Winning comedy retains hilarity in third season
“Difficult People,” the sassy sitcom that raises self- involvement to new comic heights, is back for a third season.
Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner star as two exceptionally selfabsorbed, defiantly clueless people in the series, now available for streaming on Hulu.
Julie Kessler ( Klausner) and Billy Epstein ( Eichner) are struggling comics. She has a live- in boyfriend named Arthur (James Urbaniak) who works for PBS and cooks for her every night.
Billy, who is gay and lovelorn, does as little as possible working at a diner owned by Nate ( Derrick Baskin) and Denise (Gabourey Sidibe). As far as Julie and Billy are concerned, the world owes them a living, and that’s just for starters.
The new season retains all the sources of frequently nasty comedy that fans enjoyed in the first two seasons — including Billy’s younger coworker, Matthew (Cole Escola), whose sense of gay entitlement is just the beginning of why Billy hates him.
Julie’s mother, Marilyn ( Andrea Martin), is a therapist whose own sense of entitlement almost puts her daughter’s to shame. She’s convinced that her dentist is secretly trimming her bangs whenever she’s put out for dental work.
Billy is stuck in a constant whine, and Julie could probably rationalize even the most heinous act as something acceptable if it benefits her.
Why on Earth would anyone want to spend a half- hour with these people? Because they are hilarious.
The fact that they don’t have a good word to say about anyone reflects on them — and the image isn’t pretty, but it’s very funny.
Among the show’s most enduring trademarks is that it name- drops celebrities, usually in disparaging tones.
Plus, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have become fodder for the show.
It is a credit to Klausner that the political focus doesn’t feel out of character.
As with everything else, the characters' belated awareness of changes in political priorities derives directly from self- interest.
The third season is decidedly more political and current than its two predecessors, at least based on the four episodes made available to critics.
But “Difficult People” makes for easy and frequent laughter.