‘Down Dog’: The Tiny Comedy That Could Be A Big Hit For Amazon

Not to be undone by Netflix and Hulu, Amazon has been producing their own original content for the past few years and this week they are releasing a new round of pilots for free. Unlike a lot of other studios, Amazon will be taking viewer comments into consideration when it comes to deciding whether or not to pick these pilots up for full season orders. Check back here for all of Decider’s recaps.

Meet Logan. According to our friendly narrator, Logan (Josh Casaubon) was born stoned. Literally. After his hippie mother tested the potency of his father’s (Kris Kristofferson) weed while her bun was still a-cookin’, Logan’s fate was pretty much decided. Though a little slower than average, Logan’s laid-back demeanor and lady-killer looks helped him breeze through high school and early adulthood, leading him to believe that doing the least amount of work possible while still being able to live like a rockstar is the path to true happiness. So, he became a yoga instructor in Southern California. But after his girlfriend and yoga studio business partner Amanda (Paget Brewster) calls it quits, Logan is left with the fate of Heartspace Yoga Studio hanging in the balance — or lack thereof. With a little encouragement from his buddies, Matt and Cody, Logan agrees it’s time to prove everyone wrong and do something on his own for the first time in his life.

From the get-go, Down Dog is a winner. The narration is reminiscent of early Arrested Development and has you rooting for Logan (like you would Michael Bluth) from the start. Unlike Michael Bluth, however, Logan is instantly enviable: charm, looks, and a sweet gig that requires being surrounded by beautiful women all day long. So, he’s more of a Vinny Chase, but without the arrogant swagger. No, Logan is lovable in the puppy dog sense, reiterated by the rescue pup he takes in from one of his scatter-brained recovering addict students, Winter (Lyndsy Fonseca).

The writing is sharp and the tone is light, paving the way for a carefree, genuinely funny show featuring beautiful people, potent pot, lots of sex, and the California sunshine. While the initial plot may seem a bit one-dimensional, there is a trail of drama afoot. Before Amanda dumps Logan and Heartspace, Logan finds out a producer wants to nab him for a holistic fitness video franchise. This producer also happens to be a patient of Logan’s psychologist buddy, Matt, who pushed Logan to stick with the business. In addition to the difficult career decisions that face our protagonist, he’s betrayed by one of his colleagues, Gabrielle (played by Orange Is the New Black‘s Alysia Reiner), who thinks he’s a failure that will sink Heartspace faster than you can say “Namaste.” He steps into boss mode and fires her, but from the look in her eye, there’s no way she’s going down without a fight. Uh-ohm.

When you’re checking out the new wave of Amazon pilots in the coming days, make sure to check out Down Dog. If you have a sense of humor and enjoy looking at beautiful people for an uninterrupted half-hour, you won’t be disappointed. [Watch Down Dog on Amazon Instant Video]

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Photos: Amazon Studios