The little-seen 2013 MTV series gets a second life thanks to Netflix. And it’s well deserved. Comedian Bo Burnham is only some people’s cup of tea. However, since his hilariously depressing INSIDE in 2021, he has quickly risen to one of my favorite performers to watch. I was shocked to discover that he had a short-lived TV series in 2013 about a recent high school graduate with no real skills who wants to be famous. With his life savings, Zach Stone, played by a very young Bo Burnham, hires a camera crew to document his journey.Â
The jokes in ZACH STONE are the kind that have you cringing but also laughing. Bo Burnham understands the celebrity machine of YouTube, which he also used to create his brand. It’s impressive how much this show mirrors current reality TV stars like the Kardashians.
For how offensive Zach Stone’s shenanigans are, none of it would work if he wasn’t somewhat empathetic. That journey had some emotional moments I did not expect. The lesson is simple. Despite Zach thinking, “If everybody’s looking at you, you gotta be doing something right with your life,” he kinda discovers that’s not true.
Despite having more to say, the series never got renewed. I’m hoping that it gets a ton of viewers on Netflix, and after they produced his successful special, INSIDE, they take the plunge once more to create a second season.
The entire series, aka the first season, is currently available on Netflix.Â
