Nostalgia for previous decades can resemble rewriting history based on fun fashion and pop culture trends, but Apple TV+ dark comedy “Physical’s” exploration of the 1980s is far from rose-tinted. Across three seasons, creator Annie Weisman has depicted the complex relationship between the growing health and fitness industry and mental health. The story of housewife-turned-aerobics entrepreneur Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne) has challenged audiences with a protagonist whose vicious inner monologue can be unrelenting and an unflinching portrayal of disordered eating. Those who have stuck with the occasionally prickly series are rewarded with an ambitious and mostly satisfying concluding season that takes on diet foods, the commodification of wellness, and how ‘80s excess feeds into our worst habits.
The third season gets off to a strong start, emphasizing there is zero backtracking on previous choices. Sheila’s marriage to Danny Danny (Rory Scovel) is emphatically over, and her business partnership with best friend Greta (Dierdre Friel) is going strong. Well, mostly. Several obstacles established in the Season 2 finale remain in place, namely Sheila’s indecision regarding the exercise equipment they plan on selling and perky sitcom star Kelly Kilmartin (Zooey Deschanel), who beat Sheila to the punch with this idea. Introducing a new aerobics adversary with an even bigger platform than rival-turned-friend Vinnie Green (Murray Bartlett) immediately ups the stakes. Kelly’s fame gives her the upper hand as Sheila is not booking late-night talk show slots. Kelly’s aesthetic also differs from Sheila’s; initially, it is unclear whether the blonde bimbo persona is something Sheila has constructed in her head.
Sheila’s negative self-talk has been pretty consistent throughout the show, with the occasional dormant period before the critical inner monologue returns to hurl insults. Kelly offers a new mouthpiece, and disordered thinking soon morphs into full-blown hallucinations. It’s a version of the diatribes viewers have previously heard, but it takes on a new perspective from the imagined Kelly’s mouth, stopping it from becoming repetitive. Casting Deschanel in this role is a reminder of the actress’ range and proves a welcome return to TV for her. While Deschanel has had several hosting jobs, animated voiceover parts, and continued her musical career since “New Girl” ended in 2018, this is the meatiest (and most against-type) character she’s played in years.
Not only is Deschanel portraying the version of Kelly in Sheila’s head, but also the TV persona and the real woman lurking beneath the bleach-blonde curls, push-up bras, and ultra-short shorts. Costume designer Ernesto Martinez captures all these sides of Kelly (there is a very funny aside about said short shorts), and the mix of spandex and business attire continues to underscore the two roles Sheila inhabits this year. The creative team also makes good use of Deschanel’s skill set, including her girl-next-door vibe (but with a sexy twist) and her singing talent.
The introduction of Kelly taps into “Physical’s” penchant for playing with perception, and increases the frequency of Sheila as the show’s unreliable narrator. One sequence reads like a nightmare, making it all the more horrifying when one realizes this experience is not in Sheila’s mind at all. Moments like this might be off-putting, but they also set Weisman’s series apart from its ilk. The showrunner doesn’t pull back when Sheila’s recovery faces obstacles, and underscores the extremes that people go through during that process, and the shame that takes hold, which proves occassionally tough to watch.
Even though Sheila went to rehab last season and had a breakthrough, there is no quick fix for disordered eating. The ongoing journey drives the narrative and leads to some heartbreaking scenes, but humor is far from absent. Byrne deftly walks the line between the two, whether in the group she hosts at her home, at work, or in her personal life — that includes dating the charming Carlos (José Zúñiga). It would be impossible for Sheila to do everything to build her brand if she was a full-time single mother, so making sure Danny takes equal responsibility for their daughter solves that conundrum. This arrangement also leads to amusing and horrifying parenting scenes. Child actor Grace Kelly Quigley, who has played Maya throughout, is a revelation this season — particularly in a storyline involving a toy farm set.
Freeing up Sheila’s time gives her burgeoning aerobics empire space to grow from her unorthodox first appearance on TV to her reluctance to follow through with a diet cookie deal. “Physical” has always emphasized the benefits of exercise without shying away from the industry’s darker underbelly tied to addiction and compulsive behaviors. Diet and wellness fads are up for debate this season, highlighting the damaging rhetoric behind sweet treats that promise to taste good without the calories. Sheila recoils at buzzwords and BS philosophy thanks to her ongoing recovery, and Weisman explores the complexities of having Sheila as the face of these ideas. Some sequences veer toward girl-boss ideals, but the writing lightly pokes fun at Sheila (and Greta) during such moments.
Shining a light on how ‘80s greed taints the positive effects of exercise is another theme running through this final season. Yet, Weisman also doesn’t ignore the positive community aspect of these kinds of classes. It isn’t all doom and gloom, and the showrunner’s thesis isn’t fixated on a worst-case scenario. The central love story stops “Physical” from straying too far into a repeat of the toxicity previous seasons depicted. None of Sheila’s romantic partners hold a candle to her best friend and business partner, Greta. Long gone are the days when Greta struggled to make her voice heard, and she is instrumental in Sheila’s success. Byrne and Friel’s chemistry crackles whenever they are opposite each other.
Sheila finds it hard to let anyone in, and while this dynamic has a strong foundation, she and Greta still face challenges on the path to success. Both women are ambitious, and this drive is a uniting force. However, Sheila’s impulsive actions don’t take her partner into account, which causes one crack, but no great love story — platonic or not — is easy. Greta isn’t simply reduced to the get-a-grip BFF archetype, and this season lets her step out of her husband’s shadow.
One recurring issue with this series is the number of storylines being juggled at any one time, and the 30-minute episode length does mean that certain arcs and characters are hastily semi-resolved, never to be addressed (or seen) again. This will cause whiplash for some viewers, but overall, this is the most cohesive of three seasons for “Physical.” Mormon real estate mogul John Breem (Paul Sparks) is connected to the main story but proves less engaging in previous seasons. It takes a few episodes for his plot to snap into focus, but this portrayal of the tension brewing in Breem’s home leads to some surprising moments. As a backdrop, the forthcoming 1984 Summer Olympics nods to how much business an event like this can generate — and the status symbol of being involved in it.
Another character that has been an antagonist for much of his screen time is Sheila’s ex Danny, who has moved into an apartment complex with singles in mind. Sheila’s ex swings between tone-deaf and preachy, and Scovel excels at tapping into those attributes. Thankfully, he is more than those two things, and Scovel imbues him with humanity beyond his frustrating qualities. The arrival of his sister Deb (played by the brilliant Casey Wilson) also offers up someone new for him to play off of.
Ambition is at the heart of “Physical,” from Sheila’s drive to how Weisman has presented this story over three seasons. Some of this has been more successful than others, but Sheila’s arc has never been boring or unimaginative. The themes and subject “Physical” explores are rarely afforded this much consideration, and Byrne’s unflinching performance is one reason the series has been compelling—even when other elements have fumbled. Ultimately, an emotional, exhilarating, and surprisingly uplifting conclusion to this series matches the energy of Sheila’s classes and makes sure Weisman’s show lands its final steps. [B+]
