Liza on Demand is an American comedy series created by Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, and Liza Koshy that premiered on June 27, 2018, on YouTube Premium. The series stars Koshy, Kimiko Glenn, and Travis Coles and follows Koshy as a "tasker" who completes odd jobs around Los Angeles via a phone application. The series was renewed for a second season which premiered on September 25, 2019. In January 2020, the series was renewed for a third and final season, premiering and concluding in October 2021.
| Liza on Demand | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | |
| Starring |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 25 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Sam Childs |
| Cinematography | Rich Paisley |
| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 23–26 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | YouTube Premium |
| Release | June 27, 2018 – October 15, 2021 |
Premise
editLiza on Demand follows "chaotic misadventures that ensue as the eponymous character takes on various gigs, tasks and odd jobs in her quest to climb the ranks and become an 'elite tasker'."[1]
Cast and characters
edit| Character | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Portrayed By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liza Hertzler | Main | Liza Koshy | ||
| Oliver | Main | Travis Coles | ||
| Harlow | Main | Kimiko Glenn | ||
Main
edit- Liza Koshy as Liza Hertzler, a "tasker" who is trying to make it to "elite status" in her job working for the app, Taskit.
- Travis Coles as Oliver, Liza's roommate and close friend who works for a real estate company.
- Kimiko Glenn as Harlow, Liza's roommate and close friend who owns a show dog named Bark-Paul Gosselaar.
Recurring
edit- Jim O'Heir as Don
Guest
edit- Noah Schnapp as Evan M. ("Pilot"), a rude teenage Uber rider. Also appears in Season 2, Episode 9 (“ New Year’s Eve”) as Trevor, the son of Mrs. Schulz.
- Jennifer Esposito as Holly ("Pilot"), a mother of three boys that lives in Sherman Oaks who hires Liza to complete a puzzle as part of her son's homework.
- John Gemberling as Rude Man ("Smile"), a man who tells Liza to smile whom she later tricks into inviting her back to his home by pretending to be a man.
- Jessica Tuck as Orchid Owner ("Popular"), a woman who hires Liza to watch her orchid while she is on vacation.
- Chloe Csengery as Alyssa ("Popular"), a student at Mary Richards High School that Liza befriends.
- Froy Gutierrez as Doug ("Popular"), a popular jock at Mary Richards High School with a one-sided crush on Liza.
- Matt McCoy as Clay Coburn ("Simpler Times"), a candidate for the United States Congress.
- Morgan Smith as Martha ("Simpler Times"), an employee of the Coburn campaign.
- Irene Keng as June ("Simpler Times"), a woman hired to attend a Coburn campaign rally because she is Asian-American.
- Lindsey Alley as Elizabeth Coburn ("Simpler Times"), Clay Coburn's wife.
- Eugene Cordero as Nigel ("Valentine's Day"), a Game of Thrones fan who enlists Liza's help to propose to his girlfriend.
- Valerie Harper as Wanda ("Valentine's Day"), an older woman who is spending Valentine's Day alone and hires Liza to pick up her groceries.
- Leonard Roberts as Marc ("Valentine's Day"), a man who hires Liza to help him break up with his boyfriend.
- Greg Cromer as Todd ("Valentine's Day"), a man who hires Liza to deliver a Valentine's Day basket to his lover.
- Tanjareen Thomas as Shannon ("Valentine's Day"), Todd's lover.
- Kate Flannery as Karaoke Woman ("MoJoe"), a woman who hires Liza to take her karaoke machine to a repair shop for her.
- Ken Lerner as Seymour F. ("Phuneral"), a man who hires Liza to deliver food to him and then gives her a one-star rating because the food is too cold.
- Pete Gardner as Father Michaels ("Phuneral"), a priest presiding over Seymour's funeral.
- Matt Malloy as Funeral Director ("Phuneral"), a funeral director at Golden Roads Mortuary, where Liza is hired to serve as a professional mourner.
- Drew Droege as Sebastian Foyeé ("Elite Status"), a famous choreographer who meets Liza at a club after taking cough syrup and ayahuasca. He was under the impression that she was a good dancer while he was high and wanted her to tour with Lady Gaga.
- Seth Morris as Rudy ("Elite Status"), the owner of Rudy's Escape Room, where Liza, Oliver, and Harlow go during a drunken stupor.
- Flula Borg as Chris ("Elite Status"), an assistant to rapper Drake. He returns Liza's lost phone to her after she, Oliver, and Harlow spent time with Drake the previous evening.
