I will openly admit that I’m in denial when it comes to the fact that the upcoming third season of HBO’s exceptional dramedy Somebody Somewhere will be its final one. Where is the justice in the television world where a series this rich, this funny, this emotionally satisfying can’t run in perpetuity? I cannot think of another series on television that provides such an incredible cast of characters, such strong writing, and stories that feel lived it; all without the use of existing IP and wholly from the minds of its creative team. If things were fair, Somebody Somewhere would be sweeping the Emmys and running for a solid seven seasons with bang-up ratings.* But alas, here we are, and this series is about to begin airing its swan song. And what a gorgeous song it is.
*I should note that series did take home a Peabody Award this year – for my money, much more prestigious than an Emmy. But still, the complete lack of Emmy nominations is a travesty for this series.
The seven-episode final season of Somebody Somewhere doesn’t deviate from the look and feel of the episodes that have come before it. There’s not a huge master arc that ties up into a nice bow at the end. In fact, this doesn’t even feel like a final season. It feels simply like another opportunity to watch Sam (the multi-hyphenate Bridget Everett, once again doing so much and making it look so easy), Joel (Jeff Hiller, here asked to really dig deep under Joel’s sunny exterior to dive into some past trauma), and the rest of their family (both found and blood, as Sam’s sister Tricia – a great Mary Catherine Garrison – is brought more fully into the fold) live their lives and try to grow up but not apart.
The season focuses on two central arcs: Sam, who is seeing those close to her paired off (or recently divorced and getting back out there and dating – a lot), starts to wonder where she fits into her friends’ lives as they seemingly settle down (and encourage her to do the same) and Joel, who is having a crisis of faith both in himself and his religious make-up now that he has moved in with his lovely and caring boyfriend, Brad (Tim Bagley, an expert at using quiet consistency to color his performance). While the pair of best friends are trying to navigate their personal doubts and their new normal (no longer living together, it’s harder to make time for one another – a universal reality many friends face), they both shy away from actually talking to one another about their issues and worries – again, something so relatable.
And really, that’s the core of what makes Somebody Somewhere so darn incredible: You can relate to these normal, everyday occurrences that somehow make for really compelling and funny (and often moving) television. There’s no gimmick with the series. It’s people, in the middle of the Midwest, including a host of LGBTQA+ characters, living their lives, finding love, navigating loss, and trying to come to terms with who they are and how that squares with who they want to be. The simplicity of the narrative belies the depth of character, story, and emotions underpinning the series. You’ll laugh (and this group of characters spends a lot of time laughing and joking together), you’ll probably cry (again, a lot of tears this time around as well, but the growth that stems from them is earned), and I suspect you’ll also wade into these final episodes cursing the programming executives at HBO for taking this gem of a series off the network.
The best shows make you fall in love with their characters, root for them, chastise them, and hope that they will get where they want to be. Somebody Somewhere is absolutely one of those shows. And this last chance to spend some time with this crew is a gift – despite my disappointment in the cancellation, I can’t quite believe HBO gave this little show three seasons to cook. I hope you’ll join them for this final installment.
Somebody Somewhere’s third and final season premieres Sunday, October 27 on HBO. All seven episodes of season three were provided for review.
-
Writing
-
Acting
-
Direction
