Loot (TV series)

Loot is an American comedy television series created by Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang that premiered on June 24, 2022, on Apple TV+. It follows newly single Molly Wells, whose divorce from her tech billionaire ex-husband has made her the third-wealthiest woman in the US, as she decides to run the day-to-day work of the charitable foundation she forgot she founded, much to its employees' chagrin.

Loot
Genre	Comedy
Created by	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard
Starring	Maya Rudolph Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Joel Kim Booster Ron Funches Nat Faxon Meagen Fay Stephanie Styles
Music by	The Math Club
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	20
Production
Executive producers	Alan Yang Matt Hubbard Maya Rudolph Natasha Lyonne Danielle Renfrew Behrens Dave Becky
Producers	Zeke Nicholson Kris Eber Missy Mansour
Cinematography	Mark Schwartzbard Blake McClure
Editors	Daniel Haworth Heather Capps Jesse Millward Sue Federman Pamela March Keenan Hiett Jessica McGovern
Running time	23–30 minutes
Production companies	Normal Sauce Alan Yang Pictures Animal Pictures 3 Arts Entertainment Universal Television
Original release
Network	Apple TV+
Release	June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24) – present (present)

The show stars Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, and Nat Faxon. It has received generally positive reviews. In July 2022, it was renewed for a second season, which premiered on April 3, 2024. In July 2024, it was renewed for a third season.

Synopsis

45-year-old Molly Wells divorces her tech billionaire husband of 20 years after he has an affair, and goes on a worldwide bender with her newfound $87 billion fortune, ending in an existential mid-life crisis. She decides to reengage with the charitable foundation she founded years earlier and to reconnect with the real world, finding herself along the way.

Cast and characters

Main

• Maya Rudolph as Molly Wells, a divorced billionaire
• Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Sofia Salinas, the stern executive director of Molly's foundation
• Joel Kim Booster as Nicholas, Molly's loyal and well-connected assistant, as well as an aspiring actor
• Ron Funches as Howard, Molly's enthusiastic distant cousin and the foundation's IT specialist
• Nat Faxon as Arthur, a well-meaning divorced father and the foundation's accountant, who becomes romantically interested in Molly
• Meagen Fay as Rhonda (season 2; recurring season 1), an eccentric senior employee of the foundation
• Stephanie Styles as Ainsley (season 2; recurring season 1), a perky but not very intelligent employee of the foundation

Recurring

• Adam Scott as John Novak, Molly's ex-husband
• David Chang as himself
• Amber Chardae Robinson as Tanya (season 1)
• Olivier Martinez as Jean-Pierre (season 1), the son of a wealthy Frenchman and one of Molly's boyfriends
• O-T Fagbenle as Isaac (season 2), Molly's architect friend and Sofia's love interest
• Hayley Magnus as Willa (season 2), an Australian model and Arthur's love interest

Guest

• Seal as himself (season 1)
• Dylan Gelula as Hailey (season 1)
• Caitlin Reilly as Jacinda (season 1)
• Sean Evans as himself (season 1)
• Brendan Scannell as Paul (season 1)
• George Wyner as Martin Streibler (season 1)
• Kym Whitley as Renee (season 1)
• GaTa as himself (season 1)
• Tony Hawk as himself (season 2)
• John Lutz as Nicholas' adoptive father (season 2)
• Pam Murphy as Nicholas' adoptive mother (season 2)
• Benjamin Bratt as himself (season 2)
• Jim Rash as Emil, a Swedish billionaire seeking to buy Molly's yacht (season 2). Rash previously co-wrote and co-directed the films The Way, Way Back and Downhill with Faxon.
• Ana Gasteyer as Grace (season 2), another billionaire who offers to join Molly's charitable pursuits.
• Allan Havey as Norman Lofton (season 2), one of the wealthiest men alive, who secretly runs a mock cult dedicated to preserving the existence of billionaires.

Episodes

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	10		June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24)	August 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
2	10		April 3, 2024 (2024-04-03)	May 29, 2024 (2024-05-29)

