When Girls came out, I was too young to watch a vulgar, sexual show, and to be fair, that was all I knew back then. But as time went on, instead of hearing about how fantastic it was (something we did hear a lot in the beginning), the creator herself generated more and more controversy. Back then, I wasn't a huge fan of pop culture, so I honestly have no idea what happened or how bad it was, but what I do know is that it put me off watching Girls, which means this is my first Dunham adventure.
In my defining moment as a Gen Zer, I want to be clear that I'm not a huge fan of the crudeness of Dunham's work and would rather spend my time watching something more chaste, so to speak. But this is just a warning to help you understand my point of view. That said, I'm going to explain directly everything I liked and didn't like about Too Much to help you decide if it's worth watching. In the first act of the series, we meet Jessica, our dreamy protagonist, who lives in extravagant nightgowns and dreams of a Jane Austen-esque romance as she's about to start a new life in London.
Creators: Lena Dunham, Luis Felber
Stars: Megan Stalter, Will Sharpe, Michael Zegen
But shortly after a montage of her expectations in the English countryside, we come face to face with reality: her ex is getting married, while she becomes depressed, alone, and worried. Too Much tells the story of a producer who moves to a new country after a terrible breakup that leaves her heartbroken, but above all, self-loathing. More than a series with its own plot, Too Much is a character study about a person who goes from loving herself to hating herself because of a relationship that defines her. In that sense, there are many moments where it hits the nail on the head, making you feel terribly bad for Jess and also hating all of humanity because of the person who hurt her. But is that enough to make it worth watching?
Titled Too Much, the series certainly delivers in terms of the number of hours we have to watch before the catharsis hits. For a comedy, it's way too long and certainly not one for binge-watching. Ten episodes, each between half an hour and an hour, set the tone until the very end. Look, I'm not saying comedies don't deserve longer, but they do have something new and interesting to tell. The interesting thing about Too Much is that it doesn't waste time giving us backstory or anything by which we can truly judge the characters; it shows us those details bit by bit as we progress through the episodes (sometimes with great effort). It's primarily a dialogue-driven story, which pushes you to understand the characters and their ultimate decisions. But that comes a little too late, in my opinion.
Yes, Too Much puts a radical spin on the romantic comedy, and honestly, if it were a movie, I would have devoured it. However, when certain clichés are repeated more than a couple of times, it starts to get boring. Yes, Jess is a very endearing character; she's ambitious, beautiful, energetic, and positive, but she's also a mess. She also critiques our double standards, because you'd never see a man called a "mess," even with his life falling apart. Jess is undoubtedly the best thing about the show. She's the star, and Megan Stalter is a natural. It's a shame I didn't see her sooner, but now I can't imagine her without the blue eyeshadow and the adorable Peter Pan collar outfits. Jess may not be such a "quiet" girl, but she still stands tall and holds her head high.
What I appreciate most about Too Much is that the show completely subverts the love triangle cliché, and instead of asking us the question of "Who will she choose?", the plot is more a question of "Are they perfect for each other?" Of course, this is because it's heavily inspired by Dunham's real life. From a musician boyfriend to the loss of a dog due to "assault," many examples in the show reference past controversies—but only if you're familiar with them.
Cameos range from Naomi Watts to Andrew Scott, but Adele Exarchopoulos and Emily Ratajkowski are part of the main cast; if you blink, you might not be able to keep up. But while all this seems like a lot, in the end, the plot itself is, well... too thin. As for the jokes, I've never been one for swearing or cringing, but while some get lost in rambling conversations, others just aren't good enough, especially after all the praise I've heard about Girls. I think, in the end, the show is tonally indefinable and feels like it's trying too hard to impress, which makes it less impressive. I appreciate a likable main character because we've had so few of those lately, but the other characters are poorly defined, making them pretty forgettable, if not cartoonish.
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