Netflix's original sci-fi/comedy Living with Yourself accomplishes a feat that seems to defy all logic: it makes not one, but TWO Paul Rudds boring. The series premiered on the streaming service in October, 2019, and has since garnered mixed reviews. Living with Yourself has an original premise and a talented cast; yet, even two Paul Rudds can't save this comedy, which suffers from an identity crisis of its own.

Living with Yourself is a scripted comedy series that fuses situational comedy with Black Mirror's technological anxiety; however, the show never seems invested in either direction, and the result is a bland, muddled, missed opportunity. Paul Rudd plays both Miles Elliott and Miles Elliott's clone — an "improved" version of the original. Living with Yourself was written and directed by Emmy Award winner and Daily Show alumni Timothy Greenberg. The show was originally greenlit by IFC, but was later snagged by Netflix after the project failed to move forward. Living with Yourself is yet another example of how Netflix will greenlight anything, even if the project is ill-conceived from the start.

Related: What To Expect From Living With Yourself Season 2

The Paul Rudd series, simply put, has a fundamentally unfunny concept at its core: it's a story about a man suffering from depression and feelings of inadequacy. Unfortunately, the show never pushes the story far enough into the realm of dark comedy — becoming so shocking and uncomfortable that viewers can't help but laugh — nor is it able to transcend the solemn nature of its premise by delivering genuine pathos, inviting viewers to relate to the story, then offering humor for a shared cathartic experience. The captivating heartfelt honesty of Jim Carrey's performances in The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are a crucial ingredient in each respective film's recipe for success; Paul Rudd, on the other hand, is not able to channel his Miles Elliott's flaws into something equally palatable.

The issue, perhaps, is that Rudd's performance in the sci-fi/comedy series comes across as muted, which is exactly the wrong strategy for a show with such a bizarre premise: when the majority of a show's screen time is an actor playing off himself, his performance needs to be memorable. This is not the occasion for practicing restraint. Rudd has proven in the past that he can chew scenery with the best of them; his swaggering douchebag characters in Wet Hot American Summer and Anchorman are hilarious because the actor leans into how horrible they are as human beings.

Paul Rudd in Living With Yourself

Living with Yourself isn't without its charms, and there are genuinely funny moments throughout season 1. Despite the lukewarm reception of the series, Netflix may still order a second season, especially since the first ended on a cliffhanger. If season 2 is in the works, Rudd will have to work twice as hard to make the series work.

More: Living With Yourself Cast & Character Guide