I absolutely adore Big Mood. I walked into it thinking ‘ nice, new comedy!’ and left absolutely wrecked by the devastating dramedy.
I didn’t see it coming. Not for one moment. I thought I knew where it would go but from the end of the first episode I was proven so wrong. And I LOVE IT.
I’m one of those people who loves things that are just ‘off’. A little quirky, something that pushes you to a weird place and it’s so interesting. The way this show is written and created has made the underlying issue that is deep and intricate, uses humour in just the right places to make it more easily digestible and emotionally resonate. It reflects life perfectly in that if there weren’t moments of light relief and dark humour, life would be near impossible.
From the first episode you’re plunged into this world so comfortably that you mistake Maggie for just cutely eccentric. And why shouldn’t she have fun and enjoy herself? Yes she’s impulsive but with every decision she’s at least doing something. For reasons unknown but assumed to be career related, she’s agreed (begged) to do a talk for a small group of students from her old school to inform about a future in being a playwright. Her intentions however were not to inform but to catch up with a hot teacher from her youth who’s now the principal.
At this point I’m still on the ‘Maggie’s a badass’ boat. She’s honest with the kids which is probably refreshing for them. Ok, she’s fooling around with her old teacher who’s married and who still hasn’t explained why the SA teacher is still employed around young girls… might have a little stop and think there. And Eddie gets to play publicist which she f***ing rocks at.
But while the highs are high, the lows seem to plunge further than consciously perceivable. Now we see it. And how neatly it’s shown. How hard it hits. Not ‘just’ a bolshy woman adept at adventure and headstrong to the hilt. Like most of us, she’s suffering. And our hearts break for her. Still with no definitive medical diagnosis stated, we know something’s not right.
But we’re not going anywhere. We’re coming along with you Maggie. We’re beside you and Eddie. We’re going to get through this together.
Episode two and, full disclosure, I did not and never have resonated with Love, Actually. There’s something I wish I could switch off in my mind that would allow me to enjoy this film every Christmas like (it would seem) everyone else.
Saying that I absolutely enjoyed Maggie’s surprise party and all the easter eggs so creatively included. And I cannot get over how gorgeous Eddie’s wig was. Well it is. I don’t know why that stuck in my head.
Maggie’s in no mood for socialising. Eddie throws her an epic birthday party. I cannot bring myself to criticise Eddie for not reading her friend. I know I should but I truly believe she thinks this is for the best.
Eddie has her own concerns. She needs something to save her bar. She invites Maggie’s ex-boyfriend who’s got a business she could use. I could feel a touch of anger here. I should. Yet again it passes. I know my forgiveness or overlooking of Eddie’s actions has me enabling the further pressure on Maggie. And now I feel bad.
Other friends are entrapped in their own situations, Maggie searches for escape. At this point I would like to acknowledge the truly epic scene where Klent promptly drops Maggie before she can appeal her Uber ban and Eddie talks her down face to face on the pavement, Klent still pinned over her. She goes back in but uses the rat hotel as a ticking time bomb. One way or another she’s getting out. I admire that determination.
Coping any way she can, Ryan’s mushroom ‘tincture’ fails to hit right away. Maggie spirals to the point of an octopus costumed revelation showing her self-cutting and revering an escaped rat.
A moment of silence for the fallen rats.
Bar still in danger, Maggie coming down, Joanna Page in need of a tetanus shot, everything in disarray.
My recollection does not highlight the perfectly timed and intricately woven storyline that hit hard. It’s become clear that Maggie’s definitely more than depressed. Her mother’s worry over her not taking her lithium and we know there’s a serious diagnosis. And Maggie is still suffering. What going on?
My inolequence in this post only goes to highlight how truly different this viewing experience is. Trying to briefly recount each episode is not enough. If nothing else I hope it shows how much YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW. Then come back and see if I make more sense.