For those of you that may be wondering what Facebook Watch is, believe me when I say I was once like you. I know what you may be saying, ANOTHER MEDIA STREAM I NEED TO BE KEEPING UP WITH?! WTF?! The bad news is, yes it is. The good news is, that it actually is hosting some great shows that you should definitely be tuning into, especially SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. And best of all? You can watch them right on your phone through the Facebook app (just type in the name of this show) or on your Apple TV (which is how I found it) by downloading the Facebook Watch app. I promise I am not being paid to write this. The TV show is just that good.
Created by Kit Steinkellner, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS is a dramatic character study, focusing on a young widow named Leigh Shaw (Elizabeth Olsen) who is coping with the loss of her husband Matt (Mamoudou Athie). Leigh’s grief has made it tough for her to continue her job as a writer, and is causing friction with her closest relationships. As she starts to uncover more secrets about her late husband, Leigh’s grief gives way to anger and hurt and she begins to reassess many of the things she held most dear in her life.
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS is centered around a woman dealing with her loss, but at its heart it is anchored by an ensemble cast. Just like you don’t go through the grieving process alone, Leigh’s relationships with friends and family (good and bad) represent the backbone of this show. The whole cast makes this personalized drama feel so realistic, like you are watching someone you know go through a tragedy. From each episode, the writers peel back more and more about each character’s backstory, ensuring everyone has depth and is an integral part of the story. A good example of this is Kelly Marie Tran’s gut-wrenching performance as Olsen’s sister Jules. I love that the powers that be chose the best woman for the job and looked past questions of ethnicity… because from the first second she is on-screen, Tran crushes it. Jules has a history of drug abuse and even when the rest of the characters are untrusting of her intentions, despite her sobriety, Tran’s ability to leverage her inherent charisma and likability will keep audiences guessing.
Elizabeth Olsen gives the performance of her career and I was so happy to see her recognized during this Awards season. Olsen’s ability to make this character so relatable, even to those of us who have not experienced such a major loss is mesmerizing. I also applaud her ability to reflect the hurt nestled inside her character’s anger, especially as she uncovers things about her husband that cause her to question the fundamentals of her relationship. I thought Olsen was particularly magnetic in her interactions with Becca, the military widow, whose seemingly perfect life sent Olsen’s character over the edge. The description of Jackie O. vs Courtney love was *chef’s kiss* perfection.
For fellow shippers, I have some more good news for you, if you stick with the show long enough you are going to get some good early stages of shipping that will hopefully develop further in season 2 (yes, season 2 is already confirmed)! Leigh’s, at first, acrimonious relationship with her husband’s brother Danny (Jovan Adepo, who I have loved since THE LEFTOVERS) has some sparks and I am verrrry here for it. So hang tight and start working on you shipping nicknames.
My Review: A
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