- Carolyn Hennesy as Cora Reeves ("What Up, Fam"), a wealthy woman who believes Liza is related to her thanks to a mix-up at a DNA company.
- Josh Peck as Jonas ("Hot, Excited, and In Your Area"), a man who Liza meets that lives off the grid.
- Kevin Nealon as Jim ("Sorry, Not Sorry"), a condescending marketing executive that Liza meets during a focus group testing.
- Chrissie Fit as Katie ("Gentrification: The Musical"), a successful influencer that Liza did TaskIt training with.
- Jason Nash as a guest ("New Year’s Eve"), a guest at Mrs. Schulz New Year's Eve party
Episodes
edit| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 8 | June 27, 2018 | July 25, 2018 | |
| 2 | 10 | September 25, 2019 | ||
| 3 | 7[2] | October 13, 2021 | October 15, 2021[2] | |
Season 1 (2018)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Todd Biermann | Story by : Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont & Liza Koshy Teleplay by : Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | June 27, 2018 |
| 2 | 2 | "Smile" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | June 27, 2018 |
| 3 | 3 | "Popular" | Heath Cullens | Morgan Evans | June 27, 2018 |
| 4 | 4 | "Simpler Times" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Isaiah Lester | July 4, 2018 |
| 5 | 5 | "Valentine's Day" | Todd Biermann | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | July 11, 2018 |
| 6 | 6 | "MoJoe" | Heath Cullens | Jamie Uyeshiro | July 18, 2018 |
| 7 | 7 | "Phuneral" | Anna Mastro | Erin Mitchell | July 25, 2018 |
| 8 | 8 | "Elite Status" | Anna Mastro | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | July 25, 2018 |
Season 2 (2019)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Naked" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | September 25, 2019 |
| 10 | 2 | "What's Up, Fam" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Jamie Uyeshiro | September 25, 2019 |
| 11 | 3 | "Hot, Excited and In Your Area" | Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan | Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan | September 25, 2019 |
| 12 | 4 | "Sorry, Not Sorry" | Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan | Harry Elfont | September 25, 2019 |
| 13 | 5 | "The Art of Settling" | Liza Koshy | Jocelyn Richard | September 25, 2019 |
| 14 | 6 | "Gentrification: The Musical" | Natalia Anderson | Jake Fogelnest | September 25, 2019 |
| 15 | 7 | "Maximum Occupancy" | Natalia Anderson | Jake Fogelnest | September 25, 2019 |
| 16 | 8 | "Magic Meadows" | Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan | Deborah Kaplan | September 25, 2019 |
| 17 | 9 | "New Year's Eve: Part 1" | Todd Biermann | Jamie Uyeshiro | September 25, 2019 |
| 18 | 10 | "New Year's Eve: Part 2" | Todd Biermann | Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan | September 25, 2019 |
Season 3 (2021)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | "Truthousand" | Liza Koshy | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | October 13, 2021 |
| 20 | 2 | "Beach People" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | October 15, 2021 |
| 21 | 3 | "Hatumentary" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Andy Blitz & Maria Thayer | October 15, 2021 |
| 22 | 4 | "Wizard of Esme" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Eliot Glazer | October 15, 2021 |
| 23 | 5 | "Lice On Demand" | C. C. Miller | Lillian Yu | October 15, 2021 |
| 24 | 6 | "The Invitation" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | October 15, 2021 |
| 25 | 7 | "Finale" | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont | October 15, 2021 |
Production
editDevelopment
editOn November 17, 2017, it was announced that YouTube had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of eight episodes. In addition to starring in the series, Koshy was set to be an executive producer alongside Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, and Courtney Carter. Sam Childs was set as a producer for the series.[3][4] On January 29, 2018, it was announced that directors for the series were set to include Todd Biermann, Anna Mastro, Heath Cullens, Deborah Kaplan, and Harry Elfont. Kaplan and Elefont will write the series as well.[5][6] On March 6, 2018, it was reported that the series was expected to be released on YouTube Red in May 2018,[7] but it was later scheduled to premiere in June.[8] On January 24, 2019, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season consisting of eight episodes which will premiere on September 25, 2019.[9] On January 18, 2020, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season.[10]
Casting
editAlongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Liza Koshy would star in the series.[3][4] On January 29, 2018, it was announced that Kimiko Glenn and Travis Coles had been added to the main cast as series regulars.[5][6]
Filming
editThe series was reported to be filming in Los Angeles in January 2018.[11] After initial delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first table read for the third season was held on January 29, 2021 and filming began the following week.
