Oh, the ever changing concept of love. Throughout the human experience, one of the things that has fascinated people and led to the making of countless books, movies, TV shows and songs is the idea of what love really is and how to describe it. As times have changed, people have become interested with the idea of “modern love.” As times and societal values have changed, so has the concept of what qualifies as love. That is the basis behind The New York Times essay column “Modern Love,” which has featured real stories from regular people about what they believe modern love means and how they have seen its effect in their lives. This column is no new thing at the Times, as it just celebrated its 15th anniversary on Oct. 18. These stories reflect everything about love from the good, like falling in love for the first time, to the tragic, like the effects that a miscarriage can have on a marriage. They become even more impactful when you remember the fact that they are about the real experiences of real people.
The “Modern Love” column has inspired multiple new adaptations like a podcast, a book and, most recently, a TV show. “Modern Love” the show became available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 18. I was so excited to be able to see these stories that I have loved so much come to life on screen, and I knew I had to watch the show. So, I grabbed my two most romantic-comedy-savvy friends and we started to watch. Now, I will openly confess that we haven’t been able to watch all eight episodes yet, but I think we have definitely gotten far enough that I can give a complete enough review.
Ok, so I am not going to lie you friends, this show has been an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. The best thing about this show is the fact that the episodes aren’t connected and how they are only 30 minutes long. So, if you don’t like one episode, it’s over in a half an hour and there’s something totally new to watch next. This show will make you fall in and out of love as the characters do, something that is both amazing and frustrating in turn. You root for them to make the right choices, cry when they make mistakes and laugh at the ridiculousness of everything that is love in this day and age. Another part of the show that I have loved is the way that the stories feel so relatable. It seems as though you are hearing a story from your friend, not something that was scripted for a TV show. There is no polishing to make all of the stories have a happy ending, but it is clear that the makers of the show feel like it’s important to keep the organic feelings of the original essays.
Another great part of this show is that it boasts an all-star cast including Tina Fey, Anne Hathway, Andrew Scott, Dev Patel and Andy Garcia. The acting is outstanding. These intimate moments the actors are working with are not the easiest thing to pull off, and every scene of this show is so natural. Even in my favorite episode I have seen so far, “When The Doorman is Your Main Man,” there is little actual dialogue but you can feel all of the emotions throughout because of the quality of acting. I even cried at the end of this episode because I felt so connected to the characters without them really having to say anything.
Now, I do have to admit some of the episodes are better than others. The show has the tendency to drag at some points where there is no action. This is why the show is really targeted for people who love dramas, romances and romantic-comedies. If you need a lot of action to remain focused on a show, this isn’t really for you.
In conclusion, romance lovers, I have found your new favorite show and it gets five stars from me without question. Give it a watch, you may even fall in love.
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