life and puppies

I’ve been slacking in media recs for a bit (read: decade) but here’s a new one in a genre I wish we saw more of: You from Netflix. It’s a dark comedy, a la Dexter (and also based on books from what I understand), though it’s far more sexual and not as sophisticated nor beautifully photographed or acted. That said, the show is a total delight! Penn Badgley is INCREDIBLE as Joe, doing an Adam Brody as Michael C. Hall, which is Ahmazing! The show really is funny and weird and fun and tense and suspenseful without the viewer having too much on the line (I mean that in a good way). Just great entertainment.

And there’s an overriding theme of both tactile books and storytelling, which is fun. The physical books are a beautiful background to the crazy story. And every time Zach Cherry (I Feel Bad) is on screen, we all take note.

But the show is not without its probs and I’ll just one note one. I think binge-watching it in particular may have really highlighted the shortcomings of the depth (excuse the weirdness of that phrase) of the writing for Beck, Joe’s love interest, an aspiring writer. Beck started out strong but as the series played out, I realized how oddly underdrawn she was. Listening to her call herself a mess in nearly every episode while always sporting a perfect blowout was rough. But hearing her always whine about how she should be writing, but she couldn’t write, made me want to scream, “Maybe you need to find something else to do. Or something to do.” Oy. And let’s not get started on the Salinger business. She really bought that agent stuff?! But it’s a credit to Elizabeth Lail, who plays Beck, that I wanted to stick with her—and I really did—because the writing for her often made it difficult.

But seriously. That was fun. Bring on season two!!