Whatever your expectations are forΒ Divorce, lower them. One would hope that the new HBO series, created by Sharon Horgan, wouldΒ be as delightfully funny asΒ Catastrophe,Β Horgan’s other project currently on air. However,Β DivorceΒ seems to be devoid of any concrete tone. The new Sarah Jessica Parker starring vehicle has next to nothing beyond tired cliches and profanity.
The show’sΒ focusΒ is Frances, played by Sarah Jessica Parker.Β After her friend’s 50th birthday party goes off the rails, Frances reevaluates her relationship with her husband, Robert (played by fellow three-namer Thomas Haden Church). Frances, on top of her marriage problems, is having an affair with Julian, and a strained relationship with her children. The pilot tries to naturally introduce us to each of these plot points, but the execution falls flat. It’s not that the content is absolutely terrible – it’s just plain boring. The conflict feelsΒ bland, lacking any intrigue or investment.Β DivorceΒ seems to have settled on its disheartening tone, but notΒ much else feels solid.
It’s also unclear what the audience should be engaged with. Should we want Frances and Robert to work it out, or not? The show doesn’t take a stance on who its protagonists are on a very basic level. Outside of their dissolving marriage, what is there to these characters? Who is it that we should be rooting for? Frances is hard to see as sympathetic, as we learn about her affair with Julian. Meanwhile, Robert feels like an absolute bore, and almost entirely unsympathetic.Β Even in the final scene of the episode, when he learns about Frances’ affair, nothing feels exciting or interesting. It’s not an interesting narrative, it’s drama for the sake of drama. And, seeing as this is supposedly a comedy, it makesΒ Divorce seem utterly meaningless.
What’s most disappointing about DivorceΒ is the lack of real humor. While Horgan’s other project is delightfully witty,Β DivorceΒ feels utterly humorless.Β The episode is fueled more by moody tension than jokes. It feels like Horgan’s primary goal is to make the audience feel like they have to watch a real divorce. It happens, certainly, but why watch it on television? Especially with the lack of humor, it’s hard to say what the draw is.Β Sex & The CityΒ certainly didn’t have such a morose style, andΒ Catastrophe revels in its humor. WhyΒ Divorced isΒ so far removed from itsΒ parent work isΒ confounding.
Hopefully, what we’ve seen in the pilot is only a fumbled beginning. Maybe this rough beginning is meant to be a subtle metaphor? It would be great to see this series flourish the wayΒ CatastropheΒ has. There’s the potential for strong conflict and dark comedy, we just need to see someone make the effort to unleash it.Β Divorce needs to settle on a tone and purpose before it can become its best self.Β Oh, and put more MollyΒ Shannon into it.
