Insatiable (TV series)
Insatiable | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Lauren Gussis |
Based on | The Pageant King of Alabama by Jeff Chu[1] |
Starring |
|
Narrated by | Debby Ryan |
Composer | Julian Wass |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 12 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Cinematography |
|
Running time | 40–53 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | Netflix |
Release | August 10, 2018 present | –
Insatiable is an American comedy-drama web television series created by Lauren Gussis.[2] The series stars Debby Ryan and premiered on Netflix on August 10, 2018.
Plot
Patty is a teenager who was overweight and bullied as a teen. After being on a liquid diet for three months, she is now thin and seeks revenge on her bullies. She is helped by Bob, a disgraced and dissatisfied civil lawyer, who has no idea what she is about to unleash upon the world.[2]
Cast and characters
Main
- Debby Ryan as Patricia "Patty" Bladell[2]
- Dallas Roberts as Robert "Bob" Armstrong, Jr.[2]
- Christopher Gorham as Robert "Bob" Barnard[2]
- Alyssa Milano as Coralee Huggens-Armstrong[3]
- Kimmy Shields as Nonnie Thompson[2]
- Michael Provost as Brick Armstrong[2]
- Erinn Westbrook as Magnolia Barnard[2]
- Sarah Colonna as Angie Bladell[2]
- Irene Choi as Dixie Sinclair[2]
Recurring
- Arden Myrin as Regina Sinclair[2]
- Daniel Kang as Donald Choi
- James Lastovic as Christian Keene
- Michael Ian Black as Pastor Mike Keene
- Carly Hughes as Etta Mae Barnard
- Jordan Gelber as Sheriff Hank Thompson[4]
- Ashley D. Kelley as Deborah "Dee" Marshall
- Beverly D'Angelo as Stella Rose Buckley
- Chloe Bridges as Roxy
- Brett Rice as Robert Armstrong I
Episodes
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Pilot" | Andrew Fleming | Lauren Gussis | August 10, 2018 | |
Patty Bladell is a big girl with a big crush on Brick Armstrong. Unfortunately, only Patty’s best friend, Nonnie, looks past Patty’s physical appearance. Patty goes to a convenience store in the hopes of seeing Brick buy his usual case of beer. After he displays no interest in her, Patty sits outside next to a homeless man. When he insults her weight and she punches him, he sues her and she ends up in the hospital with a broken jaw. Three months later, thanks to an all liquid diet, Patty is thin and beautiful. Enter Bob Armstrong, a local civil rights lawyer, and former pageant coach. After being disgraced on the pageant circuit, his father forces him to take a pro bono case: Patty Bladell. Once he sees the new Patty, Bob decides to take her under his wing and turn her into the perfect defendant. Patty, on the other hand, sees Bob as her perfect soulmate. | |||||
2 | "Skinny Is Magic" | Andrew Fleming | Lauren Gussis & Jace Richdale | August 10, 2018 | |
Patty decides to start her senior year off by skipping school and going straight to Bob Armstrong, her new pageant coach. After commiserating over being formerly overweight, Bob gives Patty a makeover and then takes her to school. Patty decides to use her newfound beauty to exact revenge on those who made her life miserable, and sets her sights on former crush Brick Armstrong. As Patty goes through the first day of school, she hears news of a fire at the hotel where she tried to seduce the homeless Besides trying to figure out if she is guilty of arson, Patty tries to figure out what clique she fits into after her physical transformation. Coralee Armstrong does damage control at Bob Barnard’s house, after finding out that Bob Armstrong was nearly seduced by Magnolia Barnard. Bob Armstrong tries to figure out how to get Patty off the hook after Bob Barnard finds a woman’s bra and a book of matches in the burned hotel room. | |||||
3 | "Miss Bareback Buckaroo" | Andrew Fleming | Kari Drake & Craig Chester | August 10, 2018 | |
Bob Armstrong decides to take Patty to the Miss Bareback Buckaroo Pageant to visit his old pageant mentor, Stella Rose Buckley. A flashback shows how Stella Rose Buckley helped Bob Armstrong enter the world of pageant coaching. Dixie Sinclair, Donald Choi, and Nonnie Thompson take a road trip to Alabama. Bob asks for coaching advice to help him control Patty better. Coralee tries to increase her chances of being inducted in the Junior League, only to have her plans thwarted by an unwelcome visit from her sister, Brandylynn. Bob shows Stella Rose his pageant coaching skills, but she has an ulterior motive for helping him. Coralee’s posing as a socialite is revealed. Patty doesn’t know who she can trust. | |||||
