MovieChat Forums > Love (2016) Discussion > Gillian Jacobs can't even save this show

Gillian Jacobs can't even save this show


What a painfully unfunny, boring, depressing, pile of crap

Heard so many good things about this and it did nothing for me (just like Kimmy Schmidt)

I love Gillian Jacobs thanks to Community but other than her good acting - Gillian can't persuade me to like this show

The white trash cliche (Mickey) meets the ugly nerd (Gus) and falls in love

But instead of giving us endearing, cute, funny characters - this 'Comedy' (term used loosely) gave us a depressing half hour of sleep inducing boredom - poor story telling and annoying characters (Gus and his annoying cronies, Mickey's friends and annoying room-mate)

Mickey is the closest thing to a decent character but she is far away from being as brilliantly funny as Britta Perry

Fine, these characters are deeply flawed - that makes a good character study - but to have a comedy be this unfunny just makes me feel as though i am watching paint dry

A load of hype and critical success over nothing - but i guess that's the Netflix way tbh - not many original shows on Netflix tend to deserve the praise they get (Love, Kimmy Schmidt, OitNB, DareDevil)

Yet the good shows like Bloodline don't get the recognition they truly deserve - *sigh*

a generous 4/10

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Sigh. It's classed as a comedy/drama. It's praised for its realism, among other things.
And realism isn't found in your usual highly-polished sitcoms featuring only endearing, poster-worthy & always-pleasant cutesy characters...

Based on your rant, seems far more plausible that the real problem concerns your expectations and tastes rather than the creators and those who praise this show.
And, in itself, the fact that all the Netflix shows you dislike get high critical praise EXCEPT the ones you do like confirms what I'm saying. So, before categorizing stuff as crap and pass off your erroneous claims as expert facts, please consider yourself in the equation next time.
My take: Netflix's production focus isn't suited to your tastes; you have a real hard time determining for yourself the difference between a sitcom and a humour-driven drama and adjusting to the different types of content each offers; you're unable to see funny unless it's in your face and, possibly, comes with a laugh track--there's some solid humour in this series! Calling it "depressing" and "painfully unfunny" makes me think that perhaps slapstick is the only type of comedy you understand.

And this: "The white trash cliche (Mickey)."
I think you're the only person, period, that qualifies her as white trash (in itself a very racist term). Why? Cause you saw her wearing a plaid shirt that reminded you of the lumberjack-look you think belongs to white trash fashion? Because she curses a lot?
So wrong. Ditto re your assessment that it's a typical atypical-couple "falls in love" story.

Did you just watch one episode and rate the whole series a 4 rather than rate just that episode? As far as season 1 goes: I went in totally blind and honestly think it's one of the best "relationship" shows I've seen, but, granted, it doesn't feature a Walt Disney-tized version of love.



Ignorance is bliss... 'til it posts on the Internet, then, it's annoying.

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First of all - i can differentiate between a sitcom and a comedy-drama - i like a lot of comedy-dramas - and i know what Love was meant to be - i know it is both a character driven drama with some comedy mixed in - but my point is both the drama and the comedy sucked - it was neither realistic (gorgeous girl going after an extremely unattractive man-child) nor endearing, nor funny - it was just depressing - and no slapstick isn't the only comedy i like - Seinfeld is one of the smartest shows in the history of sitcom, Curb is as equally clever, Extras is clever, IASIP, Arrested Development, Cheers, Frasier, Scrubs - you just assumed just because i didn't like Love? someone's butthurt :)

I watched it simply because of Gillian Jacobs, i heard good things about it, and i had just finished Episodes and i wanted a similar show, my expectations were high because of the hype - you can't have low exceptions from a show with high praise (just like the recent show Riverdale, which was also average)

I do agree that Netflix's tastes aren't suited to mine because i am usually disappointed with them - but that mostly has everything to with the hype surrounding said shows - DareDevil is consistently praised and tops lists of comic-book shows currently airing but i HONESTLY don't see what's so great about it - whereas Bloodline didn't have much hype but i LOVED it
Stranger Things was a sleeper hit and thus deserves the praise

The white-trash stereotype is based on the way she acts, her drug and alcohol problems, her chain smoking, her friends, her deadbeat boyfriends, her way of life - she is the stereotypical white trash character - look it up

And i actually sat through the whole season - i actually like ep 5 - The Date - the only truly funny episode of the season - and that finale sucked and didn't make me want to return for season 2 - half the episode looking for a cat??? plus it made Gus even more unlikeable - even after the kiss at the end

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I didn't "just" assume; as stated, I'm going off your rant--what you actually said-- and how you came across.
So, butthurt? No. Challenging judgmental claims that don't jive with what the show actually presents or with my own watching experience? Yes. It is, after all, a discussion board, and I'm a sucker for a good debate...

Hype can complicate things but, in terms of expectations, it's not simply a question of high or low; you gave the impression that you were expecting a different type of show altogether... And I'm still not convinced to the contrary given that you're still hung up on comedy and rattle off a list of sitcoms that aren't even in the same category as "Love" as an attempt to demonstrate that you can appreciate "Love", but don't.

The "unrealistic because [a] gorgeous girl [is] going after an extremely unattractive man" is a complaint a few others have expressed, and the general consensus in reaction to this is pretty clear: That's a superficial, sheltered, and media/mainstream-culture-influenced view, which is itself unrealistic. We aren't talking about a Stana Katic, Jennifer Connelly or Jennifer Aniston all-dolled-up type that can pass as a femme fatale. Jacobs is attractive, but not in any beach-babe or supermodel way, which would then be unrealistic; in this series, in terms of looks and wear, she's pretty much representative of a large portion of women I come across in my work environment or elsewhere, and, reality is, many of them are very happy in relationships with guys considered physically ugly by the unrealistic TV standards.
And sure, especially at certain angles when his hair is all messed up, Gus is no stud, but he also looks more than decent at times and could easily look much better with a slight makeover. Plus, a lot of women on this board say they find him real cute and eagerly list other qualities they find truly attractive over and above physical appearances... Given your focus on this aspect, you probably think the ONLY reason Melinda French married Bill Gates is because of his money?
Further, given her dysfunctions (and Gus' co-dependency issues to fool him into playing the saviour, which he isn't equipped to be at all), the two of them coming together is amply believable for anyone not stuck on superficiality or anyone who actually knows or has met many real-world couples.
So, again, your expectations are at play. In this case it's your limited expectations vis-à-vis what constitutes a valid couple or love interest. It's called: being prejudiced.

I so do not agree with your white trash categorization--you seem to apply the label liberally to anyone demonstrating certain characteristics rather than someone belonging to a certain social class and with a specific background; I'm sure you'll have a hard time finding others who agree with you there. You look it up. White trash (I hate that term) is more specific and doesn't apply to Mickey, who comes from New Jersey and professional (affluent) parents. I'm convinced she's Borderline, which explains her behaviour and choices so much better than by lumping all that's Mickey under a racial slur like white trash. But as you do seem to like limiting yourself to stereotypes and superficiality... Can't see just how well fleshed out these characters are if you limit yourself to surface.

Re: "half the episode looking for a cat???" Not really what happened and I don't see your problem. Seinfeld spent an entire episode looking for a car, or waiting to be seated in a restaurant, and according to you it's one of the greatest shows ever.

I respect the fact that you gave the entire season a chance before commenting (special case 'cause you're a Jacobs fan?), though I must confess to being puzzled by such behaviour since you clearly hated the show, no doubt from the get go. There's so much to watch that, when I do sit down to stream something, I don't waste my time with a show I can't/don't connect with then complain about it and claim it to be unwatchable crap in spite of good reception. I accept that it's not for me and give it up for something else, though I may occasionally scan the boards to see if maybe I'm missing/not understanding something or to get a sense of what it is people like about that show.

BTW - I tried giving "Community" a watch but gave up halfway into season 1 as, despite its convention-breaking attempts, I found the humour cheap and generally juvenile. I never tried convincing others that it's total crap, though. Different strokes for different folks...



Ignorance is bliss... 'til it posts on the Internet, then, it's annoying.

