'Bupkis' review: Pete Davidson plays himself, sort of

WHAT IT'S ABOUT In this lightly fictionalized account of his real life, former "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson returns home to live with mom (Edie Falco), while navigating fame and a spiraling drug problem. He also runs into other celebrities — lots of them, who either play themselves (Jon Stewart) or real people in his life, like an uncle (Bobby Cannavale) or priest (Steve Buscemi).

 Davidson wrote this eight-parter along with stand-up comic Dave Sirus and veteran TV writer Judah Miller. 

MY SAY As Davidson's own self-reflection, "Bupkis" is messy, disjointed, indulgent, vulgar, tonally all over the place and — unexpectedly or reluctantly — funny at times. It's "Trainspotting" meets "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or "Entourage," only darker. 

Yet here's the surprise kicker: Davidson is excellent in this, although you will wonder whether he's acting or just playing himself.

The entire series in fact revolves around the idea of what it means to be an approximation of the real Pete Davidson circa 2023 — the fame, the celebrity, the "stans," and above all the drugs. Unlike 2020's "The King of Staten Island," he plays an older version of himself in "Bupkis," also a more deeply troubled one. In the movie, his character's name was Scott but in "Bupkis," the facade is gone. Here he's just Pete, along with all the baggage that comes with being Just Pete.

A year or so after leaving "SNL," Pete's back living on Staten Island with mom, and hanging with his old posse. The SI of "King," meanwhile, remains the SI of "Bupkis": The suburban sprawl, with Jersey to the west, and lower Manhattan across the bay. Davidson's father, Scott — with Ladder Company 118 — died in one of the towers that no longer dominate its skyline. Their absence, and especially his absence, stalks "Bupkis" like a nightmare. There's an emptiness at Pete's core, or a nothingness — hence the Yiddish word bupkis.

Pete does have proxy father figures, but one of them is played by Joe Pesci ("Pops") who essentially channels the Pesci of "Goodfellas." Suffice it to say, he's not the most ideal father figure, proxy or otherwise. His mother, Amy, remains the rock to which he's tethered. The further from her that he drifts, the deeper his despair becomes.

Yet drift he does — to Miami, then a movie set in Montreal, where he expects to meet Brad Pitt, and finally (or inevitably) a rehab facility where Machine Gun Kelly turns up. Celebrity, or the idea of celebrity, is central to "Bupkis," and in some sense, the whole point too. Davidson is a big celebrity surrounded by other celebrities, but what's the point of fame if a.) you're miserable and b.) your most celebrated role to date is "Chad?" Pete's not sure, but he (and his show) are smart enough to know that here-today-really-gone-tomorrow truism.

The many cameos can be distracting, annoying, or clever clues in search of a "Jeopardy!" category (Pop Culture. What else?) Was that La La Anthony on the basketball court in a later episode (yes, she was!) Did Jadakiss just flash by? (Sure did.)

The best one, though, is John Mulaney. Over lunch, Mulaney tells his real-life friend, "I have worried about you so much" — essentially flipping the joke from his recent Netflix special, "Baby J," where he recalls that Davidson had been desperately worried about his struggles with addiction.

The scene induces vertigo and is meant to (just as "Bupkis" is). But after watching, don't be too surprised if you're not worried about Pete too.

BOTTOM LINE Get past the first episode — better yet, skip it — and "Bupkis" gets better and better.