Starstruck is the romcom you need right now
Last night, I went to bed filled with excitement. It was 10:30 and time for a quick episode of Starstruck before I fell asleep. Then it hit me. I already finished the series the previous night. Suddenly, the excitement was replaced with sadness and regret for binging too quickly. I wished I could relive the magic of the BBC/HBO series, for the first time, once more. You know you've watched something special when it taps into that particular emotion. Starstruck is a breezy, six-episode (22 minutes), romantic comedy series created by, written by and starring the hilarious Rose Matafeo. The premise is a nod to Notting Hill. Set in London, Rose Matafeo's Jessie hooks up with Nikesh Patel's Tom on New Year's Eve. When she wakes up, she realizes that Tom is actually a movie star. Despite the premise, Starstruck remains incredibly grounded throughout, with aspects of Tom's celebrity sprinkled in. Through a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications, Tom and Jessie have meet cutes and falling outs that feel like they could take place in the real world. These two have such delightful chemistry and banter that every time they're apart on screen, I'm eagerly waiting for them to share another scene together. While the show follows the romcom beats, the writing tells a completely unique and funny story about two people reluctantly falling for each other. Rose Matafeo has Phoebe Waller-Bridge vibes in her comedy style, but Starstruck always remains firmly in the lighter comedy bucket, as opposed to the darker tones of Fleabag. Nikesh Patel, who you may remember from Mindy Kaling's TV adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral, which was so lackluster that I've really tried to forget it, shines in this role, which gives him much better leading man material to work with. Starstruck also features a fun supporting cast. My favorite is Emma Sidi as Jessie's roommate Kate, whose real-life friendship with Rose Matafeo creates a fun on-screen friendship too. The series is also co-written by one of Rose's best friends, so the friendship theme is strong. Go watch the series now! If you're hit with sadness when you quickly devour the six episodes, good news, a second season is in the works!
More about Starstruck:
Starstruck Makes a Compelling Case for Old-Fashioned Movie Stardom via Vanity Fair
How To Write Yourself a RomCom: Starstruck Star & Creator Rose Matafeo on Being the Male Gaze via E!
Starstruck’s Rose Matafeo Wants to Save the Rom-Com via Vanity Fair
Starstruck Creator Rose Matafeo Wrote the Romantic Comedy She Wanted to See via W
In Starstruck, Rose Matafeo Sets the Course for Rom-Coms to Come via Vulture
Rose Matafeo Is Weirder Than You Think via The Cut
