Please Like Me is a new program from Australia, written by and starring young comedian Josh Thomas. Following the life of a young man named Josh, the audience joins him as his life begins a major shift. This hilarious comedy spoke to the frightened adult inside of me as responsibility and reality continue to hit Josh head-on in the opening episode. While I don’t yet know its trajectory, I have a feeling this series will speak more clearly to my generation than many previous attempts, but maybe I’m not being enough of a cynic.
Josh is a young man about to turn twenty and living with his best friend, Tom. In one twenty-four-hour span his girlfriend breaks up with him, he spends his first night with a man, and his mother attempts suicide. Quite a few major moments in Josh’s life rush in all at once, and, while this course of events is terrifying, we’re treated to the comedic underpinnings of these serious situations thanks to a skilled writer and performer.
The opening scene contains the uncomfortable break-up, but Claire, Josh’s girlfriend, handles the situation beautifully. Claire forces them both to grow up. From their conversation, it’s apparent they’ve known each other since puberty, so part of Josh’s attachment to their relationship is comfort. Instead of confronting honest feelings, he likely finds it easier to ignore his homosexuality. Claire desires happiness for both of them, so she makes Josh to face this issue. Although protesting at first, Josh’s tacit acceptance that starts him on the path to adulthood, where he can find real happiness.
We immediately jump to an upbeat opening title sequence, watching Josh select groceries from densely packed shelves while we jam to I’ll Be Fine by Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes. It is tough to sit still while this great song plays; at least one head bop is obligatory. If you haven’t been hooked by the show yet, this will likely do the trick.
Josh travels to Tom’s office, where we meet Josh’s love interest. Geoffrey’s introduction sets a complex relationship between the two. While he cries at his desk over his father’s recent arrest, Josh, uncomfortable with emotion, awkwardly tries to offer respite with pop rocks swiped from Tom’s desk. Somehow, Geoffrey invites himself over for dinner and eventually they fall into bed together. Or more, Geoffrey falls into bed, in just his briefs, while Josh dons full pajamas and apprehensively crawls in as well. His naivety is endearing, trying to retain his modesty while a scantily clad man lays in his bed, but also addresses the honest feeling many young people have with approaching sex for the first time. Geoffrey is straightforward and open, a welcome foil to Josh’s cluelessness about romantic male relations and emotions.
Unfortunately, the morning does not continue the upswing in positivity. His mother’s suicide attempt is revealed in a set of voicemails in reverse chronological order which skillfully building dramatic tension until we hear Josh’s mother at the other end of the phone, pleading for his help. It is heartbreaking. Josh and Tom hop in the car, where their discussion dances around the night before, and the situation they’re headed toward, but Josh’s difficulty with facing emotion is clear all the way to the hospital. Even in the sad light of his mother’s attempted suicide though, these two can still have a laugh, unable to stifle a smile at the thought of his mother, who chased painkillers with half a bottle of Baileys.
When Josh gets to the hospital, his dad (divorced from Josh’s mom) is waiting, along with Claire. The short exchange between Claire and Josh is reassuring because they joke and laugh like friends; there is no animosity between them. Josh goes back to see his mother alone, and after discussing the situation with the doctor, the only two options are to place his mother in a home, or move back in with her. While Josh mulls the decision over, his father drives him home.
Walking to his porch alone, Josh slumps into the couch they keep there, and gently sobs. He doesn’t linger long before wiping his eyes and walking inside, but this single moment alone reveals his personal turmoil and the difficulty of these new, adult responsibilities. But Geoffrey is inside, never having left, bringing a smile to Josh’s face as we learn he cooked the roommates dinner, but places a peck on Josh’s cheek as he leaves them to enjoy it alone.
After watching the first episode, I was immediately hooked. Like children are on phonics. The main character has so many traits with which I identify, it felt directly tailored to my tastes. Josh Thomas is a funny, witty artist and if this first episode is a glimpse of the skill behind this television show, we’re in for an impressive series. The script moves quickly, but has plenty of neurotic rambling from Josh, including the aging of his face, why Tom loves giraffes, and if the big and small denomination is incorrect when referring to spooning. The camerawork is fabulous, framing shots in a way that drive the story, and adds dimension to the emotions experienced on screen. Plus, the upbeat soundtrack and funky, pastel Australia setting only strengthen the world Thomas has created.
Overall, this opening episode is top notch, and I hope the future episodes continue on this stellar track. I urge you to watch it. The first episode is available on Youtube, and if you’re not getting (or can’t get) Pivot, the new channel where it is airing, you can purchase the six episodes of season one on iTunes, which I will be doing.
Critical Dan 