‘Dollface’ Proves That Brenda Song Is Funnier Than We Give Her Credit For

In the age of too much excellent television there are a countless numbers of incredibly funny women headlining TV shows and movies. Jillian Bell, Aidy Bryant, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle — the list goes on. But there’s one actress who has consistently been ignored for her comedic expertise, one woman so effortlessly charming she’s been able to lift not one, but two kids shows to mainstream funny levels. Brenda Song is a comedic force, and it’s about damn time we recognized it.

Song is likely best known for her work on the Disney Channel. But it’s her latest project, Hulu’s Dollface, that has shown off her versatility the most. When she was on Disney Channel’s The Suite Life and The Suite Life on Deck, Song demonstrated how well she could handle herself as the butt of the joke. London Tipton was just comically rich enough to be an easy target but dim-witted enough to always feel innocent instead of nefariously rich. Song played London with such a frustrating mix of sincerity and unrelenting arrogance, it was hard not to root for her even when you were chuckling at her cluelessness.

But Dollface‘s Madison is a different sort of character for Song. Madison isn’t Dollface’s impulsive spoiled brat, suspended in her on adolescence and privilege. She’s a hard worker, someone whose biggest downfall is her over confidence in her own expertise and her abundance of control over both her and her friends’ lives — and arguably, Song is the funniest part of her show.

Madison’s shark-eyed intensity is something anyone with a Type-A friend will immediately identify. Any time Madison obsessively charts out her lipsticks, yells at her friends about earthquakes, or dishes out a laundry list of to-do items to better someone’s personal brand, she’s hilarious. Song never fails to communicate the unspoken desperation behind every one of Madison’s moves, which is that no matter how hard she tries she will never be able to make her life perfect. And that inevitable failure is as maddening, as it is funny to watch.

From the sober and responsible audience stand-in to the wacky friend, Song’s excellent timing and even better expressions make each of her roles a delight. It’s about time we appreciate her for the gifted comedic actress she is.

Watch Dollface on Hulu