still love. Hilarious cameos.

Sweet tea.

[wearebuddha · 9/10 · 13 May 2021]

The cast is great The jokes are acid Marilyn Marilyn Marilyn.

Dreadful

[UNOhwen · 26 July 2016]

First, let me say, I'm a New Yorker.

These people in this show are nothing but terrible caricatures. They're not funny, not interesting, they are just incredibly irritating.

I tried to watch this, but, after 10 interminable minutes, I had to stop.

To see that there are people who not only liked this, but, gave it very high ratings only shows how low the bar for quality has gotten, and how low people's IQ's have become, as well.

Being bitchy, sarcastic, ironic, takes more than just spewing out 'shocking' words (the parents are there, because they're not shocking words to me, nor anyone with a brain).

This is just pitiful, and think that this is also where Orange Is The New Black originates, makes this unfunny garbage all the more unsettling.

It's one thing to offer diverse shows, but, it's like any semblance of intelligence went out the window with this.

Yes, it's great to give a chance to (relatively) new talent, but, if this is the 'good' stuff, I'd really like to see what it was compared to. The writers, and stars of this travesty have absolutely zero charisma. It's great when someone say bitchy, vicious things, - like verbal acid, but, this is like a clichéd view of what 'gay' people must be like to those who grew up in the middle of nowhere.

I was just appalled - and that's not an easy thing to do, unless it's just poor quality (as far as I'm concerned, make jokes about anything, but, make them FUNNY).

For those who liked this, please; DON'T - EVER come to NYC (I mean it), and if you think this is 'biting satire' ('Belwoeth'), and 'sharp...well-written' (??!!??), (Schmandel), I'd be very curious to see what else you think is good, because, this is so below 'rejected', it's abysmal.

You couldn't pay me enough to EVER watch this, again, nor anything else these people are in, or in any way connected with.

witty,sarcastic, and sometimes annoying

[krisfitztpa · 10/10 · 5 October 2016]

I love this show. It's obnoxious...because Julie & Billy are so into themselves it's unbelievable. Through all the obnoxious behavior you end up loving the characters and their struggles for finding themselves in their mid 30s. So many shows characters "find themselves" at 22...let's be real who finds themselves in their 20s. Future divorcees, maybe. If you aren't into pop culture references, don't watch it. Save it for people who are. Like me! Arthur isn't brought up in many reviews and he should be. The weird but loving names he calls Julie in each episode are enough for him to come up. I hope his character gets bigger in their next season.

Don't watch if you are not smart and secretly wicked.

[readingsbydanish · 10/10 · 1 September 2016]

The writing. The timing. The really raw sometimes deliciously offensive humor. This show, especially Season 2 is like nothing else. All the really good stuff is in the details, the small comments, the insider humor, like a great comedy for people who have been there-done that can appreciate. Wicked smart, original, and addicting. Yes, some episodes are better than others, but I defy you to match " Italian Pinata" to anything ever written in its comedic format/genre . Insanely BRILLIANT, this show. Not for the faint of heart, or the banal mind. The characters are all out there, the backdrop of the City is just perfect. Even the two Basset Hounds, with those bored little looks on their faces, add to the whole tone of this show. Billy Eichner is at his absolute BEST here and Julie, is obvi, the next big THING in comedy writing. Like a smarter Tina Fey with a dirtier mind. LOVE LOVE LOVE .

The same episode over and over

[breeanalaine · 5/10 · 12 December 2021]

Follows the same formula as Seinfeld. No hugging, no learning, but it's missing something. Eichner's character is excellent, but the supporting cast are extremely annoying, which is I know what they're going for but it just doesn't work. There's nothing interesting about them, you could remove them totally and the show would be better for it. I love a show with flawed characters, I don't need them to evolve, but after a while it feels like you're watching the same episode over and over. I watched the full first season and there are really great moments and very funny lines scattered amongst it, but it's not enough to hold me. I mostly kept watching for Andrea Martin who is fabulous as Julie's mother.

One of my favorite new comedies.

[benpassikoff · 10/10 · 9 September 2015]

Like Rick and Morty, I knew I liked this show immediately. Some people have difficulty understanding what satire and hyperbole is, and have come here to leave bad reviews. If you like shows like The Thick of It, Venture Bros., Kroll Show, Comedy Bang Bang, etc. then this show should pique your interest. Any great show is a little ridiculous and exaggerates it's jokes for the overall humor. There's no accounting for taste, but I think that there is accounting for good humor. Over-the- top bombast doesn't make this show gross or bad, as some might have you believe. It makes this show exceptional in the landscape of modern sitcoms.

I love Billy Eichner for his work on Billy on the Street, and he's only more streamlined on this. Julie Klausner is awesome, as well. I hope her show gets another season.

Obnoxious show about chatty egocentric gossip queens.

