The initial question when presented with a new pay-cable dramedy in the age of Peak TV should always be “Why?” Why is this show necessary? What does it add to the already overflowing cornucopia of quality television that no individual viewer will ever have enough time or interest to consume even a fraction of? It’s the job of any new show to make the case for its own existence.
Judged by its middling pilot alone, “Ill Behaviour” (Showtime’s new British mini-series import) could not be less effective at distinguishing itself from the packed TV dramedy landscape. Starring Chris Geere, Lizzy Caplan, and Tom Riley, the show that “Ill Behaviour” seems to emulate most of all is “You’re the Worst,” which is especially egregious considering that Geere is almost exclusively known for his starring role on that series. And Geere’s character here is not significantly dissimilar to his part on “You’re the Worst”: he’s a selfish asshole with maybe, possibly a heart of gold.
The pilot introduces us to Joel (Geere) as his character suffers a post-divorce mental breakdown involving the throwing of copious amounts of money off a balcony. His friends Charlie and Tess (Riley and Jessica Regan) tell him how much they disliked his wife to begin with, and set him up on an online date with Nadia, a drug/sex/alcohol addicted doctor (Caplan, having the time of her gosh-darned life in this role). Charlie then reveals that he has cancer — and that his hippy-dippy wife has convinced him to forgo the almost certainly life-saving chemo in favor of a bunch of seriously bullshit alternative healing techniques. Joel flips out, horrified that his best friend is essentially committing suicide. And the very last line of the episode finally reveals what the show is actually going to be: not a low-key post-divorce midlife dramedy so much as your typical, high-concept let’s-kidnap-our-best-friend-and-forcibly-administer-life-saving-drugs black comedy.
It’s a decent concept, truth be told, and the show would be altogether better if they had dispensed with the first-episode setup and leaped right on in. The premiere isn’t exactly a slog, but it’s so incredibly indistinct compared to the rest of the series, which, while not innovative, is still original enough to be exciting.
The remainder of the series is far more engaging, although it does jump the shark on more than one occasion, even if the conceit is overly absurd (as is the unbelievable idea that Charlie would forgo the miracle of modern-medicine in favor of acupuncture or whatever) and almost all the plot-machinations are frustratingly convenient. The show also never quite gets a handle on its tone: is it a serious, if absurd, look at friendship and jealousy, or it a broad, gross-out lady comedy? (The first time Joel and Tess try and administer the chemotherapy, they hit a vein and blood sprays all over their faces like they were in a contemporary spoof of an 80s slasher movie.)
The friendship/jealousy stuff is actually somewhat successful, with Joel’s motivations for the entire endeavor becoming increasingly muddled in long-time grudges and romantic oneupmanship. Tess has a decent arc as well — although maybe it’s less of an arc than a defined characteristic and a solid scene or two.
Possibly the least believable, and therefore worst, storyline here, involves Charlie seducing Nadia (oh, did I forget to mention: Joel convinces Nadia to help them with their kidnap/rescue mission) into helping him escape. Nadia is a hardened drug addict, and Charlie makes her fall in love with him absurdly fast, utilizing his twelve-step knowledge to make her feel better about herself. It all happens far too quickly. Nadia would never in a hundred years fall for it; it’s bad all around.
The cast is universally good-to-great. Geere is very much in “You’re the Worst” mode here, playing an entitled selfish asshole, and like in that show, here he gets a few moments to show off his actual acting ability (the series’ final shot, in particular, is kind of stunning). Caplan, as I said, is having the time of her life here. At one point, she forcibly masturbates someone in what is one of the craziest dark-comedy moments in recent memory, claiming that it’s only “hand-rape.”
I will admit to not being entirely comfortable with the way the show handles the fact that one of its lead characters, someone we’re supposed to like, commits sexual assault and gets away with it — both legally and interpersonally — because her victim was a man. I mean, it is a funny joke, it’s successful in that way, but if the sexes were reversed it would be entirely unconscionable, and rightfully so. I’m glad they did it — it’s new and thought-provoking and pushes boundaries, all of which are really very good qualities — but it is thought-provoking and therefore worth thinking about.
“Ill Behaviour” is more an oddity than anything else. It’s not going to break out into the mainstream, it’ll never be a watercooler show, but it is interesting at the very least. It’s also not a huge time commitment. Do you have to make time for it? No, definitely not. In fact, there’s almost certainly something better that you can devote your valuable time to watching instead. But if the dark-comedy aspect of its premise peaks your curiosity, you could do worse than checking it out. And start with episode 2….[B-]