I watched the first episode of Somebody Somewhere alone in my living room while my partner quarantined after suddenly developing COVID symptoms. It had been a long evening, and I needed to just watch some TV as I braced myself for a potentially rough two weeks. I only knew that Somebody Somewhere was an HBO show starring comedian Bridget Everette and nothing about its genre. The pilot made me laugh, but instead of a straightforward comedy, it felt more like drama with strong comedic elements. I was curious about how this show manages to emit such warm, feel-good vibes while its characters navigate grief, alcoholism, midlife crises, and other difficult issues.
The new hit series is about Sam Miller (Everette), a woman in her 40s grappling with her sister’s death and feeling aimless living in her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas. In the pilot, Sam struggles to keep it together at her job as an essay grader and abruptly leaves to go cry outside after reading a child’s paper that reminds her of her sister, Holly, who died six months prior. Sam’s coworker Joel (Jeff Hiller) consoles her, and they both navigate an awkward conversation where he remembers Sam from high school, but it’s clear that she doesn’t have a clue who he is. Out of compassion, Joel offers to tell their boss that Sam got diarrhea and had to leave.
I am familiar with all-encompassing grief, and it makes sense here that Sam is upset. The triggers can be unpredictable, and sometimes managing to get through the work day can feel like a Sisyphean feat. As someone who has stepped away from work to cry more times than I’d like to admit, this scene feels genuine and relatable because this is how friends (or soon-to-be friends) respond when someone they care about is hurting. When you’re sad, they want to make you feel better, even if it involves a claim of gastrointestinal distress. The poop joke is unexpected, but it works in this scene because it’s establishing the connection that will become the series’ emotional hub.
This show isn’t afraid to let its viewers sit with intense emotion, and maybe for just a little too long for a textbook comedy. New BFFs Sam and Joel hit a snag early on in their relationship after Sam criticizes Joel for being unrealistic about his future. Prior to this scene, Sam’s other sister Tricia unleashed a scathing verbal attack on Sam (“What are you doing with your goddamn life?”) and accused her of not knowing when “real life” starts. When Sam finds Joel’s very adorable vision board (featuring pictures of the Eiffel Tower, a big happy family, and a Vitamix), she scoffs and declares that people like her and Joel don’t get to achieve their dreams. While Joel looks at her with intensely sad eyes, Sam gestures to his sensible Kansas single-family home and says, “This is the future. We’re in our 40s, and it hasn’t happened yet, has it?” It’s hard to watch this scene and not ache for Joel, because so many people can relate to the discontentment and hopelessness that Sam is projecting, and there’s no funny button to easily wrap up this confrontation. One could forgive a lesser show for adding a flippant remark or joke here to ease this moment, but Somebody Somewhere doesn’t take that route. After Sam hurts Joel’s feelings for no good reason, she just leaves, despite his pleas for her to stay.