It’s been a while since Michael Cera starred in a television series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it was a matter of Life & Beth that brought him back to the small screen and into Amy Schumer’s upcoming Hulu comedy. Cera will reportedly join the show, formerly called Love, Beth, as John, “a farmer and chef who is always honest and to the point.†It’ll be the actor’s first onscreen series-regular role since Arrested Development’s beleaguered Bluth boy George Michael.
Not much has been revealed about Schumer’s Life & Beth, which received a ten-episode series order, and the show’s new description is vague enough to leave a lot of questions unanswered. However, it seems pretty clear that Schumer’s adult protagonist will have to go back and tangle with her teen years. “Beth’s life looks pretty great on paper,†THR reports. “Impressive to everyone she grew up with. She makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long-term relationship with an attractive, successful guy and lives in Manhattan. When a sudden incident forces Beth to engage with her past, her life changes forever.â€
The description continues, “Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become. We’ll go on her journey toward building a more authentic life. Learning to express herself and living in an intentional way. A trip down memory lane is a strong source of trauma, comedy and moving forward.†And if Schumer needs any pointers on playing a painfully awkward adolescent fumbling toward adulthood, Michael Cera will be on hand as an invaluable resource. Great thinking.