“Step Right Up” sounds like a sitcom that came straight out of the 90s, but it’s actually an entirely fictionalized creation from the hit new Hulu series,Reboot. The brainchild ofModern Family’sSteven Levitan, the concept of the show says it all right in the title.Reboottells the story of four people who were once a part of a hugely successful early 2000s sitcom. Since their show’s cancelation, the actors and the creative mind behind the series moved on with their lives to pursue new advancements in their careers, with mixed results to say the least. When a young new studio executive pitches the idea for a revival of the series, it takes some convincing but she’s eventually able to bring the show’s creator and the cast on board. Now all the fake television family has to do is try to function as a real one while filming the new show, and maybe rekindle some old friendships and relationships along the way.
Rebootfeatures some huge names from the world of comedy television, all of whom represent some crucial archetypes that will certainly evolve and take shape as the series crosses over into the halfway point of the show. Who are these characters, and who is playing them? Simply read on to find out.
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Keegan-Michael Keyas Reed Sterling
A veteran ofMadTVandKey and Peele,Keegan-Michael Keyis incredibly well-versed in the world of comedy, but his character of Reed Sterling is someone who’s trying to distance himself from that world.
Despite starring in a hit sitcom with Step Right Up, Sterling left the show to pursue a feature acting career, which resulted in Step Right Up being canceled. Unfortunately, Sterling’s career as a movie star did not go as planned, with him constantly struggling to find work because his inflated ego just keeps getting in the way. Sterling is living in New York, dating theater director Nora (Eliza Coupe), and trying to find work, when he gets a call that Step Right Up is being rebooted. Even though Sterling greatly resents his time on the show, he loves the darker direction the series is going in and thinks it could really help his career. Now the only problems for Sterling’s comeback are working with his co-star and ex-girlfriend, Bree (Judy Greer), and the show’s bullish creator, Gordon (Paul Reiser).
Judy Greer as Bree Marie Jensen
Judy Greer has played quite a lot of “mom” characters, including with her roles in projects likeJurassic World,Halloween(2018), andAnt-Man, but her comedic television roots are still very much there, having appeared in shows likeArrested DevelopmentandTwo and a Half Men.
Bree played the mom on Step Right Up, playing the wife of Reed’s character. Following Step Right Up’s cancelation, Bree starred in a couple of low-budget television shows, including a badStar Trekknockoff. She eventually married the duke of a Scandinavian country where she thought she’d never have to work again, but after she finds her husband cheating on her, she leaves him and is now completely broke. This leads her to accept the role on the Step Right Up reboot, where she may or may not rekindle the on and off flame that she and Sterling had.
Johnny Knoxvilleas Clay Barber
Definitely best known for his unscripted work inJackass,Johnny Knoxvilledoes still have a background in scripted comedy. His character Clay Barber is very much the bad boy of the sitcom revival crew, playing the cool, irresponsible dad in Step Right Up and being the problematic stand-up comedian in his life outside the sitcom.
Barber became infamous for his offensive style of comedy and less-than-stellar criminal record, and his problems with the law could very well be what brought him back for the Step Right Up revival. Still, Clay is a likable enough guy who still gets into trouble on set, having an affair with co-star Zack Johnson’s (Calum Worthy) mother.
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Calum Worthy as Zack Johnson
Calum Worthy being cast as the young child star of Step Right Up who has now grown into an adult man by the time the reboot comes along seems quite appropriate, given Worthy’s time as a Disney kid, having starred in the Disney Channel series,Austin & Ally.
Zack was only a child when Step Right Up was at its height, and since then he’s kept things close to the same track by starring in movies reminiscent ofDisney Channel Original Films, with such classics as “Minor Miner” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame High” being just a few examples of his work. Unfortunately for Zack, he can’t stay a teenager forever, and he’s going to need to accept his status as an adult, one way or another. Since he was the kid of the show and is now grown-up, Johnson is very much the outcast of the group, with almost everyone in the show not even recognizing him when they first meet Zack. Also, Clay slept with his mom.
Rachel Bloomas Hannah
Rachel Bloomfound great success withCrazy Ex-Girlfriend, the hit CW show that she both starred in and created that went on to win four Primetime Emmys. Her character Hannah, at first, doesn’t seem to be the most likely candidate for being the showrunner on a sitcom revival considering she has mostly worked on edgier independent films that don’t exactly fit the family-friendly angle.
Still, when she pitches a reboot to the television executives at Hulu (which also happens to be the streamer that hostsReboot), her edgier vision for Step Right Up is given a chance. That all gets thrown into jeopardy when Gordon, the show’s original creator and owner of the Step Right Up IP, comes in and tries to attack her new vision. And as it turns out, Hannah and Gordon also have a surprising history that the two creatives will have to deal with.
Krista Marie Yu as Elaine Kim
Another sitcom veteran with shows likeDr. KenandLast Man Standingunder her belt,Krista Marie Yuplays the character of Elaine, who works behind the scenes on Step Right Up. Elaine is the Vice President of Comedy at Hulu, but she doesn’t really have that much experience in comedic film and television. What she does have is a keen eye for statistics and algorithms, and her knowledge of how well Step Right Up is performing on their network is exactly what causes her to support Hannah when she comes in to pitch the reboot.
Paul Reiser as Gordon
Last but not least is Gordon, the creator and lead writer of Step Right Up, played byMad About YouandStranger Thingsstarand legendary stand-up comedian Paul Reiser. Gordon is the closest thing thatReboothas to an antagonist. After Hannah pitches the show and gets the cast together to start filming, in comes Gordon, who hijacks the series and starts to chisel away at all of Hannah’s changes.
Neither the cast nor Hannah are exactly fans of Gordon, whose abrasive and politically incorrect attitude is often outputting for everyone involved. However, Gordon is still the big boss of the show, and Hannah and the cast will have to appeal to him in some way or other if they want their vision of the show to see the light of day.
Rebootpremiered on Hulu on July 21, 2025, with new episodes released weekly till October 25.
