SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for American Classic Season 1, Episodes 1 and 2.

There’s an art to making a TV pilot, and American Classic‘s first two episodes are a comedic symphony. The MGM+ comedy gets all of its obligatory exposition done, but in such a way that the audience hardly notices it. And the performances, led by three-time Tony Award winner Kevin Kline, are brilliant right out of the gate.

It’s smart of MGM+ to release Episode 1 and Episode 2 simultaneously, as they flow so well together. However, unlike other series that have chosen to do multi-episode drops, American Classic Episode 1 is able to stand on its own. Audiences know the general direction in which the story is heading yet creators Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin write it in such an engaging way that the surprise comes from the journey, not the destination. Every scene adds something to the vibrant palette and the entire world of Millersburg—not just Kline’s wayward Broadway star Richard Bean—comes to life in half an hour.

Make no mistake about it, Kline is phenomenal in a role that feels tailored to him. Richard Bean may be a name on Broadway, but he needs to be fed some of his lines on opening night of King Lear, and is clearly over the afterparty that follows. The crux of American Classic is when Richard has a public outburst that torches his career, which needs to be as massive as humanly possible, and Kline delivers. His drunken rant is just about a step or two down from Jeff Daniels’ epic monologue in the premiere of The Newsroom, with the same ability to hold viewers’ complete attention.

Yet what’s also great about this bit in American Classic is that it’s not solely Kline’s scene. Stephen Spinella and particularly Aaron Tveit (in a completely different role than his last MGM+ series, Earth Abides) are also aces. Tveit unleashes a calm venom that is the perfect counterpoint to Kline’s bombastic approach, and he gets one of the best lines when his character Troy describes Richard as “a man more lost and defeated than King fucking Lear.” That’s not just anger; there’s disgust and a little bit of sadness there, too.

It’s an example of how American Classic is very careful to paint its characters with more than one brush. Hoffman and Martin don’t only lead into Kline’s comedic talents and get mileage out of Richard’s buffoonery—although there’s plenty of that, particularly in the scene where he tries to justify his behavior to his agent Alvy (a spot-on Tony Shalhoub). Richard has moments of seriousness and self-awareness. His brother Jon, portrayed ably by Jon Tenney of The Closer, isn’t just Richard’s straight-laced sibling. There’s a funny scene in which Jon tries to calm his wife Kristen with a drink—before audiences learn that Kristen, played by four-time Tony nominee Laura Linney, was Richard’s girlfriend before she married his brother. Yet her storyline goes beyond that to her now being the mayor of Millersburg.

Kristen and her daughter Miranda (Nell Verlaque) represent that eternal battle between art and commerce. Kristen cringes at making a deal with a shady developer—the only character in these episodes who feels one-dimensional—that will bring in big money at the expense of local businesses. Miranda dreams of moving to New York and following in her uncle’s footsteps, but questions the practicality of that dream. It’s nice to see in Miranda a young adult character who feels real, and isn’t just espousing the same teenage angst that has been played out. Under the many, many laughs in American Classic is a reminder of the importance of art, not only in a big-picture sense but on an indvidual, emotional level. Art inspires creativity and joy and excitement, even if it’s corny dinner theater about nuns and matzo balls. If one needs a further reminder, Verlaque’s performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel as Miranda sings at Ethel Bean’s funeral is beautiful and tear-inducing.

There are plenty of hilarious moments both big and small across the two episodes. Alvy asking “Why is the table on fire?” is a random joke that adds a giggle to an already funny moment, and then on the other hand there’s a rollicking moment in which Richard wants to lower his mother Ethel’s coffin into the Millersburg theater to the tune of Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” which is the absolute perfect song for that visual gag. There’s also the button of Tenney’s dumbfounded reaction when the camera cuts back to Richard and Jon. American Classic is first and foremost a comedy, and a very good one: self-deprecating, fast-paced, genuinely witty without relying on name-drops and rarely going into comedic stereotypes.

This series is the brilliant intersection of wonderful writing and talent who clearly connect with the material. Having so many stage actors in a show about the theater gives American Classic a special shine, because they know what their characters are feeling and talking about, and the audience knows that they know. The writing gives those actors plenty to work with, and spreads the laughs throughout the ensemble. By the end of Episode 1 audiences know everything they need to know about the Bean family and Millersburg. By the end of Episode 2, they feel like part of the community. American Classic‘s series premiere is a trip in the best possible way.

American Classic airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on MGM+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of MGM+.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.