So if Sylvere knows that Chris is in love/obsessed with Dick, why don’t they break up or why doesn’t he divorce her?
As artists and intellectuals, they are enlightened people with an enlightened view of the world. They in no way have an open relationship, but in realizing she and their marriage are in crisis, Sylvere is lenient, possibly tolerant of her obsession because he a) loves her, b) hopes it’s a kind of phase she can tire of, and c) is extremely understanding about human pain and expression.
In many ways, he’s respectful of her desires and is willing to let her explore it…to a point. But they are open-minded, and even experiment with sexual roleplaying that involves Dick. Of course, it’s the best sex they’ve had in years, and that’s a plus for Sylvere. Again, it’s complicated.
So what’s it really about?
It’s certainly told from a feminist viewpoint — the Heroine’s Journey — and it’s essentially a feminist look at desire, art and examination of identity to the extent that Chris doesn’t know who she is and wants to rediscover herself. I may not be doing it justice, but it’s brilliant and perhaps not unlike “Transparent” — funny, often uncomfortably so, heartbreaking and just utterly irresistible. It’s a show that’s easy to bingewatch. Each episode is only 30 minutes long, but it still feels as deep and robust as a regular hour-long series episode.
Who created it, Jill Soloway?
Sort of — she’s the co-creator of the show itself with playwright Sarah Gubbins. But it’s an adaptation of the book of the same name by Chris Krause. Soloway created, wrote, directed and executive-produced “Transparent,” so by that token, it’s not an original work in the same way, and yet it feels through-and-through like a Jill Soloway project, which perhaps speaks to her auteur-ness. Soloway, speaking about her vastly underrated dramedy, “Afternoon Delight*,” once said, “I think women’s journeys are really about repairing these sort of divided parts of ourselves,” and that sentiment easily applies to “I Love Dick.” It’s essentially a very personal work even if the source material isn’t hers.
*The terrific and emotionally messy “Afternoon Delight,” featuring another excellent turn by Kathryn Hahn, was met with mixed reviews at best when it was released in 2013. In many ways, it feels like it was a few years ahead of its time with its views on motherhood, femininity, female boding and soccer mom sexuality. So I hope critics see the error of their ways and give “Afternoon Delight” a second look now that everyone has discovered how brilliant Soloway’s work is.
Isn’t Kevin Bacon kind of…not washed up or anything, but I haven’t seen him in a great role in what feels like years.
Well, here’s the good news: Bacon is fantastic on the show and it’s easily his best role in quite some time. He embodies every sexy, distant, unapproachable quality of the character. And while we do get some episodes that speak to his vulnerabilities, he’s still rarely revealed.
Who directs it, Soloway?
She directs two episodes, but that’s the thing: the show is littered with amazing female talent, and in many ways it’s actually stylistically more drawn from the oeuvre of Andrea Arnold. For those that don’t know, Andrea Arnold is the English filmmaker behind “Red Road,” “Fish Tank” and “American Honey,” and in our mind she’s easily one of the most vital directors working today. Truly, the show is Soloway’s vision, and as co-creator, co-director and exec-producer, she set the tone and language of the show. But if that’s the case, Arnold, who directs the bulk of the show (four episodes, including the finale), is the MVP. Kimberly Peirce and Jim Frohna, Soloway’s cinematographer who graduated to helmer on “Transparent,” also deliver two outstanding episodes.
Who else is on the show?
Glad you asked. The supporting cast of character actors is terrific, with lots of new names and faces you only sort of recognize, but can be assured you’ll be seeing more of. But three characters stand out, perhaps because they have the three biggest roles outside the leads. Lily Mojekwu plays Paula, the put-upon director of Dick’s art space who has to tiptoe around him and cater to his every difficult whim. India Menuez plays a transgressive artist, perhaps influenced by the work of performance artist Marina Abramović, obsessed with making art from pornography. You might remember her from her small part in Olivier Assayas’ “Something In The Air,” but she’s also made memorable appearances in “Girls,” “White Girl” and “Transparent.” But the stand out is the radiant Roberta Colindrez, who plays Devon, a radical queer cowboy-like artist, fascinated with Chris and, her mad-woman enthrallment with Dick, while struggling with her own ideas of identity and art. I can’t say I’ve seen her in much and her IMDB CV is light (she does a lot of stage work), but she just lights up the screen and you can undoubtedly bet you’re going to see a lot of her in the near future. She is easily the discovery of the show.
What else you can say?
It’s must-see TV and in my mind, the best show on television right now, and though you have to watch it on Amazon with Amazon Prime, I would assume most modern viewers are already there. If you’re not, “I Love Dick” is worth taking the plunge. And if “Transparent” can earn two Emmy awards, “I Love Dick,” which hasn’t been as widely praised, perhaps because it’s still catching its footing (and only came out last Friday), is just as worthy. To put it another way, and for comparison’s sake: “I Love Dick” is better than season three of “Transparent.” It’s that good. [A]
“I Love Dick” and its full eight episodes are available now on Amazon.