Show Dogs

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Show Dogs is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Cinemax Amazon Channel and Cinemax Apple TV Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Will Arnett is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Show Dogs keeps coming up in conversation. Show Dogs does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Max, a macho, solitary Rottweiler police dog is ordered to go undercover as a primped show dog in a prestigious Dog Show, along with his human partner, to avert a disaster from happening. Will Arnett and Ludacris lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It was released in 2018. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Show Dogs holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Show Dogs respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Will Arnett is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.