Lena Dunham is back, and she’s brought her favorite type of character along for the ride. Dunham has a knack for writing people who one can charitably describe as “a lot.” At its worst, it quickly becomes tiresome to watch. Despite some initial worries, Too Much proves to have the right balance.
Created by Dunham and her husband, musician Luis Felber, Too Much is partly based on their relationship. The series follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), a commercial producer who moves to London after a nasty breakup. How bad was the split? Well, it ends with her breaking into their former apartment to confront him and the girl he left her for. (This is where the aforementioned “initial worries” come in.) Jessica struggles to adapt to her new life until she meets Felix (Will Sharpe), a struggling musician. The two hit it off and, despite some initial roadblocks, pursue a relationship.
Too Much begins as a pretty straightforward romantic comedy and slowly subverts our expectations. The show is more honest about modern relationships than you normally get in this genre. It also doesn’t hold back from putting our lead couple’s flaws front and center. This might be the cringiest comedy of the year, which can definitely try your patience. If you can grin and bear it though, you’ll find a lot to love.
Like all great romcoms, the series thrives thanks to the relationship at its center. Stalter is a comedic powerhouse, and the writing provides her multiple opportunities to show it. There’s a tricky tightrope act at work with Jessica between overbearing and deeply vulnerable, and Stalter never falters. Sharpe’s Felix provides the perfect foil. Witty, good-natured and attractive, Sharpe plays Felix as your standard starving artist before slowly revealing more of the brokenness hiding underneath. With supporting turns from the likes of Rita Wilson, Richard E. Grant, and Naomi Watts, among others, the show provides a wealth of fun performances that help bolster our main duo.
Despite some early concerns, Too Much proves to be a fun and shockingly insightful comedy. Still, one might argue that the show doesn’t sufficiently upend the beats of your typical romcom. Is it enough to offer slight changes to a long-established formula? After a period of deep reflection, my answer is: sometimes yes. It’s not always about changing the story as we know it. Often all you need is smart writing and a compelling cast, that alone can make up for a lot of flaws.
Too Much is currently streaming on Netflix.