Season 1 (2022)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	"Pilot"	Alan Yang	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24)
Molly Novak lives in extravagant luxury with her husband, tech billionaire John, until her 45th birthday party, when she discovers he is having an affair with his much younger assistant, Hailey. Molly demands a divorce, and her $87 billion settlement makes her the second-wealthiest woman in the world. After a debauched trip around the world with her loyal assistant Nicholas, spending enough money to be demoted to the third-wealthiest woman in the world, she is called in to meet with the charitable foundation she forgot she founded during a previous bender. Executive director Sofia Salinas warns that her recent public antics have reflected poorly on the organization, and Molly meets the foundation's IT specialist Howard, her distant cousin, and divorced accountant Arthur. The well-meaning but grossly out-of-touch Molly crashes the opening of a women's shelter, further embarrassing the organization. She admits to the unsympathetic Sofia that she has struggled with lack of purpose over the course of a midlife crisis, and takes a new interest in the foundation, reclaiming her long-disused office and her maiden name: Molly Wells.
2	2	"Bienvenidos a Miami"	Alan Yang	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24)
Leaving her household staff to enjoy her Los Angeles mansion for themselves, Molly and Nicholas arrive at the foundation for her first day of "work", to Sofia's chagrin. Soon bored, Molly flies her co-workers on a "bonding retreat" to Miami aboard her private jet, but a storm forces them to land in Oklahoma City. When Nicholas explains that the trip's true purpose was to allow Molly to party with friends, her co-workers angrily return home. In Miami, Molly comes to terms with her wealthy friends' selfish behavior. Returning to work the next day, she supports Sofia in a meeting with a city councilwoman and apologizes to the team. They all bond over after-work drinks, where Sofia reveals that her family's hardships inspired her to pursue charitable work at 8 years old, and Molly reaffirms her commitment to the foundation.
3	3	"Hot Seat"	Angela Barnes	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	June 24, 2022 (2022-06-24)
Unable to keep from watching a TV interview with John and Hailey, Molly is outraged by his condescension toward her foundation and herself. The Wells Foundation throws its support behind Molly, helping prepare her for a slew of interviews she booked for the following day. Arthur convinces her to try reading glasses, while Howard drags an unwilling Nicholas into assisting with his relationship problems. That night, Sofia visits Molly at home for more prep. Nicholas scolds Howard for seeking his advice outside work, but soon apologizes; Howard later assures him that theirs is the strongest kind of friendship: a weird one. Molly bails on her interviews and appears on Hot Ones instead, leading to a spicy, beer-fueled on-camera meltdown. She admits to feeling intimidated by John, but Sofia helps her realize how much she contributed to his success, and she sits down for another interview.
4	4	"Excitement Park"	Angela Barnes	Bridget Kyle & Vicky Luu	July 1, 2022 (2022-07-01)
When a roller coaster full of riders is stuck upside down in the Philippines, the media discovers that Molly owns the theme park, one of the numerous companies she received in her divorce. Arthur looks through the rest of Molly's holdings, and she brings him with her to inspect a potentially problematic art gallery. Howard discovers Nicholas is an aspiring actor, with an embarrassing Axe body spray commercial, and helps him prepare to audition for a play. At a city council meeting, Sofia realizes how much public support Molly may have on her side. Molly and Arthur bond at her alpaca farm, and she flies him by helicopter to take his daughter to her soccer game. Tabloid photos paint them as a couple, forcing Molly to remind them both that she is his boss, but Arthur arrives home to discover that she bought him a painting he liked at the gallery.
5	5	"Halsa"	Miguel Arteta	Yassir Lester	July 8, 2022 (2022-07-08)
Struggling with his feelings for Molly, Arthur throws the painting away, but narrowly saves it from the garbage and hides it in a closet instead. Things are now awkward between him and Molly, who takes Sofia and their co-workers Rhonda and Ainsley to an exclusive spa for a day of self-care. Meanwhile, Arthur joins Nicholas and Howard for lunch, where they agree to provide him with dating advice. Molly runs into her wealthy friends, and discovers that Hailey took her place on their annual "wives' trip". She lashes out, losing her spa membership, but her co-workers help her realize how she has moved on from her old life for the better. As Howard and Nicholas set up a dating profile for him, Arthur hits it off with a woman at the bar instead, which Molly learns back at the office. That night, she nearly texts Arthur but thinks better of it.
6	6	"The Philanthropic Humanitarian Awards"	Miguel Arteta	Zeke Nicholson	July 15, 2022 (2022-07-15)
After surprising outreach programs and non-profits across Southern California with generous donations, the Wells Foundation team is invited to the Philanthropic Humanitarian Awards, where Molly will be honored. At the event, she is charmed by fellow philanthropist Jean-Pierre Voland but is rattled by the appearance of John and Hailey. Nicholas and Sofia encourage her not to let John "win the divorce", helping her regain her poise. Arthur meets his accounting hero, leaving Howard with a sense of inadequacy, but Arthur reassures him of the power of his likeability. John asks to speak with Molly privately and ostensibly apologizes, but their mutual resentments erupt and he reveals that he arranged for her to receive her award. She decides to leave but is touched when her team is ready to join her. Arriving onstage to accept her award, Molly presents it to her team instead. As they prepare to celebrate at Dave & Buster's, Jean-Pierre asks Molly to collaborate.
7	7	"French Connection"	Kevin Bray	Lauren Tyler	July 22, 2022 (2022-07-22)
Jean-Pierre invites Molly to dinner, and the team searches his social media profiles to determine his intentions. Arriving at his vineyard, Molly finds herself hoping for romance, but is confused by the arrival of his "partner", Jacqueline. A call to Sofia confirms that Jacqueline is his married associate, but Molly is disappointed to learn that their dinner is to discuss business. As she drives away, Jean-Pierre catches up to her on horseback; they confess their mutual interest, and he kisses her. As thanks for Howard's help with his successful audition, Nicholas reluctantly agrees to join him and his girlfriend Tanya for dinner. He and Tanya hit it off, but while Howard is in the bathroom, she reveals that she does not consider him "marriage material", despite their 8-year relationship. Nicholas tells Howard the truth, which Tanya denies, and Howard takes her side, ending their friendship.
8	8	"Spades Night"	Kevin Bray	April Quioh	July 29, 2022 (2022-07-29)
Molly decides to reconnect with her and Howard's family, and he brings her to their unforgiving cousin Renee's spades night. She manages to win Renee over but offends her by replacing her broken card table, and she chastises Molly for trying to "buy off" the family to make amends for her absence. Molly reveals that she missed Renee's wedding because John forced her on a trip after she discovered his messages with another woman, and she and Renee reconcile. Nicholas and Arthur are captivated when the deeply private Sofia receives flowers from someone named Jalen, followed by the arrival of a man named Tony, who has an inaudible fight with Sofia in her office. Nicholas lip-reads their argument for Arthur to translate from Spanish, and they confront Sofia, who is torn between the free-spirited Jalen and the dependable Tony. Though Molly is enjoying her jet-setting romance with Jean-Pierre, Sofia urges Arthur not to give up on his chances with her.
9	9	"Cahoga Lake"	Alan Yang	Anna Salinas	August 5, 2022 (2022-08-05)
Molly and Jean-Pierre announce that they will be taking the team to the upcoming "Silver Moon Summit", overshadowing Sofia's news that the foundation's new affordable housing development will be approved. Molly, Sofia, and Arthur attend the zoning vote, which passes, but Molly is attacked by vicious public comments and pies. Arthur defends her, but she is soon whisked away by Jean-Pierre. It is the opening night for Nicholas' play, Cahoga Lake, and he is asked to take over as the lead. Despite their feud, Howard spends the day trying to help him find a way to cry on cue, ignoring Tanya's demanding calls. At the theater, Howard realizes the truth about her selfishness and ends their relationship. He informs Nicholas just before he goes onstage and tells him that he loves him and is proud of him, finally enabling Nicholas to cry. The team congratulates him after his performance, but Molly is not there.
10	10	"The Silver Moon Summit"	Alan Yang	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	August 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
Being driven to the airport, Sofia refuses to stay in the car after her driver disparages the city's unhoused population. She and the team arrive in Corsica for the summit, where Molly prepares to present Jean-Pierre's new potable water purification system. Sofia accuses her of ignoring their local mission and being swept up in yet another man's life. Nicholas and Howard comfort Arthur, who admits that he is in love with Molly. During a disastrous demonstration of Jean-Pierre's failed machine, Molly forces herself to drink a glass of still-tainted water. Jean-Pierre suggests running away from their problems, and Molly sends her team a note declaring that she is stepping away from the foundation. Aboard her plane, she is confronted by Sofia and reveals that she broke up with Jean-Pierre. Sofia reminds her of the positive changes she brought to her foundation and her team, and refuses to accept her resignation. Returning to the conference, Molly announces her plan to give away her entire fortune to charity. The team celebrates, and Arthur tells Molly he has something to talk to her about. In the morning, Molly wakes up in bed with John.

