Many genres carry connotations of varying positivity, but none seem more exclusively stereotyped as romantic comedy. The genre’s appeal is one of pure catharsis. We love to laugh, and we love to love. Mixing both together is a bubbly concoction of our favorite kinds of happy.
But despite this, many romantic comedy narratives fall short of compelling. Sure, it’s unfair to measure work solely on the depth of its narrative, but it does seem that a vast majority of films and television shows in this category use their genre as a crutch that supports their empty characters. However, when a romantic comedy series is executed using real characters and grounded stories, the resulting product is a treat for the heart and mind both.
Let’s take a look at FXX’s fresh series “You’re the Worst.” The premise is far from original. Music publicist and giant mess Gretchen (Aya Cash) careens into the life of novelist and misanthropist Jimmy (Chris Geere). They’re both awful people who “don’t do relationships,” and then, naturally, fall hard for each other after their first night together. While this basis sounds tired, the superficiality of the show ends there. In two seasons, showrunner Stephen Falk has churned out one of the tightest shows on television.
What separates “You’re the Worst” from the pack of its predictably pedantic genre-mates is an ensemble of rich and engaging characters. The romantic leads both find lovable foils in Edgar, Jimmy’s freeloading roommate, and Lindsey, a pampered housewife and Gretchen’s best friend. Unfortunately, these brief descriptions do little justice to the strong character work put forth by the show’s writing. Every member of the ensemble has their own brand of ridiculous humor that is reinforced by its consistency, and that consistency carries over into the quality of the acting. “You’re the Worst” demonstrates that when characters are written well and don’t act against their personalities, a show’s plot clicks into place and fires on all pistons.
While Falk has managed to create a bold take on an old story, Aziz Ansari doubles down on the romantic comedy narrative in his Netflix hit “Master of None.” This show came out swinging; the 10-episode premier season hits on almost every mark of adulthood. Ansari stars as Dev, an aspiring actor and frustrated adult. The entire tone of the show is refreshing; its cast varies from episode to episode. Dev is the only string tying the ten pieces together. This allows for a broad ensemble comprised of funny and consistent characters, similar to “You’re the Worst.”
The central arc of the show follows Dev’s search for a relationship and the trials and tribulations of maintaining one. This plot is, again, incredibly common as a motor for comedic television, but for Ansari, it becomes the deep well of emotional material on which his show is centered. The bottom line for this show is that every character matters, whether it’s Dev’s main romantic interest or the taco guy with three lines. Each interaction is meaningful and clever, and the depth to which Ansari dives into the truths about love and cohabitation makes for the most insightful television of this year.
Both of these series show us that even in the most exhausted of genres, depth of character can push narratives past their potential into powerful pieces. In the case of romantic comedy, strong writing and dismissing clichés allow for a real exploration of some of the things that make us human. It’s TV that we can connect to, and second to all that insanity Walter White pulled, it’s the most engaging. If you want more shows that pull this off, check out “Jane the Virgin,” “Scrubs” and “Parks and Recreation.” (And if you haven’t seen those last two, then that’s probably the only thing you should be doing this weekend.)