How will Pete Davidson fare in his post-“SNL” career? So far, he’s done alright, with roles in “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and “Meet Cute,” and more limited releases like his buddy Machine Gun Kelly‘s movie “Good Mourning.” He has other stuff lined up, too, like the buzzworthy “Dumb Money” that Sony just picked up, and David Michôd‘s A24 film “Wizards!” further down the line.
But more immediately, Deadline reports that Davidson stars in “Bupkis,” an upcoming comedy series for Peacock that teams the comedian up with legendary actor Joe Pesci. Is this an ultimate odd-couple pairing or one of the worst ideas in TV history? It’s too early to tell, but Peacock’s first look at the show sees Davidson and Pesci in a boatyard leering off into the distance. Perhaps it signifies Davidson looking over his shoulder to see and wondering whether he should have left the show that made his career?
All jokes aside, “Bupkis” has a promising premise. The film operates in the same vein as Larry David‘s classic HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” with David playing a heightened, fictionalized version of himself. Good, because that’s where Davidson’s strengths truly lie as both an actor and comedian: performing an antic, meta version of himself. And much like David and “Curb,” Davidson writes “Bupkis.” Along with Davidson playing Davidson, Pesci co-stars as his fictional grandfather. Edie Falco is also on board to play Davidson’s fictional mom.
Davidson left “SNL” this spring after eight seasons. Alongside the long-running comedy series, Davidson’s also a notable stand-up comic. His transition to films was almost immediate after he started on “SNL” thanks to that show’s producer, Lorne Michaels. After bit parts in films like “Trainwreck,” Davidson eventually graduated to leading roles like in 2019’s “Big Time Adolescence” and 2020’s “The King Of Staten Island.” Michael serves as co-executive producer with Davidson on “Bupkis,” along with the show’s director Jason Orley.
No word on when “Bupkis” premieres on Peacock yet, but given Pete Davidson’s popularity, expect this to be a big series for the streamer. Whatever one thinks about Davidson’s dating life and extracurricular activities, he’s a very, very funny guy (at least this writer thinks so). This show may end up a sleeper, so stay tuned.
