Man Seeking Woman

Man Seeking Woman
Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	January 14, 2015; 11 years ago
Defunct	March 8, 2017
Fate	Canceled
Headquarters	Chicago, United States
Key people	Simon Rich (developer), Jay Baruchel (lead actor), Jonathan Krisel (executive producer), Andrew Singer (executive producer), Lorne Michaels (executive producer)
Products	Television series
Owner	FXX
Parent	FX Networks

Man Seeking Woman is a U.S. romantic comedy television series developed by Simon Rich for FXX. It aired over three seasons from January 14, 2015, until March 8, 2017. The narrative centers on Josh Greenberg (portrayed by Jay Baruchel), a naive young man in his twenties who encounters bizarre and awkward scenarios while searching for love in Chicago.

Adapted from Rich's short story collection The Last Girlfriend on Earth, the show was executive produced by Rich, Jonathan Krisel, Andrew Singer, and Lorne Michaels, with production companies including Broadway Video, Allagash Industries, and FXP. It garnered generally favorable reviews from critics.

The series was officially canceled on April 4, 2017, following its third season.

Premise

Episodes primarily explore common romantic difficulties exaggerated to surreal levels. The storyline follows Josh Greenberg as he attempts to move forward after ending a long-term relationship with his girlfriend Maggie. His older sister Liz, who is successful and pragmatic, supports him in pursuing meaningful partnerships, while his best friend Mike prefers casual encounters over commitment. Josh’s romantic pursuits lead him into outlandish situations such as dating an actual troll, losing his penis temporarily, or facing strange occurrences like a nationwide abstinence campaign targeting him. Occasionally, Josh manages to enter relationships, but these rarely extend beyond a single episode.

Main

Jay Baruchel as Josh Greenberg, a 27-year-old temp worker whose innocence contrasts with the bizarre events around him; he often plays the role of the straight man.
Eric André as Mike Scaggs, Josh’s easygoing best friend who values casual sex over serious romance.
Britt Lower as Liz Greenberg, Josh’s protective elder sister who encourages him to seek committed relationships with a practical mindset.
Maya Erskine as Maggie (season 1), Josh’s former girlfriend.
Katie Findlay as Lucy Parker (season 3), who becomes Josh’s girlfriend and eventually his wife.

Recurring

Robin Duke as Patti Greenberg, mother to Josh and Liz.
Mark McKinney as Tom Greenberg, their stepfather.
Jeff Pangman as Charles Powell, Josh’s employer.
Ennis Esmer as Leo (season 1), Liz’s boyfriend.
Rosa Salazar as Rosa Mendes (season 2), a colleague who attracts interest from both Josh and Mike.

Production

On June 19, 2013, FXX commissioned a pilot episode of Man Seeking Woman from creator Simon Rich, with Jonathan Krisel directing. By February 2014, Jay Baruchel had been cast in the lead role of Josh Greenberg. In March of that year, Eric André, Britt Lower, and Maya Erskine were added to the main cast. The network approved a full 10-episode season in July 2014. Filming occurred in Toronto, Canada. The show was renewed for second and third seasons in March 2015 and April 2016 respectively, each consisting of 10 episodes.

Reception

Man Seeking Woman was met with positive critical reception. Rotten Tomatoes assigned the first season an approval rating of 82% based on 33 reviews and an average score of 6.7/10, commending its "amusingly surrealistic and enjoyably odd" style. Metacritic gave the debut season a score of 66/100, indicating generally favorable feedback.

The second season earned a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from eight reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.

Similarly, the third season also achieved a flawless 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on thirteen reviews and an average rating of 8.8/10. Critics praised its inventive narrative techniques alongside sustained absurd humor that explored relatable romantic themes. Metacritic rated the final season at 89/100, signifying universal acclaim.

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