Luke MacFarlane is to Hallmark what Seth Rogen is to comedy—a staple in the genre. The 43-year-old actor has been a mainstay on the network for years, forever playing the mysterious yet charming bartender or the handsome yet pessimistic lawyer who always gets the girl in the end.
While he may have uttered a funny line or two during one of his many Hallmark Christmas movie appearances, MacFarlane is poised to get a bit more comical in his latest role. Platonic, starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, follows a stay-at-home mom of three as she reconnects with her male best friend after years of drifting apart. Their attempt to be a part of each other's lives again leads to chaos—and hilarity.
"I do feel like it's very fresh, that idea of seeing a friendship between a man and a woman that is really at the center [of a show] and the complexities of that," MacFarlane told TV Goodness in a recent interview. "I remember [wondering], 'Is that real? Is that true?' And I really was scratching my brain trying to think of other examples, especially one that was so contentious, that exists in our television space. And I really couldn't come up with anything."
So, what is this new show all about—and what is Hallmark's resident romantic lead playing in it? Here's everything we know about Platonic.
What Is 'Platonic' About?
AppleTV+
Platonic centers on the lives of long-time best friends Sylvia and Will, played by Rogen and Byrne, respectively. After years of drifting apart, the two reunite when Sylvia learns that Will is going through a divorce. As the duo attempt to rediscover their friendship as they're approaching mid-life, they also have to get past an old rift that led to their falling out.
The contrast between their lives—Sylvia being a happily married stay-at-home mom and Will backsliding into bachelorhood—leads to their relationship becoming all-consuming. As it begins to destabilize other parts of their lives, they must decide if their new bond is worth fighting for.
The whole show orbits around the age-old question: can men and women be platonic friends? Rogen says yes.
"People project a lot onto relationships, and jealousy can come out if you're insecure," he recently told ScreenRant. "I personally believe that you can have platonic relationships. I have many of them, so the proof is in the pudding."
Who Is In 'Platonic?'
AppleTV+
Apple TV's newest comedy stars Byrne as Sylvia, a stay-at-home mom who reconnects with her old best friend, Will, played by Rogen. Will is a brewmaster who's going through a divorce. Bryne and Rogen formerly played a married couple in the comedy film Neighbors and Neighbors 2.
The cast list also includes:
- Tre Hale as Andy, Will's business partner
- Andrew Lopez as Reggie, the major investor in Will's brewery (who just happens to be Will's ex-wife's stepbrother
- Carla Gallo as Katie, Sylvia's friend, and fellow mom
- Alisha Wainwright as Audrey, Will's ex-wife
- Vinny Thomas as Omar, Will's employee
- Guy Branum as Stewart, one of Charlie's work friends
- Sophie Leonard as Frances
- Max Matenko as Simon
Who Is Luke MacFarlane's Character In 'Platonic?'
AppleTV+
To many Hallmark fans' surprise, MacFarlane will not be playing a hunky romantic lead in Platonic. Instead, he plays Charlie—Sylvia's husband and a no-nonsense attorney. The actor told TV Goodness that creator Nicholas Stoller reached out after they wrapped his queer comedy film Bros. MacFarlane describes his latest role as a "real family man, incredibly loyal and incredibly morally strong."
"I remember being very flattered that Nick and Francesca [Delbanco] thought of me that way," he said in the interview. "At his core he's a very kind and loyal and morally strong guy. So I think that that was something that I try to bring to a lot of my characters."
Through her relationship with Will, Sylvia begins to reclaim a part of herself she thought she had lost. MacFarlane says that Charlie remains that stabilizing force in her life as she goes on the classic middle-aged journey of trying to figure out who she really is.
"Charlie's really much more content with that. I think he really likes the life he has made for himself. He's very clear that way about himself. Probably part of the reason he loves Sylvia so much is she's a little more complicated than him. She's a little more conflicted."
Will There Be A Season 2 Of 'Platonic?'
Season 1 of Platonic was released on Apple TV in May of 2023. At the time of this writing, it hasn't yet been renewed for a second season. But seeing as how most of the platform's series go at least two or three seasons, there's a good chance we'll be seeing more of this dysfunctional yet lovable pair.
How To Watch 'Platonic'
You can watch MacFarlane in all his comedic glory by streaming Season 1 of Platonic exclusively on Apple TV.
