Fleishman is in Trouble: UK Disney+ release date, trailer, and cast with Jesse Eisenberg and Lizzy Kaplan

Fleishman is in Trouble, a new adaptation of Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s novel of the same name, is coming to Disney+ in the UK this February.

The series, which stars Jesse Eisenberg and Claire Danes as a newly-divorced couple in New York, charts the breakdown of a marriage and the introspection (or lack thereof) that follows.

Here’s everything you need to know about Fleishman is in Trouble ahead of its UK release.

What is it about?

After a bitter divorce, New York doctor Toby Fleishman’s wife disappears. He won’t be able to work out what happened to her, however, until he understands what happened to their marriage.

The official Disney+ synopsis for Fleishman is in Trouble explains that the series follows “recently divorced 41-year-old Toby Fleishman, who dives into the brave new world of app-based dating with the kind of success he never had dating in his youth, before he got married at the tail end of medical school.”

“But just at the start of his first summer of sexual freedom, his ex-wife, Rachel, disappears, leaving him with 11-year-old Hannah and 9-year-old Solly and no hint of where she is or whether she plans to return. As he balances parenting, the return of old friends Libby and Seth, a potential promotion at the hospital that is a long time coming — and all the eligible women that Manhattan has to offer — he realizes that he’ll never be able to figure out what happened to Rachel until he can finally face what happened to their marriage in the first place.”

Who stars in Fleishman is in Trouble?

Jesse Eisenberg plays Toby Fleishman, a New York doctor in his early 40s. You’ll know Eisenberg from The Social Network, where he played Mark Zuckerberg, and from Batman vs Superman, where he played Lex Luthor. You might also recognise him from The Squid and The Whale, Zombieland, and The Village.

Claire Danes plays Rachel, Toby’s ex-wife. Danes is probably best known for playing Carrie Mathison in Homeland, but you might also recognise her from the Neil Gaiman film Stardust, HBO biopic Temple Grandin, and Apple TV+ novel adaptation The Essex Serpent.

Lizzy Kaplan plays Libby, Toby’s best friend and the narrator of the series. Kaplan is best known for starring in films like Mean Girls, Cloverfield, and Now You See Me 2, and for performances in television series like Masters of Sex, Castle Rock, Party Down, and Freaks and Geeks.

They’re joined by Adam Brody (The OC) as Toby’s friend Seth, Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) as Libby’s husband Adam, and Christian Slater (Mr Robot) as Libby’s co-worker Archer. Maxim Jasper Swinton and Meara Mahoney Gross play Toby’s two children.

Who writes and directs?

Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who wrote the novel Fleishman is in Trouble is based on, acted as showrunner on the series. Brodesser-Akner wrote seven episodes of the series, with Mike Goldbach (Daydream Nation) writing one.

Directors on Fleishman is in Trouble included Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton (Little Miss Sunshine), Alice Wu (The Half of It), and Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini (Succession, WeCrashed).

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

When and how can I watch it?

All eight episodes of Fleishman is in Trouble will be released at once on Disney+ in the UK on Wednesday 22 February. You can sign up for Disney+ here.

In the US, Fleishman is in Trouble is available via Hulu, where it streamed weekly from November 2022. US readers can sign up for Hulu here.

How many episodes are there?

Fleishman is in Trouble is an eight episode drama, with each instalment around an hour long; the shortest episode is 43 minutes, and the longest 67.

Is it based on a book?

Yes, it is. Taffy Brodesser-Akner published the novel Fleishman is in Trouble in 2019, with work on the television adaptation of the series beginning not long after. Brodesser-Akner, previously a journalist, explained that the book was heavily influenced by the style of celebrity profile writing she did professionally.

Why should I watch it?

When the series was released in the US, it was one of the most talked about – and most debated – shows airing at the time; you’ll want to check out Fleishman is in Trouble for a drama that’ll give you lots of think about.