Season 2 (2024)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
11	1	"Space for Everyone"	Alan Yang	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	April 3, 2024 (2024-04-03)
12	2	"Clueless"	Kevin Bray	Bridget Kyle & Vicky Luu	April 3, 2024 (2024-04-03)
13	3	"Vengeance Falls"	Alan Yang	Emily Spivey	April 10, 2024 (2024-04-10)
14	4	"Mr. Congeniality"	Kevin Bray	Zeke Nicholson	April 17, 2024 (2024-04-17)
15	5	"Mally's"	Claire Scanlon	Matt Murray	April 24, 2024 (2024-04-24)
16	6	"Women Who Rule"	Claire Scanlon	April Korto Quioh	May 1, 2024 (2024-05-01)
Nicholas subjects Molly, who wants to feel young again, to an intense rejuvenation regimen so she can participate in a fashion show with the theme "Women Who Rule". Arriving at the event, Molly befriends the younger models and starts participating in their activities, including getting high and drunk, leading her to have a meltdown and collapse on the runway. Afraid of commitment, Sofia attempts to break up with Isaac despite the two of them being a perfect match. Arthur seeks fashion advice from Howard and dresses up in an exquisite, custom-tailored suit and tie for the fashion event, only to be mistaken for one of the security guards wearing identical uniforms.
17	7	"Camp Wells"	Anna Dokoza	Anna Salinas	May 8, 2024 (2024-05-08)
After Molly finds Arthur wearing only his boxer shorts in one of her bathrooms, Nicholas confides to her that Arthur is interested in her and suggests taking him somewhere romantic to start a potentially intimate relationship. Molly announces to the team the next day that she is taking them to her palace in Dubai but changes her mind when she discovers that Arthur has a new girlfriend from Australia named Willa. To the group's disappointment, they go to a mountaintop cabin with intermittent to no cell phone reception. Molly's attempts to charm Arthur fail as he is continuously reminded of Willa. Enraged, Molly attempts to drive the group's van into town to buy supplies for s'mores but runs into a nude Rhona, who survives. Sofia and Howard bond over their shared unpleasant memories of going to sleep-away camps. Ainsley buys a flight to Dubai on her own but remains stuck at Dubai International Airport and unable to contact her friends.
18	8	"Grace"	Anna Dokoza	Maggie Sheridan	May 15, 2024 (2024-05-15)
19	9	"Mood Vibrations"	Alan Yang	Nick Lehmann	May 22, 2024 (2024-05-22)
20	10	"We Shouldn't Exist"	Alan Yang	Alan Yang & Matt Hubbard	May 29, 2024 (2024-05-29)
When Norman Lofton, one of the wealthiest men in the world, comes to Los Angeles, Molly and the team go out of their way to give him a warm reception. However, Norman wants Molly to give up her endeavors to give away her fortunes and join his mock cult, arguing that billionaires existing is part of the natural order of modern times. Molly refuses and is distraught to find out that Grace has betrayed her and joined Norman's group. Nicholas receives a call from a mysterious Korean woman whom Howard believes is Nicholas's biological mother; though Nicholas declines to return the call at first, he answers it while getting drunk with Howard and reveals embarrassing true details from his past. The woman on the phone turns out to be a casting agent for an upcoming Korean TV series with an offer to audition for role that fits Nicholas's personality perfectly. Sofia's successful attempt to rekindle her romance with Isaac inspires Molly to visit Arthur at his house and make up for their almost-kiss with a sincere one, only to find out Willa is also there. Heartbroken, Molly storms to the airport the next morning with Nicholas in tow and orders her private jet's pilot to take her as far away from home as possible.

