By Thza Kanapathipillai
Meet 25-year-old Alex (Margaret Qualley): a woman living in a trailer with her emotionally abusive boyfriend, Sean (Nick Robinson), and her 2-year-old daughter, whom they share, Maddy. The show starts with Alex packing up and leaving with Maddy in the middle of the night, after the final straw. With no one to turn to, $18 in her pocket, and no security, she and Maddy fight homelessness alone. In her journey in these ten episodes, Alex must come to terms that she is a domestic violence victim.
As the viewer, it was frustrating seeing how class and economic structures can put a working, single mother in a situation that has no end. What makes it an amazing show is that we peel into all the characters’ drama in the show, constructed around gender divisions, social issues, etc., and we can see how the show’s creators destabilize the tropes that they seemingly grow closer to.
Most of the show is centered around Alex, who takes the reigns of the show as a woman fighting for survival without it being cheaply earned or exploitative. You’ll find yourself emotionally invested in this show, cheering on Alex when she finally has some wins in her life and every setback hitting you in the chest. These talented actors and actresses claimed the part with what the writers had given them and turned these performances into something beautiful.
The different elements of humor, the illustration of Alex’s imagination through her writing (the metaphorical meanings behind her imagination in the show will put you through a rollercoaster, I promise you), and the engaging look and style of the show are few of many reasons why these 10 episodes are worthwhile. I can almost guarantee that there will be tears, but this show makes it worth it. I wish I could rewatch a show for the first time again…wouldn’t that be nice? I give it a 10/10 on the Review-O-Duo scale.
