By Spencer Coile
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Emmy season is a treacherous time. With so many scrambling to campaign for their favorites, it is incredibly easy to get lost in the mix of all the names and shows being talked about. Difficult People, however, is not a show that should merely be talked about. Much like its leading characters, it requires heavy shouting.
Wannabe actor/comedians and best friends Billy and Julie (played by Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner respectively) are two of the most wretched, vile, and selfish people to hit the televisual landscape in recent years. They attempt to cloy and scratch their way to the top. Season two of Difficult People is practically breathtaking in how quickly paced it is, and it should also go without saying that it is utterly hilarious...
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The series has a solid fan-base but is that enough to scratch out at least one surprise Emmy nomination?
Difficult People does not rely heavily on consistency or a central storyline. Instead, each episode is filled with nutty, oftentimes outlandish adventures for these two (anti)heroes to get into. The storylines are so absurd, they almost seem plausible. For example, in an attempt to create their very own ice bucket challenge, Billy and Julie urge guest star Nathan Lane to stick his hand in a toilet for some unknowable reason. It is only after Lane dies from toilet bowl infections that they realize the error of their ways. Zany plots like this run amok on Difficult People, and the more off-the-wall they become, they harder we laugh.
Eichner and Klausner both deserve massive credit for their seemingly real portrayals of Billy and Julie; essentially, extensions of themselves. Unafraid to forefront their most unappealing selfish qualities, Eichner and Klausner put themselves out there, revealing every insecurity, flaw, and chink in their armor. Whether or not we like them is not the point, but rather, do we relate to them? Is there something in their struggle as artists that resonates with their audience? Not everyone will say yes, but to many, there is something that hits home in this absurdist comedy.
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A particular episode that encapsulates this perfectly is called "Patches." When Julie finds out that Showtime is shooting a new spin-off of The Affair, she jumps at the opportunity to audition. However, she decides that in order to be taken seriously as an actress (like, say, Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman), she pretends to be an Australian actress pretending to be American. It is not until after she is written into this new series with character named Patches, a balloon seller, that she realizes that she was cast because the producers believed her to be mentally challenged -- based on her audition accent and the two bassett hounds she brought to the audition. It is moments like these where the series truly soars. It tackles uncomfortable and bizarre issues, and puts a uproarious and weirdly topical unique spin on them.
Boasting guest performers out the wazoo, including Nathan Lane, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tina Fey, Julianne Moore, John Mulaney, Amy Sedaris, Debbie Harry, not to mention a stellar supporting turn by Andrea Martin as Julie's narcisstic mother, there's a little bit of something for everyone in Difficult People. Season one walked away with zero Emmy nominations, and although critics embraced season two's absurdism even more, its chances of picking up any last minute Emmy love feel slim. In fact, you could argue there is a stronger likelihood of them nominating the fictional Affair spin-off that Julie is auditioning for. Still, Difficult People is unafraid to satirize and mock the "prestige television" the Emmys tend to nominate. Voters should take note and honor one of the most biting, clever, and riotous series on television.
Other FYCs
Eva Green in Penny Dreadful
Music for Big Little Lies
Samira Wiley in Orange is the New Black
Judith Light in Transparent
Master of None for Best Comedy
Comedy Moms in Best Actress
The Americans for Best Drama
Aubrey Plaza in Legion
Justin Theroux in The Leftovers