Your Entertainment Corner

<i>You Me Her</i> – “Pilot” Recap. Let’s Play.

Season 1, Episode 1

Air Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 8/7c on DirecTV’s Audience Network

Rating: ★★★★★

“I met Izzy today.” – Emma

Cast of You Me Her.

A show about having a threesome perfectly describes what I knew about the upcoming DirecTV series You Me Her. Needless to say, I assumed it would be a hot and steamy soap opera full of gratuitous sex, sexual tension, and imagery.

While at SXSW, I attended a screening of the first two episodes of You Me Her. As I took my seat, I found myself feeling somewhat awkward knowing I was going to be watching a romantic sex comedy in a crowded theater that was inspired by the Playboy Magazine article “Sugar on Top” by John H. Richardson. As the lights went down, my expectations followed. Boy, was I wrong!

Emma (Rachel Blanchard) and Jack (Greg Poehler) are a typical suburban couple who suddenly find themselves in a rut after several years of marriage. While both are in love with each other, sex has taken a back seat to their daily life.

Longing for some intimacy, Jack hires an escort named Izzy (Priscilla Faia) and the two meet at a hotel. While they spend most of their time talking, Jack’s guilt is overwhelming, causing him to confess his lapse in judgment to Emma. One thing leads to another and it isn’t long before Izzy becomes a part of Jack and Emma’s life.

I admit, despite the taboo around the subject matter, I absolutely loved the first two episodes of You Me Her. While it would be easy to push aside the series as just a sex comedy, it is so much more. John Scott Shepherd, who is the creator and executive producer, does a masterful job creating characters you care about.

Priscilla Faia, Rachel Blanchard, and Greg Poehler

During You Me Her, I found myself relating to Jack and Emma’s plight. This realization happened almost accidentally; I kept thinking I could see how this could happen to someone. Poehler and Blanchard are wonderfully convincing in their portrayals of Jack and Emma as a real couple with real problems. By the time Izzy enters their life, the whole idea of her joining them feels natural and surprisingly authentic.

The chemistry between Poehler and Blanchard is outstanding but it’s Faia who makes You Me Her work. Faia’s performance is so fun to watch, it’s not hard to believe Izzy would have feelings for Jack and Emma and vice versa. I joked with the cast that the tagline for the series should be, “You too will fall in love with Izzy.” Faia’s personality onscreen, especially when she’s talking to Jack, is infectious.

As much as it’s billed as a sex comedy, You Me Her is really about relationships. In fact, other than a few scenes where Faia and Blanchard appear in their bras, the showing of skin is minimal. Although, there is a mention during the cast interviews that Poehler had to wear a special sock during some upcoming scenes, and I’m not referring to the kind you wear on your feet.

The interesting story, witty dialogue, and wonderful direction, along with great chemistry among the cast, makes You Me Her very enjoyable. And while there may be some who find the material questionable, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

DirecTV’s Audience Network will air 10 half-hour episodes of the romantic comedy starting Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

 



Photo and video © 2016 YEC.

 

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.