4 | "WMBS" | Maggie Kiley | Danielle Hoover & David Monahan | August 10, 2018 | |
Patty schemes to break up Bob Armstrong and Coralee after finding out that Stella Rose used to have a relationship with Bob. Bob Armstrong tries to find a way to help Patty qualify for Miss Magic Jesus. Coralee makes an effort to get into Etta Mae’s good graces by creating an organization for working moms after Etta Mae quits the Junior League. Patty’s mother returns from her retreat. Bob Armstrong plans for Patty and Coralee to compete together in the local Mother-Daughter Pageant, though neither one of them is very happy about it. Coralee and Bob discover Regina Sinclair’s relationship with Brick. Bob Armstrong and Bob Barnard co-host the Mother-Daughter Pageant. Patty and Coralee find common ground. Angie convinces Nonnie to compete in the pageant with her in an effort to make Patty jealous. | |||||
5 | "Bikinis and Bitches" | Andrew Fleming | Lauren Gussis & Andrew Green | August 10, 2018 | |
Patty gets disqualified from the Miss Magic Jesus pageant after photos of Dixie Sinclair’s body are leaked from her phone. Patty, Nonnie, and Donald try to figure out who might have hacked Patty’s phone. Coralee leaves Bob Armstrong after receiving Stella Rose’s necklace from Patty. Bob Armstrong works to win Coralee back. Magnolia breaks up with Brick. Patty has to deal with a distressing rumor. Bob leaves Patty to fend for herself. Magnolia and Patty team up to help Patty win Miss Magic Jesus. Christian becomes Bob Armstrong’s most recent legal client, but Christian’s mother has other plans. Donald Choi puts his foot down. Patty puts her faith in Christian. Bob Armstrong sets boundaries with Patty. Magnolia stands up for herself. Bob does what he has to do. Dixie sabotages Patty’s plans. Brick saves the day. | |||||
6 | "Dunk 'N' Donut" | Brian Dannelly | Kari Drake & Jace Richdale | August 10, 2018 | |
7 | "Miss Magic Jesus" | Lev L. Spiro | Danielle Hoover & David Monahan | August 10, 2018 | |
8 | "Wieners and Losers" | Andrew Fleming | Lauren Gussis & Jenina Kibuka | August 10, 2018 | |
9 | "Bad Kitty" | Steven Tsuchida | Jace Richdale | August 10, 2018 | |
10 | "Banana Heart Banana" | Elodie Keene | Tim Schlattmann | August 10, 2018 | |
11 | "Winners Win. Period." | Lev L. Spiro | Lauren Gussis & Michael Ellis | August 10, 2018 | |
12 | "Why Bad Things Happen" | Andrew Fleming | Lauren Gussis & Jace Richdale | August 10, 2018 |
Production
A pilot for the series was ordered by The CW, but passed on before Netflix picked up the series.[2] The series was filmed in Newnan, Georgia.[5]
Release
The first season of Insatiable premiered on Netflix on August 10, 2018.[6] On July 19, 2018, the official trailer for the series was released.[6]
Marketing
On July 10, 2018, Netflix released the first teaser and the first official images from the series.[7]
Controversy
Prior to the show's release, The Guardian reported on July 24, 2018, that over 100,000 people had signed an online petition on Change.org started on July 20, 2018, calling for Netflix to cancel Insatiable, accusing it of "fat shaming".[8] Lauren Gussis, the show's creator, defended the show, saying it was based on her own experiences as a teenager.[9] Alyssa Milano stated on Twitter that "We are not shaming Patty .. We are addressing (through comedy) the damage that occurs from fat-shaming."[10]
Reception
The series holds an approval rating of 13% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 27 reviews. The site's critic consensus reads: "Broad stereotypes, clumsy social commentary, and a failed attempt at "wokeness" make Insatiable hard to swallow."[11] Metacritic reports a score of 21 out of 100 for the series, based on 10 critics.[12]
In negative reviews, Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter called the series "trite", "unfunny", and "a hot bloated mess",[13] while Jen Chaney from Vulture called it "an equal opportunity trainwreck" replete with bad jokes about rape and pedophilia, and offensive stereotypes of African-Americans, Christians, Southerners and gay people.[14]
