The Premise
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | September 16, 2021 |
| Founder | B. J. Novak |
| Defunct | February 15, 2023 |
| Fate | Cancelled |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Anthology television series |
The Premise is a U.S.-based anthology television series developed by B. J. Novak. It debuted on FX on Hulu on September 16, 2021. The show was cancelled in February 2023 after its initial season and subsequently removed from Hulu on May 26, 2023.
Synopsis
Every installment features a narrative centered around an individual character that addresses a contemporary global issue.
Production
In July 2019, FX commissioned a two-episode pilot for an anthology series created by B. J. Novak and produced by FXP. By May 2020, FX officially greenlit the show. The pilot episodes starred Lucas Hedges, Kaitlyn Dever, Jon Bernthal, and Boyd Holbrook, while in August 2021, Ben Platt, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Daniel Dae Kim were added to the cast. During the summer TCA press tour, Novak disclosed that attempts to cast Jack Nicholson were unsuccessful, resulting in the cancellation of that particular episode. The musical score was composed by Emily Bear and Brooke Blair. On February 15, 2023, FX on Hulu announced the series would not continue beyond one season.
Release
The show premiered in the United States on September 16, 2021, via FX on Hulu. For international audiences, it is accessible through Disney+ via the dedicated streaming section Star in certain regions, while in India, the series became available on Disney+ Hotstar starting September 17, 2021.
Reception
According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 41% approval rating with an average score of 5.6 out of 10 based on 17 critic reviews. The critical consensus describes it as "a collection of well-meaning efforts that ultimately fail to resonate; The Premise struggles to balance satire with drama effectively." On Metacritic, it received a weighted average score of 53 out of 100 from 14 critics, signifying "mixed or average reviews."