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Dr. Craig Huffstodt (Hank Azaria, Shattered Glass) has it all--beautiful wife Beth (Paget Brewster, Andy Richter Controls the Universe), cute son Byrd (Anton Yelchin), sleek golden retriever, silver BMW, and tastefully-appointed model home. In the pilot, an inconsolable teenager pulls a gun out of his bag and shoots himself--right in the middle of a therapy session. Suddenly, Huff starts to question everything: the job, the marriage, life. Created by Bob Lowry (Any Day Now) and produced by Scott Winant (thirtysomething) for Showtime, Huff combines drama, comedy, flashbacks, and dream sequences to examine one "rich, guilt-ridden white man's" struggle with the Abyss. Sometimes it's Frasier, sometimes The Sopranos--sometimes American Beauty.
Appearances to the contrary, Huff's well-constructed façade is not without its fissures, and as Byrd ominously quotes in episode eight ("Cold Day in Shanghai"),"If you gaze for long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you--Nietzsche." Live-in mother Izzy (Emmy winner Blythe Danner) is a judgmental busybody, younger brother Teddy (Andy Comeau, Providence) is a sympathetic schizophrenic, and best buddy Russell (Oliver Platt having the time of his life) is a pill-popping, cocaine-snorting, booze-guzzling lawyer whose moral compass has been missing "ever since my daddy's sperm hit the egg." Then there's psychotic patient Melody (Lara Flynn Boyle, The Practice), smart-talking office manager Paula (Kimberly Russell), and homeless Hungarian musician István (Jack Laufer) who keeps crossing his path (does he really even exist?) Other recurring characters include Huff's estranged father, Ben (Robert Forster), and Beth's terminally ill mother, Madeline (Swoosie Kurt! z). In its first year, Huff garnered seven Emmy nominations and was renewed for a second season. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Amazon.com
Dr. Craig Huffstodt (Hank Azaria, Shattered Glass) has it all--beautiful wife Beth (Paget Brewster, Andy Richter Controls the Universe), cute son Byrd (Anton Yelchin), sleek golden retriever, silver BMW, and tastefully-appointed model home. In the pilot, an inconsolable teenager pulls a gun out of his bag and shoots himself--right in the middle of a therapy session. Suddenly, Huff starts to question everything: the job, the marriage, life. Created by Bob Lowry (Any Day Now) and produced by Scott Winant (thirtysomething) for Showtime, Huff combines drama, comedy, flashbacks, and dream sequences to examine one "rich, guilt-ridden white man's" struggle with the Abyss. Sometimes it's Frasier, sometimes The Sopranos--sometimes American Beauty. Appearances to the contrary, Huff's well-constructed façade is not without its fissures, and as Byrd ominously quotes in episode eight ("Cold Day in Shanghai"),"If you gaze for long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you--Nietzsche." Live-in mother Izzy (Emmy winner Blythe Danner) is a judgmental busybody, younger brother Teddy (Andy Comeau, Providence) is a sympathetic schizophrenic, and best buddy Russell (Oliver Platt having the time of his life) is a pill-popping, cocaine-snorting, booze-guzzling lawyer whose moral compass has been missing "ever since my daddy's sperm hit the egg." Then there's psychotic patient Melody (Lara Flynn Boyle, The Practice), smart-talking office manager Paula (Kimberly Russell), and homeless Hungarian musician István (Jack Laufer) who keeps crossing his path (does he really even exist?) Other recurring characters include Huff's estranged father, Ben (Robert Forster), and Beth's terminally ill mother, Madeline (Swoosie Kurtz). In its first year, Huff garnered seven Emmy nominations and was renewed for a second season. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Complex and honest drama, beautifully acted. Also very funny. I'm really glad Hank Azaria did this, because if I was him I'd probably just live off my money from 'The Simpsons' for the rest of my life. He is particularly brilliant in this - he really seems like a 'real person'. (Although obviously I know Hank Azaria is a real person...) Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt - what more do you need to know?
Unfortunately for us, this got cancelled after Season 2. And season 2 hasn't even been released on DVD yet . . . well done TV boss-people. Well. Done. Considering this show and it's cast were nominated for loads of Emmys (Blythe Danner won one), I don't know what what was going on in their minds. Maybe bad marketing, but I'm starting to think some TV boss people are just idiots. I'm still mourning Firefly.
Still, two seasons... better than a poke in the eye with a spoon.
Unfortunately for us, this got cancelled after Season 2. And season 2 hasn't even been released on DVD yet . . . well done TV boss-people. Well. Done. Considering this show and it's cast were nominated for loads of Emmys (Blythe Danner won one), I don't know what what was going on in their minds. Maybe bad marketing, but I'm starting to think some TV boss people are just idiots. I'm still mourning Firefly.
