Russian Doll Review

Russian Doll, Netflix’s new dramedy, is, as has been reported by numerous TV critics, the perfect binge show. There are eight episodes, each clocking in at under 30 minutes. It’s a complete mind-fuck puzzle box story that ::gasp:: actually comes together perfectly at the end (take note, Westworld, this is totally possible). Oh, and it has an incredible lead performance in Natasha Lyonne (who also co-created the series with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, and wrote and directed episodes).

So, just what is Russian Doll about? Without spoiling anything, Nadia (Lyonne) is at her 36th birthday party (a milestone birthday, as it means she outlived her mother) thrown by her friend Maxine (Greta Lee, doing a lot with a thinly-drawn character). After leaving the party, Nadia gets hit by a car. And ends up back in the bathroom of Maxine’s, while Harry Nilsson‘s “Gotta Get Up” plays in the background and someone knocks on the door. Thus begins a loop, where Nadia continually ends up dead and restarting the cycle right back in that bathroom with that song and (almost always) the knock on the door. If it sounds a bit like Groundhog Days, well, that’s because it is. But outside of sharing the same structure, the guts of the story couldn’t be more different. For one, Nadia’s journey to escape her endless loop takes her on a journey that’s far more introspective than Phil Connors’. To say more would be to venture into spoiler territory, but I will say that it’s an incredibly satisfying journey.

While the story is great (the first few episodes drag a bit in exposition, but once Charlie Barnett’s Alan arrives on the scene, as a kindred spirit, of sorts, to Nadia, things really pick up, leading to a satisfying conclusion), the real reason to watch the series is Lyonne. While many Netflix subscribers likely know her as Nicky Nichols from Orange is the New Black (a character whose DNA is certainly present in Nadia), Russian Doll marks the first time all of Lyonne’s considerable acting talents are used to their full potential. Nadia, like Lyonne, is the quintessential New Yorker: brash, bold, and unapologetic. But the show’s greatest strength is found in her other, less visible traits: once the hard shell of Nadia is peeled back (dying and being forced to live the same day over and over will do that to a person), her vulnerabilities are exposed. And that’s when Lyonne (who, to be clear, is also excellent when showing off Nadia’s dark, caustic humor) really shines.

There’s a deep, emotional sadness to the character of Nadia that she hides from nearly everyone in her life. And exposing that side of herself, and trusting that she will be ok once it is exposed, is a key part of Nadia’s complex journey over the course of the show’s first season. She has help along the way, from Alan and from Ruth, an older family friend (played with aplomb by Broadway star Elizabeth Ashley), but as is so often the case when someone is trying to better understand the emotional depths within oneself, the hardest parts of the journey must be taken alone. And Lyonne, who has made no secret of the personal demons she has fought over the years, is perfectly suited to tackle this deeply personal story.

This season of Russian Doll is pretty perfect; not necessarily tied up with a bow, but I (and many other critics) wouldn’t be crushed if this were the only go round with this particular story (I would, on the other hand, beg Netflix to keep working with Lyonne, Poehler, and Headland, to see what other shows the trio can create- together or apart). Lyonne and Headland have said, in interviews this past week, that there is a loose, three season plan for the series, should Netflix wish to continue. With the avalanche of praise the series has received, I can’t imagine the streaming site would want to pull the plug. But, still, there doesn’t need to be more. And, if there is, I would hope it’s a new cast with a new tale (although, catching lightening in a bottle a second time with casting might be too much to ask).

That being said, Russian Doll is a hell of a binge, and worth the less than four hours of your time it will take to watch.