Russian Doll - Review and other things..

These things are oddly related.

1. Work was horrible, but just as I'd give up, the universe surprised me and one of my co-workers came by and offered to take a horrid assignment that my boss sprung on me today (without warning) off my incredibly stacked plate.

She asked if I'd like her help or for her to just handle the whole thing. I looked at her in complete shock, somewhat speechless.

DP: So do you want me to help you or take it over? It's no problem -- you don't have to do anything, just forward anything to me. I'll duck my head into his office and let him know I'm taking it over. He won't mind.
Me: Uh...
DP: You can wait until tomorrow to decide.
Me: Yes, please. Thank you. Thank you so much. I just want to hug you.
DP: No thanks necessary. But I'm open to hugs.
Me: I can hug you?
DP: Yes.

So we hugged. That was the one bright spot in my day and really the only part I want to focus on. The rest -- I'd frankly like to let go off, if that's okay?

2. Russian Doll

While predictable (if you happen to think and perceive reality like I do - I've found the Good Place to be weirdly predictable this year too, but I also tend to think like that), incredibly comforting and funny. I did love it. But I also figured it out by the fifth episode. (What can I say, except that I've read and seen too many of these setups? Also I see patterns in things and can see sort of how each thread affects the others. It's why I can usually figure out most story threads and plots -- with few exceptions. The one's that do not follow a discernible pattern or have one too many patterns to follow - I can't predict, like soap operas.)

The casting is odd -- but I rather liked Natasha Lyon, who is actually the only person I liked in it. And I thought Elizabeth Ashley was dead. (She's not.)
Everyone looks really odd in it. Maybe it's the lighting or the costume design?

Also I'm not sure where it is supposed to take place. Guessing NYC, because everyone sounds very New York. But it looks like it was filmed somewhere else -- possibly Toronto? They do that a lot. Doesn't matter -- no one will notice but New Yorkers.

People say to avoid spoilers -- except I don't think the plot matters all that much. It has some holes and meanders. Tight - it's not. This is really more of a character piece with metaphysical/philosophical underpinings than a plot piece. Also it works far better on a metaphorical level than a literal one.

It's sort of trippy. And I will state that it does a nice twist on the whole Groundhog Day story. In that it addresses what constantly resetting the time line would do to everyone else and time itself, which always irritated me with the whole Groundhog Day or continuous time-loop trope. It also does an excellent job of addressing the narcissistic nature of the trope -- in that it appears to focus on one person and everyone is subject to their decisions or choices. (Which I've always found to be highly annoying.) It seems to realize that it's story and plot don't quite work -- because Nadia, the main protagonist, constantly winks at it.

The set-up? Nadia on her 36th Birthday - has to keep reliving the night of the party, Ground-Hog Day Style. (Everything else would be a spoiler. I will state that it does not go the usual tract. It sort of takes a left turn by Alberque around the third episode.)

( Spoilery review -- major plot spoilers, do not read if you want to watch )

Overall rating? Eh...B+/A- (Better than most of the stuff I've seen lately, but it you consider what I've been watching that's probably not saying all that much. ;-) )