Can ‘Uncoupled’ Allow Neil Patrick Harris To Reimagine a Gay Barney Stinson?
It’s going to be legen – wait for it… dary!
Netflix has just released the full trailer for Uncoupled, an upcoming 8-part Netflix series starring How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris.
After 17 years, Michael’s boyfriend left him. So what’s worse: losing your soulmate or being a single gay man in his 40s in NYC?
— Netflix (@netflix) July 13, 2022
From Darren Star, creator of Sex and the City and Emily in Paris, comes Uncoupled starring @ActuallyNPH, Tisha Campbell & Marcia Gay Harden. July 29. pic.twitter.com/d7cYlWxHe0
Helmed by Emily in Paris/Sex and the City creator Darren Star and Modern Family’s Jeffrey Richman, the show explores Harris’ character, Michael — a man in his mid-forties who enjoyed the ‘perfect life’ with his partner of seventeen years — until he finds himself unceremoniously dumped and left single without any warning.
Having last been single in the mid-2000s, Michael’s journey thrusts him head-first into Grindr, ‘pity threesomes’, and everything in between.
As such, the show tackles several themes, chronicling the sometimes challenging experience of New York City’s middle-aged gay dating scene. While the breakup does send Michael spiralling, the show is attempting to pull off a positive spin on the post-breakup life as Michael finds ways to redefine himself, accept his feelings, and move on while having a good time.
Joining Michael on his new journey — some more willingly than others — are Tisha Campbell, Brooks Ashmanskas, Emerson Brooks and Marcia Gay Harden. Guest stars include Andre de Shields, Colin Hanlon, Dan Amber, Gilles Marini, Jai Rodriguez, Nic Rouleau and Peter Porte.
For Harris, the role is an interesting opportunity to play a character much like himself — mid-forties, gay, NYC-residing — and serves as a curious opportunity to play a more realistic version of his infamous Barney role from How I Met Your Mother, which launched all the way back in 2005, a year before the actor came out as gay. His coming out was influenced by media speculation surrounding the actor and David Burtka – who guest starred on HIMYIM, and eventually went on to marry Harris in 2014, following a long relationship that went public in 2007.
Fans, meanwhile, shared their enthusiasm online, excitedly discussing the upcoming release:
So basically a gay sex and the city. Def worth a watch (although I hope Darren Star doesn’t put every cliché he can think of in this one…)
— French Couscous 🏴☠️ (@GMugshot) July 13, 2022
First, we got Joel Kim Booster in Fire Island. Then Billy Eichner in Bros. And now Neil Patrick Harris in Uncoupled??? I love 2022 it’s so gaaaaay!!! https://t.co/fU7XB06qZh
— Jerfe 🏳️🌈 (@notjerpijan) July 13, 2022
Uncoupled is set to launch on Netflix on the 29th of July.
(Featured Image Credits: Netflix)