Lovesick & more recommendations
I heard whispers about Lovesick for years. People referenced it on Twitter. It was mentioned by some friends. It was discussed again on Twitter. The British series premiered back in 2014 on Channel 4 and then moved to Netflix for its second (2016) and third seasons (2018), where it gained some semi-popular traction. January is inherently a gloomy sort of month and I needed a new, fun, romcom series to dive into. It's finally time for my first Lovesick viewing! Starring Johnny Flynn (from the 2020 Emma that I will yet again plug), Antonia Thomas and Daniel Ings, this charming ensemble cast will brighten up any winter gloom. Our story begins with Dylan's (Flynn) chlamydia diagnoses, so he makes a list of his past girlfriends and attempts to notify them. He uses the outreach as an opportunity to reflect on his past relationships and figure out what went wrong. We soon learn Dylan is fast to fall in love and imagine a future with someone (think Ted from How I Met Your Mother vibes, but more grounded) and he tends to romanticize his past. At first I was worried each episode would be so flashback heavy it would stop all momentum around the present-day story, but the premise is really just a narrative device to show the journey of three friends across seven years. Dylan's best mates, Luke and Evie, go through their own romantic struggles as well. Luke on first glance appears to be a classic sitcom playboy, but as the episodes continue you realize he's kind of dorky and goofy and has a heartfelt backstory and reminds you of someone you know in real life but just can't quite identify. Evie is unfortunately slightly less developed (the series is written entirely by men), but we still get a sense of her family backstory and how it's shaped her into someone who avoids romantic relationships. The main love story is beautifully told. As an audience we're given bits and pieces through flashbacks that reframe what we thought we knew. Evie, Luke and Dylan are magic together. Any scene with the three of them is a home run and while there is romantic tension between two of them, the friendship is always, always at the core of every scene. It's the best sort of fictional world -- one where you want to dive in and just watch these characters spend time together. One of the best parts of Lovesick is the strength of its supporting cast. A character like Angus, who seems downright annoying in the show's premiere, transforms into a sympathetic, lost soul you're rooting for by the time the second season comes around. Dylan's past romances, especially one in particular, are treated with care. In a season three episode, one of them gets her own breakup arc. While lesser shows would have taken the focus off of an ex in favor of showcasing the main cast, Lovesick is full of care for even the smallest players in the story. The show never got official word on a fourth season, which means there's still room for me to hope without reason (much like our protagonist) that this cast will reunite in some form. Just this week Johnny Flynn said he'd be down for another season or a movie. In the meantime, savor 22 episodes of a quite perfect show.
More recommendations
If you're looking for more Johnny Flynn (and you should be): You can listen to his music! His folksy songs have been on repeat on my Spotify for the last few weeks. I especially recommend the entire Live at the Roundhouse album and the song In Your Pockets.
Nostalgic binges: While HBO Max has pulled together a whole ad campaign around Gossip Girl, they neglected to promote a couple of other shows that popped up quietly on the streaming service. If you grew up addicted to the WB/CW like me, you'll be thrilled to know Everwood and What I Like About You are now available for viewing in HBO's library!
The Emperor's New Groove was released 21 years ago: Let's all take a minute to process. The 2000 Disney film went on quite a journey from first iteration to theatrical release. Vulture put together a guide detailing its unique origins and a behind-the-scenes documentary that kind of disappeared.
If you love Daveed Diggs but don't know much about him: You can learn more about his childhood and desire to remain true to his roots in this excellent Hollywood Reporter profile.
