MADE FOR LOVE Does For Sex Dolls What CAST AWAY Did For Volleyballs

 

  Made For Love is scifi comedy that feels as equally inspired by Westworld and Rick & Morty as it does Bobcat Goldthwait's sweetest work, World's Greatest Dad (especially since both have fluid tonal balancing of dark comedy and drama). It wants you to think it's cynical because the whole conceit of the show is about coercive, toxic Love, so it withholds genuine moments of sentimentality and catharsis in contrast to its chronic declarations of empty, grand romance. But when it lets itself be vulnerable, it's fucking precious. It doesn't always work, mostly the broad little stabs at humor don't poke all the way through for me but any and all problems I have are eclipsed by the towering monument of charm the writers and the cast construct.

  Ray Romano, who continues to be a fucking treasure, and Cristin Milioti, who's quickly becoming one of my favorite comedy actors, bring immense poignancy and effortless charisma to every scene. Romano has much harder work to do, too. He plays the 'organic partner' to his 'synthetic partner,' Diane The Sex Doll. The thing is, though: she's so much more than just a Sex Doll to Herb. But that doesn't stop the town from damning him Herbert The Pervert. Truth be told, though: they have the most healthy relationship of any other couple on the show. There's plenty of Feminist subtext about objectification and possession but MFL is enjoyable sans alchemical politicking; Herbert & Diane just have a different kind of love and the show bars judgment at the door.

  Like Barry it's only 8 half-hour episodes, which is refreshing because most shows try to milk their tits until they're raw - this gets right to the point and wipes its mouth when its done (which, I guess means it's sucking its own tits? Sure). The pilot is the most meandering but it gets fuckin' goin' in Episode 2, evolving into something that made me cross my fingers that it wouldn't drop the proverbial Wilson. Thankfully, it didn't. The finale is all dialog, no fireworks, which was an impressive and logical choice: this had to end with hashing shit out instead of anything flashy. That said, there's a tragic twist that perfectly caps off everyone's arcs and sets up a curious season 2.

  Made For Love is an impressive, surprising, funny, captivating (yeah, I said "captivating," dick) and confident season of television. A-