Netflix has unveiled two very different new comedy series today (22 May), with Ladies First and Mating Season set to bring workplace satire, relationship drama and plenty of laughs to the streamer’s growing comedy slate. While one series flips gender dynamics on their head in an alternate reality led by Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike, the other comes from the creative team behind Big Mouth and takes viewers into the messy world of animal dating and relationships.
Ladies First Puts a New Spin on the Battle of the Sexes
In Ladies First, Sacha Baron Cohen stars as Damien Sachs, a successful advertising executive whose life is thrown into disarray when he wakes up in a parallel world where women hold all the power. Suddenly forced to navigate an entirely different social and professional landscape, Damien finds himself competing with his ambitious colleague Alex Fox, played by Rosamund Pike, for the top position at their prestigious advertising agency. With the rules rewritten and familiar power structures turned upside down, the series promises to explore workplace politics, gender expectations and modern relationships through a comedic lens.
Netflix describes the show as a playful satire about what happens when the script is flipped, with Damien forced to confront a world that operates very differently from the one he thought he understood.
The set-up feels like a natural fit for Cohen, whose career has often centred on social satire and exposing uncomfortable truths through comedy. Paired with Pike, who is no stranger to commanding, intelligent characters, the series has the ingredients for a comedy that aims to spark conversation as well as laughs.
Mating Season Heads Into the Animal Kingdom
At the other end of Netflix’s comedy spectrum is Mating Season, a new adult animated series from the creators of Big Mouth. The show takes audiences into the animal world for a wildly raunchy exploration of love, sex and relationships, using animated creatures to tackle many of the same awkward, messy and often ridiculous experiences that humans face.
While Netflix has not revealed extensive story details yet, the involvement of the Big Mouth creative team gives a pretty clear sense of the kind of comedy viewers can expect. Their previous work became known for being blunt, ridiculous and surprisingly honest about relationships, growing up and sexuality, often using absurd humour and larger-than-life characters to get there.
Two Very Different Comedies, One Shared Goal
Although Ladies First and Mating Season are very different shows, both seem interested in how people connect, compete and try to understand each other, using comedy to push those ideas into more absurd territory. One uses an alternate reality to challenge assumptions and social norms, while the other turns to the animal kingdom to explore the strange complexities of attraction and connection. Together, they showcase the broad range of comedy Netflix continues to pursue, from live-action satire to adult animation.
For CultureCues, both projects stand out because they feel distinct from the more familiar sitcom formula. Whether viewers are drawn to Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike’s workplace rivalry or the offbeat animated world promised by the creators of Big Mouth, there is plenty of potential for both shows to make an impression when they arrive on Netflix.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.