Still, two seasons... better than a poke in the eye with a spoon.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Of the major cable dramas, the one which Huff most closely resembles is Six Feet Under. Certainly in terms of dark humour, pathos and emotional involvement in stands up. While the dramatic tension and the same emotional turmoil is not explored to the same level, where it surpasses Six Feet is in characterisation. In Six Feet you have a dysfunctional family who endure extreme events together. Huff is never quite so extreme or quite so dysfunctional.
For once it is nice to have a central family in a show like this who are pretty normal. Huff is good at his job, a good guy, a caring and devoted husband/father. His wife is pretty similar: devoted, stable and intelligent. The son is precocious yet goes through the normal teenage traumas. The only dysfunctional character is played by Oliver Platt, but he avoids cliche by being self-aware and by being drawn in sharp contrast to the steady Huff.
The show is nicely created: well and throughly written, while not creating new dramatic terrain, it's quality shines through. Even formulaic characters like the eccentric mother and disturbed brother are given fresh post-modern spins with their own flavour. It is great to see Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt finally getting meaty roles which their talent deserves.
If you are fan of Six Feet this is worth checking out. For those of us who avoided the soap-opera melodramatics of that show, this may well be down your street.
For once it is nice to have a central family in a show like this who are pretty normal. Huff is good at his job, a good guy, a caring and devoted husband/father. His wife is pretty similar: devoted, stable and intelligent. The son is precocious yet goes through the normal teenage traumas. The only dysfunctional character is played by Oliver Platt, but he avoids cliche by being self-aware and by being drawn in sharp contrast to the steady Huff.
The show is nicely created: well and throughly written, while not creating new dramatic terrain, it's quality shines through. Even formulaic characters like the eccentric mother and disturbed brother are given fresh post-modern spins with their own flavour. It is great to see Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt finally getting meaty roles which their talent deserves.
If you are fan of Six Feet this is worth checking out. For those of us who avoided the soap-opera melodramatics of that show, this may well be down your street.
28 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I watched every episode of Huff and loved every second! Even though it is classed as comedy, it is very serious most of the way through. The Psychiatric issues are dealt with in a very human way and the superior acting abilities of the stars keeps you engaged throughout.
The lead character, Huff, or Dr. Huffstodt is played by the talented actor Hank Azaria, who is in many movies, including Pretty Woman, America's Sweethearts, The Birdcage, Along came Polly, Eulogy, Nobody's perfect and Dodgeball as well being the voices of popular characters on The Simpsons, including Moe the Bartender, Cheif Wiggum, Snake, Comic-Book Guy and Apu.
Summary;
- Excellent acting by all.
- All star cast includes Hank Azaria, Paget Brewster, Blythe Danner (Gwyneth Paltrow's real life mother), Anton Yelchin, Andy Comeau, Kimberly Brooks, Oliver Platt and Lara Flynn Boyle.
- High budget; no rubbishy studio sets like on sitcoms, great locations, nice cars, wardrobe and music. A total package! Makes a positive difference to the overall presentation.
- Real issues, no stupid plotlines.
All in all, a very enjoyable series. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as my girlfriend and I do. New series should be out soon!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
great show
Very funny script with terrific cast. Don't know how I missed this when it was out years ago- must have suffered from poor marketing.
can't recommend it enough.
can't recommend it enough.
Published 1 month ago by mr.
Started well but got boring by episode 5
Huff, played by Hank Azaria, is a psychiatrist. In the pilot, a young man shoots himself in Huff's office. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2009 by Robert
good if not utterly believable
This is a good enjoyable show for whiling away those winter midweek evenings.
Huff himself is self-obsessed and narcissistic. Read more
Huff himself is self-obsessed and narcissistic. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2009 by moonstone
Worth watching
I didn't see this when it was broadcast on TV, but after reading the reviews I thought I would give it a try. It was addictive. Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2009 by K. Cavill
A real gem
I totally agree. For the first 2 or 3 episodes I was thinking 'this is just HBO by the numbers', and then 'nothing much happens!'. Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2008 by Benito
Better than you can possibly imagine
I rented this from Amazon on a recommendation, and I can honestly say it's the most consistently superb tv show I've ever seen. Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2008 by Sable Unadorned
Huff 5 Stars
Huff is great, good story and well acted and cast but only one season, Why ? So come on Sony picture get your finger out and make some more, PLEASE. Read more
Published on 6 May 2008 by Mr. Carl Whitehead
Best tv show ever
I rented this because of the great reviews it got on Amazon and it is absolutely brilliant. The acting is excellent and Oliver Platt's character in particular is what makes the... Read more
Published on 10 May 2007 by Joey Gekko
Brilliant
I don't watch much tv but i enjoy watching tv series on dvd...if you get my meaning.
To date my fav is 6 feet under, so when I heard about a show that was even being... Read more
To date my fav is 6 feet under, so when I heard about a show that was even being... Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2007 by M. Godenho
Huff will blow you away!
From the "envy of the world" decades ago, we're now in a place where American tele drama has outclassed UK output by a wide margin. Read more
Published on 9 July 2006 by Plom de Nume
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