Created by: Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Paul Rust
Starring: Gillian Jacobs, Paul Rust, Claudia O'Doherty
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| Love - This is the happiest they are all season. My unhappiness increased steadily as I watched each episode. |
This Netflix original series is a Judd Apatow produced, not created, comedy about relationships. The show follows Mickey and Gus who just came out of separate relationship and now navigate the world of dating in Los Angeles.
Verdict:
Why does an adult comedy mean excessive language, nudity, and drugs? Why can't it explore complex themes or just adult relationships? If you were hoping for a successor to Freaks and Geeks or even Undeclared, this isn't it. While Apatow's name is prominently displayed, he is not the creator.
Netflix frees creators from restraint in content and length, but it's not helping. Love could be better with restraints. Requiring each episode to clock in at under thirty minutes would force it to focus the plot. Restraining content would force them to actually exercise creativity in conveying the same information. If I wasn't reviewing this I would have quit after episode one. Actually, if I wasn't reviewing it, I wouldn't have started the first episode.
The two leads are polar opposites. I know they'll meet, but that doesn't happen in the first episode and it should. The show drags the events out which makes it incredibly slow. With each episode my dislike of the characters increases. By the end I don't care. My mission is to get to the end for my review. The pacing is terrible and it takes seven episodes just to get going. There are three or four episodes worth of content that is stretched to ten. There are a handful, just a handful, of good moments in the last few episodes, but it's definitely not worth the journey to get there.
Surprisingly enough it's been renewed for a second season, but success is measured differently for Netflix. Viewers aren't their goal, they just need a wealth of content to attract people to subscribe.
Skip it.
Review:
It's well presented, but so typical. Mickey is the free spirit pixie girl. Gus is the lovable loser that lets the world walk all over him. Well, the show wants him to be a lovable loser. My dislike for him only increased. He's too much of a timid, boring geek. I want him to just say one sentence without stuttering or tripping all over it. Mickey isn't much better. She's selfish and manipulative. The show had a chance to explore her addictions, but didn't capitalize.
I watched this thinking it was a comedy, but had to check halfway through the first episode because it isn't that funny. It almost seems like a drama, but the situations are too silly. It is listed as a comedy. I don't know what it is, and that's not a good thing.
Each episode feels too long. They execute a joke (an attempt at a joke), execute it again, and then do the joke a third time in case you weren't paying attention. It really has little regard for the viewer. I wish each episode had a time limit. Even if the show interested me, which it didn't, there is no way I would have watched past the first episode if I wasn't reviewing. I hope it would get better, and it does, kind of. The second episode was better than the first, which isn't saying much, but the main characters actually meet. I then had to wait until episode eight for something that was just mediocre. That made me mad. I had to sit through seven episodes for this show to actually get started, and even then it's not worth it. The side characters are better than the main characters. I would welcome episodes focused on the side characters just so I don't have to watch another minute of Gus or Mickey.
Episode 1: It Begins
The show quickly establishes Mickey is in a tumultuous relationship, which seems typical. She works as a radio producer. Gus is the nerd who enjoys surfing the internet and order rugs. He's a tutor for a television studio. They're complete opposites, how original.
The show educates us that relationships are confusing, awkward and difficult. Never knew that, thanks show. Gus finds himself in a three way. Being a nerd character it was contrived. Based on the first episode, there is no way I would continue watching this.
Episode 2: One Long Day
They meet when Mickey buys a coffee but forgets her wallet. Gus covers her cost. He's willing to let it float and continue on his way, but she berates him into walking back to her apartment. They go on an adventure, while Gus rids himself of past vestiges. It's a meeting that should have happened in episode one. I assume this is the point of the show. This episode is better than the first, but that's not saying much.
Episode 3: Tested
Gus is the typical pushover. Everyone walks all over him. It's not cute, it's not sympathetic. It's annoying and frustrating. He's a contrast to Mickey, who I don't really like either.
Gus's caterer friend isn't a bad character. He should be the star.
I was confused when we got a scene focused on Mickey's roommate Bertie, but apparently she's integral to the show.
This episode just doesn't end. we get the same scenes conveying the same information again and again. It's an endless black hole, a pit of despair. This is a common thought throughout the series.
Episode three is worse than the first. Brevity is the soul of a wit is a lesson lost on the creators.
Episode 4: Party in the Hills
Nobody on the face of the Earth needs this much of a perfect storm theme song. The song, like this show just doesn't quit.
We finally get a good scene, with Gus chatting up a girl he met at the party. He finally stands up for himself, but of course it's him brushing Mickey off.
Are these actors as annoying as their characters? I feel like I'm watching the real them,and if so does it count as acting if you're being yourself?
At the end of the episode Mickey suggests Gus and Bertie date. Sure, why not. Anything to delay the actual plot of this show. This show is twice as long as it needs to be.
This show is about bad decisions, bad decisions the characters make. The bad decision I made to watch this show, and then to watch the second, third, and fourth episodes. Bad decisions abound.
Episode 5: The Date
The episode starts with Mickey at AA claiming to be sober when she's not. I wonder how much they'll explore this? They made some early indications of her addition, but obviously they are setting this up as a plot point. Bertie and Gus go on a date.
The show executes the same joke a few times. I don't know if they forgot they did the same joke three times in a row or if they didn't know I was smart enough to get it.
Gus tells Mickey she shouldn't have pawned him off on Bertie. It's a great moment, but there's so many bad moments..In a ten episode season it takes until the end of the fifth episode for Mickey and Gus to have a moment. Come on! The runway on this show wraps the globe a few times.
You could argue the show isn't about them getting together, but let me remind you of the first two scenes. Watching the scenes again is punishment enough for your forgetfulness.
Episode 6: Andy
Andy Dick? This show loves it's why not moments. Anything to pad a ten episode run. They have to string us a long for a whole season after all. Mickey and Andy do ecstasy on the subway and Andy eventually bemoans alcohol as the root for many of his problems. It's meant to be a wake up call for Mickey, but it's weird. The show, through Andy, makes a joke about him sexually assaulting Vince Vaughn. With Andy Dick's real life charges of sexual assault, it's more than a bit glib.
Episode 7: Magic
Complete reviews are overrated. I've seen enough. Make it stop!
They go on a first date. It takes some weird turns with the waiter. I thought he might be a larger plot point, but it turns out his scenes were just a waste of my time. They go to a magic show. Mickey denounces the show. She's a terrible person but is it a defense mechanism? Is this going to play into her addiction plot?
Episode 8: Closing Title Song
This episode wasn't bad. The problem is I had to sit through seven episodes. Argh!
It's not funny, but it's a stretch to call this a comedy. It's a collection of awkward situations and annoying characters.
Episode 9: The Table Read
Why does Mickey manipulate Bertie when she could just as easily tell her the plan. It makes her an even bigger jerk for no reason. At least Bertie is smart enough to realize this.
The show finally has actual conflict. This should have happened in episode two, not nine.
Episode 10: The End of the Beginning
This is my favorite episode just because I was so happy when I finally reached the end of this season.
It does a great job of making me hate Mickey more and more. She treats Bertie like garbage, and she can't even apologize when called on it, dismissing Bertie instead.
I'm tired of these characters. The main characters are unlikable. Bertie the roommate and Kevin the caterer are the best characters, easily.
Gus gets fired and I'm glad. I don't think that's the reaction the show wanted me to have, but the show pushed me to dislike him. Gus and Mickey each experience something that should make us sympathetic but at this point i don't care.
The season concludes with Mickey admitting she's an addict before kissing Gus. Yay, the season has finally ended.
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