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wikipedia log line of Love - "Love is an American romantic comedy web television series"

IMDb categorisation of Love - Comedy, Drama, Romance

All three specific genres that appear in ample amounts of shows i watch - The Office (US) for example has all three of them in abundance and uses them brilliantly - whether it's slapstick, smart comedy, comedic-romance, dramatic-romance, dramatic exits, comedic exits - they have it all

Love on the other hand uses them all but not well - the drama is contrived, the romance is unrealistic and the comedy is scarce (IMHO)


Re: "half the episode looking for a cat???" Not really what happened and I don't see your problem. Seinfeld spent an entire episode looking for a car, or waiting to be seated in a restaurant, and according to you it's one of the greatest shows ever.


There's one distinction there - Seinfeld's bottle episodes were perfectly executed and were actually funny - give me one example of a funny moment when Mickie was looking for her cat?

BTW - I tried giving "Community" a watch but gave up halfway into season 1 as, despite its convention-breaking attempts, I found the humour cheap and generally juvenile


Well there you go - Community is one of the most genius shows in modern-Television - and the comedy was on point (especially those first 3 seasons)
And someone saying the humour was cheap and juvenile yet likes Judd Apatow's childish is very questionable

Hype can complicate things but, in terms of expectations, it's not simply a question of high or low; you gave the impression that you were expecting a different type of show altogether...


Do you read anything i say? the hype and praise was all based on this fun, endearing romcom/dramedy that was supposed to be funny - but it wasn't - why can't you understand that i feel it's overrated because of the critics and fans' hype over it when it aired last Feb

Also - Gillian Jacobs is better looking than any of the girls you listed (maybe Jennifer Anniston in her heyday being an exception)
In Community she was treated as the pretty girl

I respect the fact that you gave the entire season a chance before commenting (special case 'cause you're a Jacobs fan?), though I must confess to being puzzled by such behaviour since you clearly hated the show, no doubt from the get go.


Easily explained - it was 10 half hour episodes - and i have come to accept that comedies tend to need time to develop before judging - which is why is wrote my initial message when i had almost finished it knowing i hated it
Have you never spent time watching a show for several episodes not knowing what you truly think of it??? case in point - half of season 1 of Community was watched before you gave up - therefore your argument is invalid



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Frankly, I don't care if you like "Love" or not. I'm targeting your mentality, which is pointless and toxic. This series is one I know well so it serves as a good proxy argument, for your post presents a direct application of the same attitudes that fuel hatred and bigotry.

You come here and proclaim judgment as if you're a supreme authority, yet, your feelings for the show aside, your actual arguments aren't valid or logically sound, and, once broken down, highlight your limitations and prejudices rather than say anything objectively meaningful about the show.

Your main complaint, your obsession over comedy, is comparable to going to an Indian restaurant because you heard they had good Asian food then promulgating the restaurant as complete Asian-less crap devoid of value because there's no Chinese or Japanese food on the menu, and so eating there feels like licking paint off a wall.
Well, if you can't see that you had the wrong impression and that India is part of Asia, then adjust your taste buds appropriately and judge the restaurant for what it offers, how can you possibly qualify the restaurant as crap when you're the one being crappy?
You're so limited by labels you're letting that dictate the value of content rather than weighing the content directly and appreciating and discussing the fact that the labels may be misleading as the show doesn't present something easily classifiable, albeit anyone with half a brain should be able to tell real fast that it's not a sitcom and just won't deliver that type of comedy you obstinately complain it lacks.
But no, obviously, if you didn't laugh like x, y, z shows, it's a total piece of crap!
And not once do you consider that the humour presented doesn't speak to you; everyone else is wrong and over-hyping the show. No, maybe the hype is genuine and your perspective is wrong or you just aren't equipped to see or enjoy what it offers?

This: "Seinfeld's bottle episodes were perfectly executed and were actually funny - give me one example of a funny moment when Mickie was looking for her cat?"
Talk about single-minded and stuck on seeing "Love" as a sitcom and expecting comedy that just isn't there. Ridiculous! The cat bit was important as it revealed much about Mickey's character, especially when the cat came back. This show doesn't tell us anything, it subtly shows us details and provides bits of conversation which allow us to piece together the flesh and bones of these characters, and the humour arises through this exploration and through highly relate-able moments as well as in the way the series totally subverts the usual relationship paradigms and story lines that are ploughed into us by mainstream culture and by which we’ve come to judge real-world relationships. Did you actually take the time to understand what people like about it? Here we’re shown something very real and plausible while people are trying to apply the usual fantasy-driven love-story structure; the more astute viewer realizes it doesn’t fit here and there’s more at play, the less astute viewer calls the show crap because it doesn’t fit that fantasy.

