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Pete Davidson’s semi-autobiographical series is a hilarious fictional take on his crazy real life.

Plot: A new comedy following Pete Davidson as he attempts to work through unique family dynamics and the complexities of fame to form meaningful relationships.

Review: Love him or hate him, Pete Davidson is very popular these days. After his stint on Saturday Night Live, his semi-autobiographical Judd Apatow movie The King of Staten Island, as well as a string of high-profile relationships with everyone from Ariana Grande and Kate Beckinsale to Kim Kardashian and more, Davidson has used his fame and unique comedic style to develop a new Peacock series. Pete Davidson takes on the most challenging role in his career, himself, in Bupkis . Bupkis, a parody of Larry David’s HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm starring a large cast of celebrities, is a showcase of Davidson’s humor and a collection of stories from his own life that are exaggerated to the point where it is impossible to tell what is real and what is not. Luckily, it is all pretty funny.

Created by Davidson, Judah Miller, and Dave Sirus, each episode of Bupkis opens with a narration by Lorne Michaels, declaring the story is inspired by real-life but is completely fictionalized, echoing the Yiddish origin of the series title. Pete Davidson is pushing the envelope from the very first scene in the premiere. This is a continuation of his work on SNL. This hilariously raunchy scene sets the tone for the whole series. Each episode is a look at Davidson’s life and career as a celebrity, and his relationship with his family and friends on Staten Island. The thirty-minute episodes are of varying quality. Some are anchored in more dramatic scenes from Davidson’s youth, including references to his father’s death as a First Responder on September 11 2001. Even 9/11 is not safe from jokes. Falco is a powerful actress in her own rights, but she embraces her maternal role and the off the wall requirements of being a mother to Pete Davidson. Falco is equally at home with his fame, notoriety and sobriety, and she’s not afraid to say that Marisa Tomei “played” her in the movie. Joe Pesci plays Pete’s grandfather and he too is a great actor. Pete is a Catholic, but also has Jewish and German ancestry. His fictional family, however, is more Italian. Grandpa Joe is his terminally ill dad, and he’s a no-holds barred guy who echoes some of Pesci’s trademark roles. The scenes shared between Davidson, Falco, and Pesci are amongst the best in the series, but that is only a small aspect of

Bupkis.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgURp1wljlQ

Bupkis comes into play with the more over-the-top aspects of each episode, all of which Pete Davidson has a co-writing credit on. These episodes put Pete in ridiculous situations, such as a request for an escort or a hunt to find the person who posted bad photos of him online. They are also inspired by the The Fast and the Furious. These stories have a moral at the end, which makes Pete relatable. They also include pop culture references ranging from Star trek to “Cotton Eyed Joe.” Other episodes focus on Pete’s early years and bring fictionalized relatives to life. These stories are a mix of fiction and reality, and they are most likely not true. However, they feel heartfelt despite the cracked lens that Pete Davidson uses to tell them. Brad Garrett appears multiple times while Bobby Cannavale is given meatier roles. Davidson must have done a lot of favors in order to get these people to appear on his series. Charlie Day, Ray Romano and Steve Buscemi are all featured, as well as Kenan Thompson, Machine Gun Kelly, John Mulaney and Machine Gun Kelly. Other surprising guests include Jon Stewart, J.J. Abrams and Eli Manning. Simon Rex and former Vice President Al Gore also make an appearance. Like Curb your Enthusiasm some actors and celebrities portray versions themselves to great effect. In contrast, others get to play original creations, like Simon Rex’s memorable role as Crispy.

Bupkis is somewhat uneven, with some plots working well and eliciting easy laughs while others coast by with a chuckle here and there. The series is clearly based on what Pete Davidson has been thinking, and we often feel like we’re experiencing his drug-induced hallucinations or daydreams. Bupkis

works more than it doesn’t, and if Davidson is able to get as many famous actors for future episodes, then this series can at least be a fun outlet for Davidson’s therapy to unfold onscreen. Pete Davidson is one of many people who deal with mental health in a private way. He has found a creative way to express his fears, hopes, and dreams. Sometimes it is productive, and other times it leads nowhere, but it definitely is worth a few laughs.Bupkis premieres on May 4th on Peacock.

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Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch