Made for Love Review: A Whole New World (Season 1 Episodes 4-6)

After a solid but not wholly inspiring debut, Made for Love‘s latter episodes are funnier, sharper, and altogether stronger.

From a writing perspective, the overall plotting could be better. Thus far, nothing that’s unfurled has been terribly surprising, and all the characters, but particularly Hazel (Cristin Milioti) and Herb (Ray Romano), talk like screenwriters excitedly breaking a story, rather than actual humans. There are a lot of moments where subtext is spoken or exposition or motivations very clearly explained, rather than telegraphed or shown.

The scenes between daughter/father on Made for Love Season 1 Episode 6, “I Want You to Give a F*** About Me” are a perfect example. The blow-up and thaw between Hazel and Herb is too direct, easy, and sorted.

That is frustrating but perhaps in trying to keep its runtime short, the creatives behind Made for Love feel like they need to take shortcuts. That is understandable, and its succinct episode length is a plus, but I wonder what about how much richer the character development would be if we were allowed to watch revelations unfurl more naturally and subtly.

With that said, there are far more quotable lines and jokes on this set of episodes and the cast sells them with all they’ve got. The moment where Byron praises the smell of glass is far funnier than it deserves to be.

That’s a trend on this set of episodes: Magnussen has a number of line readings, including the glass moment and the time where he offhandedly mentions he plans to eat a dolphin he’s mad at, that are simply sublime. He is…completely unhinged while remaining impressively well coifed.

Magnussen’s performances are the highlight of all three of these episodes and I hope the final three episodes of the season (or series?) will focus on understanding him better.

While these three episodes, particularly Made for Love Season 1 Episode 4, “I Want a New Life,” give us greater insight into how Hazel found herself in a dalliance with Byron, it’s still not totally clear why Byron chose Hazel as his bride. When they meet, it’s obvious that he has been observing her for awhile, and we can understand what Hazel saw as selling points to the marriage.

Barely scraping by, alienated from her family, and stuck in a town she hates, Hazel surely must have found Byron an appealing escape at first.

But Byron’s interest is another story. He is intent on being with her, but it’s not clear why. Years later, we can assume some of this is related to control, but what made Hazel the ideal match (or target?) for him?

Plus, what actually is Byron’s origin story or relation to the outside world? While an off-hand comment about how he didn’t know Willy Wonka on one of the early episodes came off funny, it’s clear that’s part of a larger pattern. Byron doesn’t just not know about Willy Wonka or donut holes; he’s wholly incapable of existing in the outside world. Why? And for how long has he been like this?

Admittedly, his inability to even function in a simulation (oh no! imaginary dogs are licking his imaginary food!) is hilarious but where did it come from? And what is Made for Love trying to say about our society with its focus on Byron?

Is it that we’re stuck in a dangerous cycle: our difficulty or lack of desire to exist in the real world draws us to spend more time in the digital, virtual world, which just makes it even harder to exist in the real world? 

Along with freeing Hazel from the confines of her marriage (and chip), I’m hopeful that the last set of episodes touch on Byron’s past and motivations and allow us more time with Bangles (Patti Harrison) and rebel nun, “Judiff” (a totally game, brilliant Kym Whitley). 

Both guest stars are excellent additions to the Made for Love universe, and while their characters are quite different, both actresses contribute a similar energy.

Romano, Milioti, Magnussen all have a general dryness to their performances. Whitley and Harrison, however, are more playful and inject some much needed buoyancy to their scenes. Whitley’s Judiff in particular feels like she’s plucked from a far more madcap show or film, but in a good way. In reviewing my notes from her debut episode, I wrote two words: joyful danger. And honestly, I think that sums it up nicely.

Also, Bangles as a character seems great which begs the question why she wasn’t the first place Hazel went after she escaped?

Stray observations:

• I could watch Byron try to drink beer forever. It resembles how I drink beer quite a bit!
• Appreciation for the costume and make up department is due: while Milioti modulates her voice and carries her body differently as Hub-Hazel, she’s supported by strong work from the hair, makeup, and costume crew. Pre-Hub Hazel and Hub-Hazel are distinctly different in hair (color and style), make up choices, and even clothes palettes. It’s a subtle detail, but an important one, in terms of helping us discern the differences and spot where we are in the timeline.
• Fiffany, meet Judiff. I can’t with these names.
• While I love the dignity Noma Dumezweni brings to all of her scenes, I cannot for the life of me care about her storyline here, except for the fact that I wanted to merge my mind with Fiffany and tell her to run outta there before Byron trapped her in the Hub too.
• I understand the symbolism of the sex doll and how it fits into the story, but I am completely over her.
• How on earth are they going to wrap this up in only two episodes?

What did you think of this set of episodes of Made for Love? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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New episodes of Made for Love premiere on HBO Max on Thursdays.

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