Hulu Summary:
Comedy series following Marcella as she spiritedly crashes her way through life, assisted by her dubious life-coach, best friends and ever-patient driving instructor. Bouncing back from a seismic break-up, clinging on to her dreams of becoming an actress, and – when she remembers her lessons – finally learning to drive, Marcella is on a mission to change her future for the better. Starring Roisin Conaty as Marcella and packed with wry and idiosyncratic observations, Gameface is a witty, tender and resonant comedy about navigating your thirties when you’re under-prepared – but somehow always staying afloat.
FYA Summary:
Marcella is in her mid-30s, attempting to bounce back from a broken engagement, and working shit temp jobs as she tries to become a successful actress. She’s got good friends and roommates, but she continually sabotages her own attempts to get her life together. She’s always late for her driving lessons, or missing appointments because she’s too hungover. Marcella is finally getting on the right track – she even has a life coach! – when her ex-fiance, Simon, shows back up in her life. Now, Marcella is drawn back into her old toxic habits and temptations threaten to ruin everything she’s worked for.
Familiar Faces:
Roisin Conaty as Marcella
Roisin is a British comedian and a regular panelist on 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, two panel shows that my husband and I can’t get enough of. When we were scrolling through Hulu and saw that she had her own show, we made quick work of binging every episode. Roisin created, wrote, and starred in GameFace, so it feels a little bit like her own personal Fleabag. Is she playing herself? Not exactly, maybe an exaggerated version of herself? Marcella is a HOT MESS, but having seen her on plenty of panel shows where she’s not in character…Roisin kind of is too. But don’t worry, her Bridget Jonesiness is charming!=
Damien Molony as Jon
Marcella’s incredibly cute and mostly patient driving instructor, Jon, also finds her Bridget Jonesiness charming. She sort of drives him crazy, but he’s drawn to her nonetheless, and their attraction to each other is a sweet, satisfying slow-burn that stretches out over the course of the show. Speaking of Fleabag, Damien had a similar slow-burn romance in Pheobe Waller-Bridge’s other show, Crashing.
Dustin Demri-Burns as Simon
Marcella’s biggest stumbling block in her attempts to get her life together is her ex-fiance Simon, who reappears in her life after breaking their engagement, moving to the States, and marrying Marcella’s doppleganger only two weeks after their breakup. Now, he’s back with his wife but definitely still in love with Marcella, and Marcella’s having a hard time moving on. Demri-Burns has had a lot of bit parts in UK shows, played Voltaire in The Great, and stars in our current binge, Stath Lets Flats, so there’s a good chance he’s got one of those “how do I know that guy” faces to you.
Couch-Sharing Capability: High
I mean, GameFace has it all really. Dry British humor, slapstick comedy, girls getting their lives together, a sweet romance, kooky parents. There’s something for everyone!
Recommended Level of Inebriation: What Would Marcella Do?
We know what Marcella would do, she’d be hammered on red wine and making bad decisions. So maybe consider what Marcella would do then take it down a notch or three. This show can be enjoyed sober or tipsy, but you need to at least be able to see the screen.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Quickie
Two seasons, six 22-minute episodes each. This is a perfect lazy Sunday binge when you’re doing everything you can to avoid American reality and live in an idealized British wonderland. Haha, just kidding. Who is doing that? Not me.
