#There’s A Roku Channel Original From The Farrelly Brothers Featuring Bill Murray

Remember earlier, when I said the words “suicide comedy”? That was no joke, folks. “The Now” trailer kicks off with lead character Ed Poole (Franco) explaining a pretty dark premise: in the middle of a suicide attempt, he learns that his brother killed himself. The understandably life-altering event leads to some major changes from Ed: the series sees him rethinking his outlook and learning how best to cherish his present by going after what he wants in life. One of the first stops on his new life journey is apparently to a therapist (Bill Murray) who doesn’t seem especially great at his job, given he giggles at Ed’s tragic story. And if the idea of a therapist laughing at a failed suicide attempt doesn’t paint a clear image of the series to come, then just wait around for the scene where Ed may or may not lose a finger to an angry crew of debt collectors.

To put it lightly, Ed’s life isn’t going as he imagined, but throughout an insane series of events, he’ll learn to leave the pain of the past and fears of the future behind him — hence the title. The series is written and directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the brothers behind hall of fame comedies like “Dumb and Dumber.” The pair are no stranger to black comedy, though this is a rare occasion of them not delivering their specialty in movie form. They’ve previously co-written an episode of “Seinfeld,” directed the pilot of the Fox sitcom “Unhitched,” and most recently directed two episodes of the mockumentary series “Trailer Park Boys.” Now they bring their dark comedy stylings to “The Now,” newly expanded from its original quick-bite format. Peter Farrelly shared in the trailer announcement:

“I wanted to make a show about living in the present because I personally have lived too much in the future and the past and I think a lot of people do. We worry about the future, and we have regrets about the past, yet we are only ever living in the now. The future and the past are just concepts, but all life takes place in the present. If you want to make changes in your life you have to make them in the now.”

The 14-episode miniseries is available in full for viewers of The Roku Channel in the US, Canada, and the UK.