Linda Holmes of NPR argued that the show willfully misunderstood the realities of fat-shaming and the concerns of fat people: "Let me assure you: It is not satire. Insatiable is satire in the same way someone who screams profanities out a car window is a spoken-word poet. Satire requires a point of view; this has none. It generally requires some feel for humor, however dark; this has none. It requires a mastery of tone; this has none. It requires a sense that the actors are all part of the same project; this has none."[15]
In an interview with Variety, star Debby Ryan stated that she listened to the body-positive podcast "She's All Fat" in preparation for the role.[16] Responding via their official Twitter account, hosts of the podcast Sophia Carter-Kahn and April K. Quioh stated: "We’re not sure how our show could inspire a thin actress to do a fat suit as we’ve discussed at length how this very act is incredibly harmful to the fat community."[17]
See also
- The Girl Most Likely To..., a 1973 television film
References
- ^ Moore, Kasey (August 10, 2018). "Is Netflix's "Insatiable" Based on a True Story?". What's on Netflix. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Andreeva, Nellie (June 10, 2017). "'Insatiable': Netflix Picks Up Ex-CW Pilot Starring Debby Ryan To Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- ^ Petski, Denise (October 3, 2017). "Alyssa Milano To Topline Lifetime Mayor Comedy, Upped To Regular On Netflix's 'Insatiable', Developing 'Hacktivist' At CW". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ "'Insatiable': Jordan Gelber & James Lastovic Set To Recur On Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. November 3, 2017.
- ^ Campbell, Sarah Fay (March 24, 2017). "Two productions filming in downtown Newnan Wednesday". Newnan Times-Herald. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (July 10, 2018). "'Insatiable' Starring Debby Ryan Gets Premiere Date On Netflix". Deadline. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ Poulimenakos, Nick (July 10, 2018). "Netflix Original Series 'Insatiable' Unveils First Look Images & Official Teaser". Talkies Network. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- ^ Mumford, Gwilym (July 24, 2018). "Insatiable: over 100,000 sign petition to cancel Netflix 'fat-shaming' series". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
- ^ Rosenblatt, Kalhan (22 July 2018). "Netflix series 'Insatiable' accused of fat-shaming as stars defend the show". NBC News. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
- ^ Heller, Corinne (20 July 2018). "Alyssa Milano Responds to Fat-Shaming Backlash Over Netflix's Insatiable". E! News. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
- ^ "INSATIABLE: SEASON 1 (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Insatiable : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ Goodman, Tim (August 8, 2018). "'Insatiable': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ Chaney, Jen (August 9, 2018). "Insatiable Netflix Review - Vulture". Vulture.com. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ Holmes, Linda (August 9, 2018). "'Insatiable' Is Lazy And Dull, But At Least It's Insulting : NPR". NPR. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Clopton, Ellis (August 10, 2018). "'Insatiable' Boss, Stars Stand by Show Amid Backlash: 'It Really Comes From a Place of Compassion'". Variety. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ @shesallfatpod (August 11, 2018). "In this Variety article, the star of Insatiable mentions that she listened to SAF to prepare for the role. We're not sure how our show could inspire a thin actress to don a fat suit as we've discussed at length how this very act is incredibly harmful to the fat community" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links
- Insatiable on Netflix
- Insatiable at IMDb
- 2010s American black comedy television series
- 2010s American comedy-drama television series
- 2010s American teen sitcoms
- 2018 American television series debuts
- American high school television series
- Beauty pageants in fiction
- Body image in popular culture
- American LGBT-related television shows
- Bisexuality-related television series
- English-language television programs
- Netflix original programming
- Television series by CBS Television Studios
- Television shows filmed in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Television shows set in Georgia (U.S. state)