Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Duo's comedy is snarky, sometimes hard to swallow.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
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Where to Watch
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Difficult People
What's the Story?
Longtime friends and Manhattanites Julie (Julie Klausner) and Billy (Billy Eichner) are addicted to pop culture, obsessed with attention, and dumbfounded as to why they're not famous. But the truth is they're DIFFICULT PEOPLE -- and completely oblivious of their flaws.
Is It Any Good?
There are heroes, there are antiheroes, and then there are people like Julie and Billy, who are just horrible -- in a Seinfeld-ian way, at least -- but they're a lot less lovable than the characters from that show. And it's not only because they're selfish, narcissistic, and shallow; it's also because they're really not as funny as they think they are, which makes Difficult People a particularly, well, difficult comedy.
Klausner and Eichner's larger-than-life alter egos consider themselves wrongfully overlooked as comedians. But for all of Difficult People's biting one-liners and extensive roster of guest stars (plus Amy Poehler's executive-producer cred), the lack of real laughs suggests they'e probably as famous now as they should be -- that is, famous enough for existing fans but not destined for a much larger audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Difficult People's protagonists and how they measure up as role models. Does the show celebrate or denigrate their behavior? Where's the line between horrible and hilarious?
How close does Difficult People get to nailing pop culture and the people who can't get enough of it? How has social media changed the way we feed our celebrity fix?
How are shows that air exclusively on streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix different from shows that air on traditional television? How have streaming content providers changed the way we watch TV?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 5, 2015
- Cast : Julie Klausner , Billy Eichner
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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