When "Physical" premiered in 2021, it had a lot of clever takes on the 1980s fitness movement, seen through the blood, sweat and tears of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a troubled housewife who gets her second wind by teaching aerobics.
But the show slowly shed its sense of humor. In this third and final season, now streaming on Apple Plus TV, Rubin has become a basket case and has more in common with Natalie Portman's ballerina in "Black Swan" than a leotard-clad Jane Fonda.
The only person who seems to be having any fun is Zooey Deschanel. The "New Girl" star hasn't done much acting in recent years, which may explain why she's so eager to camp it up in her role as a rival instructor. She's straight out of a Tennessee Williams play, always depending on the kindness of strangers — and perfectly toned abs.
Her performance doesn't really fit in, but at least it lifts your spirits, a goal the rest of the series gave up some time ago.
Also this week
'FBoy Island'
Network TV has largely left steamy reality shows to cable and streaming services. But the strike may have convinced the CW to loosen its morals. That seems to be the only explanation for why executives decided to pick up this tawdry series in which bikini-clad bimbos decide which empty-headed studs are worth their time. Besides gawking, the only reason to tune is to watch host Nikki Glaser sneak in sexual innuendos. The network is showing the first two seasons before churning out new episodes in the fall. 8 p.m. Thursday, WUCW, Ch. 23
'Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach: Sessions at West 54th'
