Our take
Dying for Sex feels like two shows in one. Mainly, it follows Molly (Williams), a 40-something diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, and Nikki (Jenny Slate), her messy but fun-loving best friend who is trying to keep up with Molly’s increasing needs. It gets into the gritty reality of Molly’s emotional and physical pain and explores how her relationship with Nikki both fractures and solidifies as her cancer advances. But the show is also largely about sex. It sheds light on the unique struggle people like Molly have to go through to satisfy sexual needs, which, if anything, only intensifies when one is ill. Instead of being desired, Molly is pitied by her husband, who is too afraid to be intimate with her. So Molly, with nothing to lose, explores sex and sexuality. She touches herself, watches videos, goes on dating apps, and starts a BDSM-esque relationship with her neighbor. The series is raunchy and mines a lot of humor from Molly’s journey, but it’s equally sobering and enlightening. It expertly blends these seemingly opposing scenarios and still comes out feeling solidly made. It will make you go through a roller coaster of emotions, which feels apt for a show about life and death.
What it won
Golden Globes
2 noms
The story
After Molly Kochan receives a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, she leaves her husband and explores the full breadth and complexity of her sexual desires for the first time in her life.
Elsewhere
"[Dying for Sex] has a morbid, somewhat off-putting hook... But, in its second half, the series deepens wonderfully."
— Inkoo Kang
"If all this sounds like a lot for eight half-hour episodes to juggle, Rosenstock and Meriwether make it look easy."
— Ben Travers
When her cancer comes back, this time terminal, Molly (Michelle Williams) sets out to explore her sexuality and finally get an orgasm with another person before it’s too late.
The show is essentially a showcase for Williams, who is adorable, hilarious, heartbreaking, and frightening all at once. An Emmy with her name is being etched as you read this.
This show will make you laugh, cry, and ponder deep existential questions, all in equal measure.
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
Heartwarming! Lovely watch for all snuggy couples.