After school special, this isn't- well, not for the most parts. Its weaker moments are when the writers feel pushed into a corner to preach about body acceptance. If the show can sort out its uneven tone and fully commit to the dark morally ambivalent dramedy, it could reach a eight or nine (I'll give it a 9 to counteract some of the moral outrage from reviewers who just want a rant).
Controversial before anyone had even seen the show itself, the trailer shows its main character Patty (Debby Ryan wearing a fat suit) staring miserably into a mirror and now newly thin, vowing to wreak revenge on the people who bullied her. People were in uproar at the fat-shaming and then found even more to be in uproar about when they watched the show.
NOTE: From now on, there may well be spoilers.
Patty is roped into doing pageants by Bob Armstrong (Dallas Roberts, who need to turn down the camp), a lawyer who's learnt flair and razzle dazzle from the courtroom. Inspired by the many Drew Barrymore films she watches, Patty turns Long Island Lolita and tries to wreck Bob's marriage. The show makes it quite clear that Bob is not a sexual predator so no worries there.
After about four episodes in, the Lolita plot is sidelined and it's more about satirising pageants and the Southern hospitality of Bob's wife Coralee (Alyssa Milano), who harbours a burning desire for her hunky neighbour Bob Barnard. A mix of Desparate Housewives and a teen comedy.
Think of Insatiable more as a twisted fantasy- quite obviously you can't become skinny and toned from simply having your jaw wired shut for three months and Patty would obviously have twigged Bob as not being straight, partly because of the pageant thing (stereotype as that is) but also because Dallas Roberts plays the character as far too camp- it's not quite clear whether this is meant to be his personality or his sexuality.
I thought the finale was a brilliant dark pinnacle that brought the characterisation of Patty and Bob back on track. Patty and Bob are both linked by former eating disorders but also obsessive personalities.
Insatiable should get a Series 2- hopefully by which time the writers will commit more fully to the dark comedy and leave identity politics for another show.
It would be good to see some shows with an overweight protagonist (notably shows make their characters either stick thin or obese) who just gets on with things and doesn't have to be punished- but that's a separate issue.
Controversial before anyone had even seen the show itself, the trailer shows its main character Patty (Debby Ryan wearing a fat suit) staring miserably into a mirror and now newly thin, vowing to wreak revenge on the people who bullied her. People were in uproar at the fat-shaming and then found even more to be in uproar about when they watched the show.
NOTE: From now on, there may well be spoilers.
Patty is roped into doing pageants by Bob Armstrong (Dallas Roberts, who need to turn down the camp), a lawyer who's learnt flair and razzle dazzle from the courtroom. Inspired by the many Drew Barrymore films she watches, Patty turns Long Island Lolita and tries to wreck Bob's marriage. The show makes it quite clear that Bob is not a sexual predator so no worries there.
After about four episodes in, the Lolita plot is sidelined and it's more about satirising pageants and the Southern hospitality of Bob's wife Coralee (Alyssa Milano), who harbours a burning desire for her hunky neighbour Bob Barnard. A mix of Desparate Housewives and a teen comedy.
Think of Insatiable more as a twisted fantasy- quite obviously you can't become skinny and toned from simply having your jaw wired shut for three months and Patty would obviously have twigged Bob as not being straight, partly because of the pageant thing (stereotype as that is) but also because Dallas Roberts plays the character as far too camp- it's not quite clear whether this is meant to be his personality or his sexuality.
I thought the finale was a brilliant dark pinnacle that brought the characterisation of Patty and Bob back on track. Patty and Bob are both linked by former eating disorders but also obsessive personalities.
Insatiable should get a Series 2- hopefully by which time the writers will commit more fully to the dark comedy and leave identity politics for another show.
It would be good to see some shows with an overweight protagonist (notably shows make their characters either stick thin or obese) who just gets on with things and doesn't have to be punished- but that's a separate issue.