Do you not realize what we saw? How unstable and manipulative Mickey became in the short time she knew Gus? She’s damaged goods and the show is rich with details that point to severe abandonment issues and dormant sociopathic-type impulses. In real life, girls like Mickey often end up dating guys like Gus because good-looking guys who have dated quite a bit and don’t have problem meeting women will quickly see her as a “crazy chick” and run away. As a seemingly stable non-party guy, Gus presents a good option to Mickey who just wants desperately to be loved so she can straighten her life... But Gus has his own problems making him run towards rather than away from her; these two should not be together and their relationship can only be destructive.
Yet you seem to miss this aspect entirely and discard the show as a banal formula that doesn’t even apply, and classify it as absolute crap because it doesn’t present the usual forms it in fact subverts. So, despite being praised for its realism, everyone is wrong because per your naïve view the whole premise is unrealistic. That’s even more ridiculous. I’m guessing you’re fairly young and don’t have much dating experience?
So, in the end, your reasons are personal and meaningless but nowhere do you include yourself in your assessment. You situate yourself over and above all to judge, so it’s the show that’s crap ‘cause you’re smarter than all and understand everything better than all. This kind of close-mindedness isn’t interesting, on forums or otherwise.

Re: “Community”. It’s oft regarded as a very ingenious show, but also one filled with problems and far from being the funniest one. Good article in The Atlantic you should read, just search “The Atlantic Community TV” or similar. It also discusses relationship expectations and should help you see the contradiction in what you’re saying. However, the ingenuity was nothing new to me (people are forgetting shows like “Moonlighting” and others considered too avant-garde at the time to reach mainstream) and not enough to surmount the ridiculousness of Mr. Chen, the doofus dean, and others, and the childish premises presented, like the one by the carpe diem-obsessed teacher or Duncan’s Theorem or whatever… Not much of it was realistic there, yet you falsely complain about “Love” being unrealistic??? No rhyme or reason to your logic. In that sense, the show didn’t reach me; gimmick isn’t enough (“30 Rock” is a comparable show that spoke to me albeit the last 2 seasons were uneven), but I also take this aspect and myself into account when considering the worth of the show rather than automatically decry it as crap, and I nonetheless, extrapolating on what I did see, gave it a fairly good rating, as my own tastes and limitations have nothing to do with the actual product.
And therein lies your problem: You pass quick and unqualified judgments based wholly on flawed, naïve, and prejudicial thinking and indirectly insult a whole group of viewers, yet you’re so full of yourself that if you don’t like it and can’t see what others are seeing, then it’s crap and the world is wrong…
Gimme a break.

And it’s fine if you don’t like “Love”, but realize that your conclusion and the reasons you give don’t constitute valid points or a meaningful review and barely even qualifies as an opinion. So why not get off your high horse and take a humbler approach that allows for a positive exchange and leaves room for understanding rather than antagonistic & entitled superiority destined to be met with hostile refutation?

And no. I’m a very cerebral fellow, hence, not a usual fan of Judd Apatow; I’m judging “Love” for what it is (It's a collaboration), not for my opinion of him and past projects.

More I could say, but I’ll leave it at that…

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Actually the comedy is quite prominent in the show, its just subtle and not in your face. I think you just have different tastes in humor...honestly I feel sorry for you because this show is brilliantly funny....its a shame you cant enjoy it the way the rest of are...


The relationships were pretty on point for me as the Gus/Mickey dynamic mirrors my own relationship almost perfectly. I find Gus to have a quirky sense of humor, find his sensitivity endearing and his knowledge of movies to be impressive. I would definitely go on a date with him if I didnt already have my own lovable geek at home ☺

Mickey is not white trash...typically a whitetrash person (and I hate that terminology) is someone who is uneducated and dirt poor living in a rural area..often the southern united states. Mickey lives in the city and is from NJ, she has a good paying job, and is actually quite intelligent. Shes more of the "adventurous bad girl" type than white trash

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I love it. You can't please everyone. Gus is a douche but a great character. Mickey is brilliance.

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