Release
editMarketing
editOn June 3, 2018, Koshy released a video on her YouTube channel, featuring Glenn and Coles, revealing the first season premiere date to be June 27, 2018.[8] A few days later, Koshy released the series' first official trailer.[12][13] The trailer for season two was released in August 2019.[14]
Premiere
editOn June 22, 2018, a "first look" at the series was held during the 9th Annual Vidcon online video conference at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. A question-and-answer session also took place moderated by Entertainment Weekly's Patrick Gomez and included creators Liza Koshy, Deborah Kaplan, and Harry Elfont, and cast members Kimiko Glenn and Travis Coles.[15]
Reception
editCritical response
editIn a positive review, Decider's Joel Keller recommended viewers stream the series saying, "Stream It. It's a surprisingly well-done show. The episode where Liza tries to retcon her high school experience is especially funny, because of jokes about her roomies acting like her parents and her attempts to not get labeled a pedophile (let's just say, she's really popular)."[16] In a slightly more mixed critique, Robert Lloyd of The Los Angeles Times said that he found the first episode to be rather "ordinary" and "stiff" but that the second episode "goes to some familiar places – hello, I Love Lucy – but to some less expected ones as well and shows off Koshy to good effect, some effective physical comedy included. It made me laugh, anyway."[17]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Streamy Awards | Comedy Series | Liza on Demand | Won | [18][19] |
| Acting in a Comedy | Liza Koshy | Won | [18][20] | ||
| 2019 | Shorty Awards | Best Web Series | Liza on Demand | Nominated | [21] |
References
edit- ^ Petski, Denise (January 29, 2018). "'Liza On Demand': YouTube Red Comedy Series Rounds Out Cast, Sets Directors". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Liza On Demand – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (November 17, 2017). "Liza Koshy To Star In New YouTube Red Comedy Series 'Liza On Demand'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ a b Spangler, Todd (November 17, 2017). "Liza Koshy to Star in YouTube Red Comedy Series 'Liza on Demand' Premiering in 2018". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ a b Weiss, Geoff (January 29, 2018). "YouTube Red Unveils Cast, Directors For New Liza Koshy Comedy - Tubefilter". Tubefilter. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (January 29, 2018). "'Liza On Demand': YouTube Red Comedy Series Rounds Out Cast, Sets Directors". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ Kang, Inkoo (March 6, 2018). "Vlogger Anna Akana Will Give You Hope for YouTube". Slate Magazine. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Koshy, Liza (June 3, 2018). PAYING ACTORS TO BE MY FRIENDS!! (Online). Los Angeles, California, USA: YouTube. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 24, 2019). "'Liza On Demand' Renewed for Season 2 by YouTube". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- ^ White, Peter (January 18, 2020). "'Liza On Demand' Renewed For Third Season By YouTube; David Blaine Live Special & Gymnastics Doc Added To Slate – TCA'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (January 18, 2018). "Above Average Steers Focus to Original Comedy Series for TV, Digital Services". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ Rearick, Lauren (June 7, 2018). "Liza Koshy Tries to Master the Side Hustle in the Trailer for Her New Show "Liza on Demand"". Teen Vogue. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ Weiss, Geoff (June 7, 2018). "Here's The Trailer For Liza Koshy's Original YouTube Series 'Liza On Demand' - Tubefilter". Tubefilter. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "Video: YouTube Unveils Trailer for Season Two of Hilarious Hit Comedy "Liza on Demand"". The Futon Critic. August 27, 2019.
- ^ "Liza on Demand: A First Look at Liza Koshy's New Series for YouTube Originals | VidCon US". VidCon US. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ Keller, Joel (June 28, 2018). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Liza On Demand' On YouTube Premium, Where Liza Koshy Tries To Master The Gig Economy". Decider. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ Lloyd, Robert (June 27, 2018). "'Liza On Demand' review: A tough job, but some YouTube star has to do it". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^ a b Ramos, Dino-Ray (September 25, 2018). "Streamy Awards Unveils Nominations; YouTube Named Distribution Partner". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (October 21, 2018). "Streamy Awards Honor 24 Winners In Prelims To 8th Annual Event". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- ^ Schaffstall, Katherine (October 22, 2018). "Influencer Campaign - Streamy Awards 2018: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (January 28, 2019). "Awkwafina, Michelle Obama, Jason Momoa Land 2019 Shorty Awards Nominations (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
External links
edit- Liza on Demand YouTube playlist
- Liza on Demand at IMDb