“Living with Yourself” is a comedy show that was released on Netflix on October 18, 2019. Going into the show, I had no clue what it was about and wanted to have a clean slate for my thoughts.

The main character Miles, played by Paul Rudd, is worn out on all aspects of life – a point which I relate to – especially his career and love life. Desperate for any reach of change for his life, his coworker recommends a spa claiming it was a “cleanse for his body, mind, and soul.” Little does Miles or the coworker know, the spa clones the customer, disposes of the original body, giving them a “better version” of themselves. As the secret spa’s cloning process failed, Miles wakes up to a “new-and-improved” Miles, one that his wife, Kate, and pretty much everyone that knows him, is thrown back by. I found the plot reminiscent of childhood cartoons that you would watch on Sunday morning. He performs better at work, creating a new project that everyone loves.

The main conflict with “old Miles” and “new Miles” creates an enthralling contrast, as it’s not only “man vs. man,” but also a different and literal view of “man vs. self,” which I don’t see a lot of in TV shows or movies. The viewer gets a good insight into “fighting life’s demons,” conveying the message that there’s a better version of “you” that, even if you try, is not obtainable. Sometimes, I felt stuck in the middle of trying to decipher things rather than have an overall view of humor or sadness at certain times, as the show uses dark or detached humor. A little guilt came along when laughing at certain points.

The show uses different techniques to tell the story rather than a straight forward timeline. It utilizes flashbacks and different POVs. In the beginning, it was rather confusing with the sudden time jumps but then the time stamp would show up to clarify. Personally, I liked the different views, story-telling methods, and conflict. It was a breath of fresh air, as most stories are typically man vs. man. At first, the concept of cloning was hard to grasp onto, but I came around to it as time went on; Paul Rudd portrayed two versions of one character in a great way. I do wish, however, that there were more episodes instead of eight. Everything felt very quick, and it left no time to comprehend what happened. Hopefully, another season will give “Living With Yourself” more episodes and the ability to develop more, rather than just get the show on its feet.