Somebody Somewhere: A Primer

[feurioo]

 

Summary: Set in rural Manhattan, Kansas, the series follows Sam as she grapples with a midlife crisis after the death of her sister. 

Note: Due to technical difficulties, the mods asked me to repost.

Status: Two seasons with seven 30-minute episodes each. Renewed for a third season.

Characters:

 

Sam: A woman in her 40s, rediscovering her passion for singing.
 

Joel, Sam's co-worker: Was with her in high school choir and invites Sam to "choir practice".

 

Tricia, Sam's sister: Runs a home decor shop called "Tender Moments".

 

Mary Jo and Ed, Sam's parents: Mary Jo struggles with alcoholism. Ed is an aging farmer.
 

Fred: A soil scientist and a master of ceremonies at "choir practice".


Sounds interesting, so far? Maybe take a look at the S1 trailer!

 

Watch on YouTube

 

 

What makes this show special?

- The heart. As Jezebel puts it: "Imbued as it is with gravitas and humor, introspection and self-effacement, the camp and the mundane, the show lands “somewhere” (pun intended?) between drama and comedy." (The article is a great read, though I should mention that its focus lies on the show's transmasculine representation.)

- The queer rep. Sam, our protagonist, is straight. However, there are several queer characters in the series. Joel, for example, has a boyfriend, and Fred is openly trans. Their queerness matters but it is never portrayed in a dramatic or flashy way. It's just a part of their normal, middle-aged lives, here in rural Kansas.

- The music. Bridget Everett (Sam) has an amazing voice. Whenever Sam sings, it is an episode highlight. Don't get me wrong: Not all the songs are deeply emotional, introspective, and thoughtful. They also can be silly and downright explicit. Still, all the song choices tell the audience little bits about Sam, the person she used to be in the past, who she currently is, and who she's growing into.

If you're curious, here is a clip from the very first episode (spoilers for Sam's first round of "choir practice").


This show might be for you if you like...

 

...a late-in-life coming-of-age story. Whoever you are, wherever you are in your life, it can fell so satisfying to be reminded that it's never too late to discover and *become* exactly who you want to be and to carve out your own space among like-minded people who respect, love, and understand you.

 

...to see the joy of community, may it be in friendship or family. The show also deals with the grief, vulnerability, and tenderness that can come with such connections. The moments that can be difficult to bear alone and the moments that are so rewarding when shared.

 

...a chosen family of oddballs. The Sam/Joel friendship is an absolute delight to watch. Their banter feels so real and organic which also extends to the friend group scenes.

 

...a nuanced portrayal of depression and grief. Sam is growing as a person but that doesn't mean that she's able to overcome all her struggles by the end of the season. That said, while I personally connected with it, maybe you won't, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

! Sidenote: If you generally dislike bawdy jokes, this show's comedy is probably not for you. While it isn't everything that the show is or wants to be, it's still a big part of how the characters communicate and connect with each other. !

 

Where to find it:
- On HBO, presumably, for everybody who's got the service available to them (not me!).

- In Germany, both seasons are currently streaming on WOW TV.

 

Additional Links:

Somebody Somewhere on IMDb

Somebody Somewhere HBO website (includes BTS videos)

Comments

[colls]

Here from tv_talk

I have never heard of this show, but you've made it sound very compelling. Late-in-life coming-of-age is very intriguing and sounds right up my alley.

[feurioo]

So happy to hear it. Thank you so much for commenting! :)

[bleodswean]

I tend to not find new things on Max...not sure why...but I'm so glad you shared this show! I just went down a youtube rabbit hole and how incredibly moving a show is this?!?! It IS about friendship and I have put it into my TBW queue so THANK YOU!!!

There's simply not enough life affirming fodder for entertainment, is there?

[feurioo]

So glad to hear that you liked what you saw, so far! I really hope you will enjoy it. :)

Honestly, the older I get, the less I'm drawn to cynical, grim-dark entertainment. I still watch some of that because, even with age, I remain a little edgelord at heart. But what really gets me, these days, are sincere portrayals of hope and understanding, the celebration of human ambivalence, and a general openness toward people's flaws and weirdness.

This show, I think, is really strong and authentic in its portrayal of interpersonal relationships and it also touches on a lot of very essential, commonly isolating human experiences that are made a lot more bearable with a support system in place. There's grief here but there's also immense joy, and oh, the importance of joy can never be overstated.

[bleodswean]

Yes! All of this is pretty much how I, too, have been feeling the past handful of years. Sincerity is the key and this show looks as though it has that.

[china_shop]

Ooh, this sounds really interesting. Thanks for the primer!

[feurioo]

You're welcome! Thank you so much for checking it out.