Dave Has Thoughts on… Dying for Sex, Severance, The White Lotus and More
In this column, TVLine's West Coast Bureau Chief Dave Nemetz shares his take on the current state of TV, including capsule reviews of upcoming shows, commentary on recently aired episodes and perspective on TV casting news, cancellations and more.
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I enjoyed the podcast Dying for Sex, about a woman named Molly's quest to spice up her sex life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, but the new Hulu series adaptation (debuting Friday, Apr. 4) didn't really work for me.
The half-hour format makes it feel too sitcom-y, with wacky humor, unnecessary narration and a frantic pace, trying to cram too much into eight episodes. I appreciate the attempt to explore sexual pleasure in all its many varieties, but this is more erratic than erotic. Plus, a lot of the series is fictionalized, forcing Molly's story into conventional TV tropes and losing what made her story special in the first place.
Michelle Williams has some nice moments as Molly, but Jenny Slate is too broadly drawn as her mess of a friend Nikki. The podcast managed to be both funny and touching, but as a TV show, Dying for Sex falls disappointingly short on both counts.
* How about that Severance finale, huh? Season 2 wrapped up last week with a spectacular episode that we're sure to be dissecting until Season 3 comes around. (And hopefully, that's not three years from now.) The only question now is: How big of a splash will it make at the Emmys? Season 1 earned 14 nominations, but won just two. But I could see Severance winning big this year, taking home trophies for best drama series, best lead actor for Adam Scott and best supporting actor for John Turturro. Britt Lower is sure to nab a nomination for best lead actress as well — and hey, let's get supporting nods for Tramell Tillman as Mr. Milchick and Dichen Lachman as Gemma while we're at it, huh? Make this year's Emmys a waffle party for the ages.
* I've heard from a few friends and colleagues that this season of The White Lotus is too slow… and I have to admit I'm a little puzzled by that critique. This show has always been a slow burn, more focused on subtle character development and little nuances of human behavior than big, flashy twists. Plus, things are definitely happening: Has there ever been a more eventful White Lotus episode than this season's infamous Episode 5, with the full moon party? Now I grant you: A few of the storylines, like Timothy's mounting dread and Rick's revenge tour, have gone around in circles for weeks and gotten repetitive. But I'm still enjoying my Thai vacation and all the superb performances and dialogue that come with it. Of course, I could listen to Parker Posey saying 'Boodhism' on a loop with a dance beat for eight hours straight, so I might not be the right person to ask.
* Yep, Adolescence is this year's Baby Reindeer, it looks like. It's another UK series that rolled out on Netflix to little fanfare and then absolutely took off, becoming a huge hit and an instant awards contender. I didn't write up a full review, but I loved it: Shooting each episode in one take made it all feel so real and immediate, and the performances were just astonishing. I already lauded Stephen Graham in our Performer of the Week column, but I also want to mention Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty, who were both excellent in Episode 3, with Cooper's teen murder suspect Jamie engaging in an intense battle of wills with Doherty's child therapist Briony. It was just two people in a room talking, but it was absolutely riveting from start to finish. Adolescence will definitely be on my list of the year's best TV shows, and I actually wouldn't be shocked to see it pull off an upset and topple frontrunner The Penguin to win the Emmy for best limited series.
* Missing The Traitors already? You need to check out all the international editions available on Peacock. The streamer has Traitors seasons from the UK, Australia and New Zealand ready for your viewing pleasure, and I can definitely vouch for the UK seasons, which return to the same Scottish castle and offer a host in Claudia Winkleman who's nearly as fabulous as Alan Cumming. (I said nearly, Alan!) Plus, for all of you calling for a non-celebrity Traitors season, the UK version is all civilians, and the gameplay is just as deliciously fiendish. Season 3 of The Traitors UK just hit Peacock earlier this month, and having binged it all, I can tell you it's a fantastic ride from start to finish.
Got questions for Dave? Thoughts on his thoughts? Reach him at davehasthoughts@tvline.com.
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