Initially, I found it quite difficult to pinpoint what exactly sustained my interest in Love Life: a relatively entertaining yet slightly lacklustre show, that is reminiscent of romantic comedies similar to that of Someone Great. The familiarity of Love Life itself isn’t a reason to condemn the show- not at all. The issue rather lies in the fact that it doesn’t bring anything particularly new or compelling to the table.
The HBO anthology series revolves around the life of Darby Carter (Anna Kendrick), who meets a new love interest in each episode: some are incredibly mediocre, some she forms a genuine connection with, and it is through navigating these relationships that Darby comes to terms with herself and the past. Despite its sheer predictability, there are some undeniably earnest moments that emerge when Darby has to negotiate her strained relationship with her mother, and also support her best friend through a drug and alcohol addiction. In this sense, Love Life is as much about romantic love as it is about the other forms of love that permeate us during young adulthood- an unquestionably complicated and strenuous time for many.
If I can find one message to take away from Love Life, it is this: we all deserve the time to grow into the people we want to be. Other than that, I’m not sure we really need another story that centres around a straight white woman finding herself in the big city. Season two will focus on a new character, so I sincerely hope we get to see more diverse perspectives prioritised on-screen.