Fleishman Is in Trouble is an American drama television miniseries created by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, based on her 2019 novel. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Claire Danes, Lizzy Caplan, Adam Brody, Meara Mahoney Gross, and Maxim Swinton. The series follows a recently divorced Manhattan hepatologist trying to navigate his new single life when his ex-wife suddenly disappears, leaving him to care for their two children.
The series aired on FX on Hulu from November 17 to December 29, 2022, consisting of eight episodes. It was met with positive reviews from critics and received seven nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and acting nominations for Danes and Caplan.
Premise Toby Fleishman is a recently divorced hepatologist in his early 40s using dating apps for the first time. As he begins to find romantic success he never achieved in his youth, his ex-wife Rachel disappears without a trace after leaving him with their children, Hannah and Solly. While Toby juggles looking after his children, a possible job promotion, and all the potential sexual partners in Manhattan, he realizes that he will never be able to figure out what happened to his wife until he can be more honest about what happened to their marriage in the first place.
Cast and characters Main Jesse Eisenberg as Toby Fleishman, a recently divorced Jewish hepatologist Claire Danes as Rachel Fleishman, a talent agent and Toby's ex-wife Lizzy Caplan as Libby Epstein, a magazine writer turned suburban housewife and one of Toby's best friends, who serves as the narrator of the story Adam Brody as Seth Morris, one of Toby's best friends Meara Mahoney Gross as Hannah Fleishman, Toby and Rachel's 12-year-old daughter Maxim Swinton as Solly Fleishman, Toby and Rachel's 9-year-old son
Recurring Josh Stamberg as Sam Rothberg, a vice president at a pharmaceutical company Ashley Austin Morris as Roxanne Hertz, one of Rachel's wealthy friends Jenny Powers as Miriam Rothberg, one of Rachel's wealthy friends and Sam's wife Joy Suprano as Cyndi Leffer, one of Rachel's wealthy friends Eric William Morris as Todd Leffer, Cyndi's husband Ralph Adriel Johnson as Phillip, a resident doctor at Toby's hospital Brian Miskell as Clay, a resident doctor at Toby's hospital Ava Yaghmaie as Joanie, a resident doctor at Toby's hospital Josh Radnor as Adam Epstein, Libby's husband Mozhan Marnò as Nahid, a woman whom Toby meets on a dating app Frances Li as Vanessa, Seth's girlfriend and later fiancée Joe Tuttle as Glenn, Libby's editor
Guest Juani Feliz as Alejandra Lopez, a Broadway star and Rachel's client Zack Robidas as Rick Hertz, Roxanne's husband Tara Summers as Tess, a woman with whom Toby has a brief casual relationship Michael Gaston as Dr. Bartuck, Toby's overbearing boss at the hospital J. Smith-Cameron as Barbara Hiller, Toby's lawyer who advises him during his divorce proceedings Christian Slater as Archer Sylvan, a prolific author at the magazine Libby used to work for
Episodes
Production Development On September 12, 2019, it was announced that ABC Signature had won a 10-studio bidding war for the rights to the novel Fleishman Is in Trouble, with the project being developed for FX. Taffy Brodesser-Akner, the author of the original novel, was attached to write the adaptation as well as executive produce the project alongside Susannah Grant, Carl Beverly, and Sarah Timberman. On March 11, 2021, it was announced that the project was given a limited series order consisting of nine episodes, with the series now set to premiere exclusively on Hulu as part of FX on Hulu. Upon the series order announcement, Brodesser-Akner said:
On August 13, 2021, during FX Networks' Summer 2021 TCA Press Tour panel, it was announced that Little Miss Sunshine filmmaking duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were attached to direct multiple episodes of the series.
The limited series was released on November 17, 2022. The first two episodes were available immediately and the rest debuted weekly.
Casting In November 2021, Lizzy Caplan and Jesse Eisenberg joined the cast of the series in series regular roles, marking their second collaboration together after Now You See Me 2. In January 2022, Claire Danes and Adam Brody joined the cast in series regular roles, while Maxim Jasper Swinton and Meara Mahoney Gross joined the cast in recurring roles. In February 2022, Joy Suprano joined the cast in a recurring role. In March 2022, Michael Gaston, Ralph Adriel Johnson and Brian Miskell joined in recurring roles. In April 2022, Christian Slater and Josh Radnor joined the cast in recurring roles.
Filming Principal photography began by February 2022 in New York City.
Reception Critical response Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 79 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Annie Berke of The A.V. Club gave the miniseries an A− and said, "These eight episodes and the characters in them are doing their best, and Fleishman's best is far better than most." Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times gave the miniseries 3 out of 4 stars and wrote, "This is an exceedingly well-cast show, with Eisenberg, Danes, Caplan and Brody all playing to their strengths and hitting notes we've seen them master in previous roles."
According to Ross Douthat, writing for The New York Times, the show highlights the fine class gradations within the modern meritocracy, the psychology of meritocratic ambition, and the crucial, stressful role that marriage plays as a mechanism of social advancement. The show portrays the "privileged angst" faced by those who make hundreds of thousands of dollars annually but face lifestyle inflation and the demands of wealth without its promised security and ease. Similar analysis was presented by Caitlin Moscatello, writing for The Cut.
Accolades Year Award Category Nominee Result Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Claire Danes Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series Miniseries or Television Film USC Scripter Awards Best Adapted Screenplay – Television Taffy Brodesser-Akner Writers Guild of America Awards Limited Series Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Cindy Chupack, Allison P. Davis, Mike Goldbach, and Boo Killebrew TCA Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials Fleishman Is in Trouble Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Streaming Limited or Anthology Series Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Claire Danes Best Writing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Taffy Brodesser-Akner Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Fleishman Is in Trouble Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Lizzy Caplan Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Claire Danes Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Taffy Brodesser-Akner Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Laura Rosenthal and Jodi Angstreich Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Leah Katznelson, Angel Peart, Katie Novello, Deidre Wegner, Anne Newton-Harding 2024 Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Limited Series Jodi Angstriech, Laura Rosenthal, Tracy Kaczorowski
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