[wolamutejohn · 1/10 · 7 August 2015]

There's nothing more annoying than watching an episode of this show. Whomever wrote this show, has made a monstrosity. Let it be known that glorifying people without a filter, without modesty, and without any tact is quite possibly worse than terrorism. If even one eighth of the population of the United States was even half as egocentric, chatty, loud-mouthed, or as brash, while at the same time being as ignorant as the main characters of this show, I would either become a mass murderer or commit seppuku with extreme dedication and detail for tradition. If you consider yourself to be of at least average intelligence, and happen to prefer to not be bothered by self-centered people, do yourself a favor and steer clear of this horrible show.

Way over-hyped.

[gloogun_08 · 18 August 2015]

It's a little inaccessible. The jokes would be funny, if I actually knew what the heck they were talking about. I don't live under a rock either, I follow pop culture. The casting is terrible. Is her dumb boyfriends supposed to be a straight man who is interested in this fat, uncharismatic, self-absorbed girl? He is an unnecessary character; somehow, he doesn't hang out with Billy and Julie, but he is in no way a foil to Billy. He's like a redundant piece of furniture. I think pretty much everything about this show (with the exception of Julie's costume design) is terrible. They somehow manage to make her appear smaller. But honestly, she's not cute, and she's barely funny, and this entire show is pretty indulgent. If you're not cute, be funny at least.

Obnoxious characters that are very funny

[stephen-54801 · 10/10 · 12 November 2016]

As a fan of both Billy Eichner and Amy Poehler I was hoping for something good out of them and they definitely didn't disappoint.

The show reminds me of my favorite comedy right now "Veep" in that it moves very quickly and if you're not paying attention the comedy can sometimes fly right by you.

Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner play comedians that are trying to get their big break in show business but keep coming up short. The situations they get themselves in are very funny and complex. The supporting cast is very good as well. James Urbaniak plays Julie's boyfriend that works at PBS. But my favorite is Andrea Martin that plays Julie's mother. I loved Andrea back in the SCTV days and it's great to see her back on TV.

Now I absolutely hate pop culture and that whole celebrity obsessed scene but I love how Julie and Billy make fun of it using little quips and references. The list of people that make cameo appearances is pretty impressive too.

If you're not fast enough to pick up on the jokes or you like more traditional comedies, then you might not like Difficult People which might explain some of the low review scores. But if you have a sophisticated sense of humor and an open mind then you're probably going to love it.

Yes!

[jessblanchard16 · 10/10 · 9 August 2017]

I cannot believe there are people who think this show isn't top-notch.

I am a huge fan of comedians like George Carlin, Bill Hicks, Louis CK, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey. I'm a huge fan of shows like The Office, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, Seinfeld, You're The Worst.

I love a bit of dark humour that feels authentic... I love hearing the things we all think but know are too inappropriate to say. And I love seeing it done well.

Difficult People is amazing at making you laugh when you shouldn't and feeling great about it. Give it a shot.

Very funny Hulu streaming show of 3 season

[swilliky · 8/10 · 25 September 2016]

Hulu streaming has created a great new offensive comedy starring the hilarious duo of Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner. The two stars play similar characters named Julie Kessler and Billy Epstein as two best friends trying to make it in the shallow showbiz industry in New York City. While the premise seems very familiar to other sitcoms, Hulu gives the two comedians an open format to be as crude and outrageous as they want to be. This formula creates a great comedic mixture that had me laughing through the bingeing stream.

Julie goes through plenty of tribulations trying to move beyond her job as a reality TV show recapper and into becoming a professional writer for an actual show. As the audience, we know these comedians have succeeded with a popular new streaming network but what appears to be autobiographical trials and tribulations are the source of plenty of comedy. Each episode sets up scenarios that cumulate into disastrous consequences before restarting each episode.

After the third season: Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner are back at it in their hilarious show on Hulu. Striving to become successful in show business, the two friends will take any acting gig they can get including street performing for ignorant Trump-supporting tourists from Kentucky. This season Julie Kessler (Klausner) branches out from her career of writing episode recaps of reality television but must cope with the constant criticism of her mother Marilyn (Andrea Martin). Billy Epstein (Eichner) has a new romance and various new gigs including opening for Larry Wilmore's new show. Julie's boyfriend Arthur Tack (James Urbaniak) still has a different nickname for Julie and deals with his own professional troubles at PBS along with some dating bumps with Julie.

The show doesn't stray away from controversial issues like separating an artist from their art calling out particularly Woody Allen and the opposing streaming network that hired him when Julie works for his new show but still feels guilty. Billy has to deal with being gay in the Trump era as he finds a way to scam a gay conversion therapy program started by Mike Pence. Billy's job at the restaurant includes a great cast of supporting characters. Matthew (Cole Escola) has an interesting story arc trying to get on reality television and also some hilarious interactions with Marilyn. He might be my favorite supporting character. Nate (Derrick Baskin) and Denise (Gabourey Sidibe) weren't in this season as much as they deal with a new child.

Check out more of this review and others at swilliky.com