Production

It was announced in March 2021 that Apple TV+ had ordered to series an untitled comedy that would star Maya Rudolph, created by Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang. In May, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez was cast, with Joel Kim Booster joining in July. Olivier Martinez was cast for a recurring role in November. Nat Faxon and Ron Funches were revealed as part of the main cast upon the series' first look. On July 11, 2022, Apple TV+ renewed the series for a second season. On May 5, 2023, it was reported that production for the second season had been shut down due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike; it was unclear when it would resume. On July 16, 2024, Apple TV+ renewed the series for a third season.

Filming on the series began on September 6, 2021. It was filmed at The One in Bel Air, Los Angeles.

The production of the third season was put on hold due to Maya Rudolph's return to Saturday Night Live.

Release

The series debuted on Apple TV+ on June 24, 2022. The second season premiered on April 3, 2024.

Reception

For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 83% approval rating with an average rating of 7/10, based on 54 critic reviews. The website's critics' consensus reads, "Loot doesn't quite service comedic treasure Maya Rudolph as satisfyingly as a star vehicle should, although there are enough riches here to suggest a big return on investment—when this promising sitcom finds its footing." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 65 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Viewers have observed similarities between the plot of the show and the separation and divorce of Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott.

The second season has an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 6.9/10, based on 6 critic reviews.

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Primetime Emmy Awards	September 15, 2024	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Maya Rudolph	Nominated

External links

• Loot on Apple TV+
• Loot at IMDb