This Fool season 2 review: The funniest Hulu comedy you're not watching

This Fool should’ve been a bigger deal when it debuted last summer. The underrated Hulu comedy premiered months before the Italy-set The White Lotus with, among other things, a superior storyline revolving around Michael Imperioli’s penis. (We said what we said.) And that’s not even the funniest or most interesting part of This Fool. The irreverent, slice-of-life series is packed with unbelievable line readings (courtesy of a pitch-perfect Imperioli and co-creator Chris Estrada) and an array of colorful characters. It’s grounded yet absurd, serious yet clownish, and still quite uplifting. Sure, season one had a few uneven episodes before finding its comedic footing, but season two, which premieres July 28, is great right out of the gate.

That’s mostly thanks to the show’s central odd-couple relationship. First, there’s the straitlaced Julio (Estrada), who works at a non-profit rehabilitating recently released convicts. Julio sheds some of his irksome hubris once his older cousin, Luis (Frankie Quiñones), gets out of prison after eight years. Luis has difficulty readjusting to a society in which his jokes are dated and most of his former gangster friends have gone legit. He’s loud and uncouth; Julio is a perfectionist. Their differences force them to grow as people—and eventually, swap dynamics, which, given Estrada and Quiñones’ lived-in banter, feels a little jarring.

But fear not: The change is for the better. With their roles reversed in season two—Julio is a goddamn mess; Luis is relatively more settled—the actors challenge themselves, and the show flexes its narrative muscles. Quiñones emerges with a more assured performance than before. (It’s less goofy, which feels more bearable and authentic.) And Julio’s evolution gives Estrada room for a deeply human turn this time around. Julio’s identity crisis—no job, no Maggie (Michelle Ortiz), no stability—allows This Fool to add relatable layers to his narcissistic personality.

What’s more, This Fool tackles lofty ideas—ones that were only briefly discussed in the first season—head on this time. At its crux, the comedy is about second chances, self-improvement, and the importance of community to survive and thrive. The latter half of this season shines as it focuses on those themes, especially when it dedicates a whole episode to Julio’s mother, Esperanza (Laura Patalano). The initial episodes, while entertaining and experimental, are a bit scattershot, but everything comes together sharply once Julio digs into his dream of opening a cafe with the help of his friends.