The Kominsky Method

This dark, funny and moving half-hour comedy is so much more than the sum of its enlarged prostate and struggling-actor jokes. ... The formidable star power and talent of Douglas and Arkin elevate this single-camera comedy right out of the gate. As Sandy and Norm, they bring substance, depth and an understated sense of humor to a format that often relies on rote plots, one-liners and exaggerated characters. ... There are also plenty of gags tucked into the smart writing and stellar performances that would be perfectly at home on network TV.

Arkin is a cinch Emmy nominee for his contributions and Douglas may well find himself along for that ride. The scenes with the acting class students for the most part don’t work as well. ... Viewers of a certain age may well respond with knowing head nods to the age-old predicaments that Sandy and Norman find themselves in. But the series might also have some traction with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.

You can see all the jokes coming because they crawl down the road and wave their little hands before arriving. ... But in the hands of such masters, especially Arkin, who proves to be a thoroughly grumpy treasure, familiarity can be delightful.

For the most part, however, Lorre’s sense of humor stings and zings, in ways that both honor and broaden his sitcom achievements. If there’s a joke to be had, Lorre will make it; in this case, that sort of predictability is reassuring and enjoyable. The show is snarky but personable, with most of the pleasure coming from Arkin and Douglas’s expert depiction of that rarest of things--a frank and honest friendship between two men.

The show proves breezy and likable, and about as far from the ad-supported pressure to reach "younger demos" as a TV show can get.

The three episodes screened deftly balance the melancholy and humor of two old chums dealing with old age and their daughters in a less gimmicky updated version of Neil Simon's "Odd Couple" or a less grumpy version of that other, later Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau pairing. Seeing these two Oscar-winning actors play off each other is like an acting workshop in itself.

At advanced ages (Douglas is 74, Arkin a decade older), they are delivering some of the best work of their long and distinguished careers, by leaning into the embarrassment and angst of still being around after all this time. It’s a show about old pros, made by old pros. Their bodies may not work like they used to, but their performances sure do.

The series pairs Michael Douglas with Alan Arkin, perhaps the finest streaming comedy team-up since, well, matching Jane Fonda with Lily Tomlin. As acting coach Sandy Kominsky, Douglas easily slides into the role of a man whose tried his best to make a career out of his craft.

This eight-episode comedy takes some of what works best about Mom into a single-camera format, finding a way to laugh both at and with its main characters while still letting them retain most of their dignity. ... Arkin's performance is his best since Little Miss Sunshine and perhaps some time before that, one perfectly timed droll deadpan after another. And with wry incredulity, Douglas plays entirely different, complementary notes.