Funny Woman Season 1 Episode Review
In a few early scenes, Funny Woman Season 1 Episode 1 might feel like a rekindling of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Our heroine is certainly stumbling her way into the spotlight. She even has a helpful friend and a job in a shop, at least temporarily.
Yet Barbara has less in common with Midge and more with Elle from Legally Blonde. That’s not just because of her hair. She’s run after this dream on a whim, and it’s clear she’s well out of her depth among serious actors or the elites of the big city.
Based off a novel by Nick Hornby, Funny Woman is certainly poised to play the part of a dramedy, but in this first installment, there’s less humor that its name would suggest, even if we already trust that Barbara is destined for comedic success.
In the first hour of the series, she stumbles through the world of retail (a job she’ll soon lose), attempts to gain recognition through a man who is both married and tries to assault her, and loses a string of auditions to her pageant looks and Blackpool accent.
Starting a show with string of failures while maintaining viewer’s belief in the talent and worth of the person behind them can be a tall order. Thankfully, Gemma Arterton’s portrayal of Barbara and sharp writing all around are up to the task.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Barbara and other fictional women destined to rise to fame is that she isn’t really an undiscovered talent. She has a sharp wit and great Lucille Ball impression, but that’s a far cry from being funny on stage, and she has a long way to go.
The episode also ends on a somewhat unusual note. Typically, we’d expect to close out with a lead at either her lowest point or catching a glimmer of hope. Here, we wind up somewhere between the two, waiting for a next step to be taken.
Barbara starts a partnership with agent Brian Debenham and his wife, auditioning under the name Sophie Straw. When these fail to get her a part, she’s pressured to try out as an exotic dancer, but instead overhears that a new play has just lost its lead comedienne.
For a moment, everything looks up. There’s a spark with Dennis, the play’s producer, and she impresses a couple of writers. Yet the play’s star and main agent soon bring reality back down with the usual criticism of both Barbara and Sophie.
Yet neither Barbara’s dismissal of her agents or her own dismissal at the hands of a new piece of theater feel like a true ending. There’s little doubt one or both of these threads will be picked back up, even if there’s a lot of doubt as to how that will happen.
It is true that we close the hour nearly as discouraged as Barbara, who walks sadly off to dance at a nightclub. There’s a lot of realism there. Accidental discoveries don’t lead to fame as often as TV and movies suggest. More often, the key factor is hard work.
That work will likely be the meat for the remainder of the season. There’s laughter to be found in struggle, and while Barbara has already faced a lot, there’s plenty left to go. Thankfully, audiences should already be happy to join on the bumpy ride.
What did you think of this episode of Funny Woman? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Funny Woman airs Sundays at 10/9c on PBS.
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Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.