Michelle Williamshas been away from our screens for quite some time now. The actress known for her roles inBrokeback MountainandBlue Valentinehasn’t taken part in a project since her Oscar-nominated performance inSteven Spielberg’s 2022 autobiographical dramaThe Fabelmans. Thankfully — for we must, first and foremost, recognize that Williams is a great, charismatic performer — she is now making a comeback through television as the star of her own FX miniseries. Based onthe Wondery podcast of the same name,Dying for Sextells the story of a woman facing both terminal cancer and sexual dissatisfaction, while also being a charming show about friendship and the lengths we are willing to go for the ones we love.
The overall theme ofDying for Sexseems to be en vogue lately. Not long ago, we discussed the potential and limitations of using the tension between life and death as a motor for storytelling inApple TV+‘sLove You to Death, a romantic comedy that also has a terminal cancer patient at its forefront. Suffice it to say that the predictability of the ending is the least of everyone’s problems: sure, we all know the main character is going to die from the get-go, but that really doesn’t matter. What the story truly lingers on is the process of living through the disease and accepting its inevitable outcome. It’s the journey that these kinds of tales are all about, and not the destination. AndDying for Sexmanages to create a pretty pleasant journey— full of sorrow, of course, but also ridden with laughter and joie de vivre.The show has its faults, but is still a rewarding watch, one that will make you question what your heart’s desire will be when you hear death knocking at your door — as well as the meaning of the word soulmate.
What Is ‘Dying for Sex’ About?
Williams stars inDying for Sexas Molly, a woman whose life was recently turned upside-down by a case of breast cancer. Now cured, she struggles to get her husband Steve (Jay Duplass) to have sex with her again, since he’s become so used to the role of stoic caretaker. But when she finds out that her cancer has not only returned, butmetastasized to her bones, Molly decides to leave Steve to chase something that she has never had: an orgasm with someone else. She tasks her best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate) with being by her side as the disease spreads throughout her body, and joins the first dating app she can find. What Molly doesn’t know, however, is that reaching that elusive climax is not as easy as she thinks. As a matter of fact,sex itself can be a lot more complicatedthan whatever she had going on with Steve. So, with the help of her therapist, Sonya (Esco Jouley), and a strangely attractive nameless neighbor played byRob Delaney, Molly embarks on a kinky trip that will eventually take her where she needs to go.
It’s all very funny and heartwarming, albeit not all that steamy. Sure,sex inDying for Sexis extremely fun, as sex should be, but it is not verysexy. The scenes of Molly peeing on a man dressed as a dog, kicking her neighbor’s testicles, or even receiving some well-deserved oral in her hospital room are all extremely welcoming and comforting, but they won’t exactly get your imagination going. Perhaps the best way to describeDying for Sexis by using a plot point from the show itself: a fetish party with a potluck. Sure, there’s all that sex happening, but no one’s really getting turned on when there’s also a pasta salad sitting in the corner.
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They’re not gun-slinging their way out of this one.
Credit where credit’s due, though, the salad thatDying for Sexserves is utterly satisfying. The miniseries has a keen understanding of the absurdities of both dying and connecting with other people. Molly’s romance with her neighbor is incredibly sweet, and even non-fetishists will get something out of it, albeit just in their hearts. As a matter of fact, Molly is surrounded by so much love and care that the process of enduring such a destructive disease seems, in the show, bearable — at least as long as you have the right people with you.The cherry on top of the cake is Molly’s friendship with Nikki, who gets chosen in lieu of Molly’s mother and ex-husband to be by her side as she dies. WritersElizabeth MeriwetherandKim Rosenstocknail the relationship between the two women, andthe chemistry between Williams and Slate is so effortlessthat you finish the show questioning what the true meaning of a soulmate is. Why do we always use this word for someone we’re romantically attached to? Why can’t your soulmate be just a friend?
‘Dying for Sex’ Suffers from an Excess of Storylines
However,Dying for Sex’s main problem also lies in how Molly relates to the people around her. The show isn’t just about Molly’s quest for an orgasm, nor about her bond with Nikki. It is also about Molly’s divorce, Molly’s relationship with her mother, Molly’s trauma from an experience that impacted her as a child, and Nikki’s struggle to keep her job and prioritize her own love life while caring for her dying best friend. These are a lot of focal points for a show consisting of only eight episodes (all of which were provided for review), andDying for Sexloses something because of it. Miraculously, the series does manage to wrap up every little storyline it unravels. However, there’s a general sense that these individual plots have been rushed, or only get in each other’s way. For instance, we don’t get to experience the full extent of Molly’s trauma because she really needs to get in bed with someone, and we don’t get to experience Molly’s full joy while being in bed with someone because the story really needs to explore her trauma. This doesn’t make the show any less heartwarming, but it does affect the viewing experience for certain scenes.
Ultimately, though,Dying for Sexmakes it all work. Sure, the show could have benefited from a few more episodes in order to really dive into some of its most sensitive plot points, but there is still a lot to hold onto while watching. In the end,Dying for Sexis a show that wins not just because of its messages— sex is not a straight line and platonic relationships can be just as important as romantic ones —but because it captivates viewers with lovely storytelling and even lovelier characters.Dying for Sexis the kind of show that will neither change your life nor your approach to death, for that matter. It might, however, change how you look at your own sex life — and it might also make you happy for the time it takes you to watch every episode.
Dying for Sexpremieres April 4 on FX.
Dying for Sex
Michelle Williams’ new show Dying for Sex tells a charming, albeit a little bloated, story about death, love, and sex.
