While we’re a little sad that Michelle Buteau’s funny Netflix show Survival Of The Thickest is coming to an end after only three seasons, we also see the show as a good example of how a limited run really gives the show’s writers a chance to create a real story arc for its main character. That’s what we see in the show’s final season.
Opening Shot: Mavis Beaumont (Michelle Buteau) and her boyfriend Luca (Marouane Zotti) are approached on the street by a TikToker called “Meet Cutes NYC,” where they summarize their relationship. Luca is now living with her in Brooklyn, and they’re taking it slow. “It’s a process,” she says.
The Gist: We then see Mavis at a fertility clinic, hoping to freeze her eggs. But the doctor there (Wanda Sykes) tells her that she’s now at an age where she needs to create embryos, not just freeze her eggs. The doctor assumes that Mavis’ best buddy Khalil (Tone Bell), who is at the appointment with her, would be providing the sperm to create the embryo, but both Mavis and Khalil strongly deny that will ever happen.
Khalil thinks that Mavis should ask Luca, as their relationship is strong enough. “Be kind to yourself,” he tells her, which was an insight he got from a pamphlet at his new doctor’s office.
Mavis’ career is continuing to take off, and she’s been invited by designer Charles Renee (RonReaco Lee) to attend the Fashion Illuminati Dinner, the Oscars of the fashon world. She also has designed a killer dress to wear there. Khalil is also going, and right before they leave he helps her with the hormone shot she has to take multiple times per day to foster egg production. Khalil wonders why Mavis hasn’t asked Luca to do this.
When Luca walks in right as she’s getting the shot, Mavis has to break the embryo news to him. He is hurt that she took Khalil to the doctor and didn’t clue him in, and asks Mavis if she wants him to be involved in this — but Mavis doesn’t know what level of involvement Luca wants.
They table the discussion until after she gets back from the Illuminatti dinner, but while she’s there rubbing elbows with the likes of Jenna Lyons and Ashley Graham, Mavis realizes she has to take another shot. However, she left the vials at home. When she calls Luca, she finds out just how committed to this he really is.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? As we’ve said for the show’s first two seasons, Survival Of The Thickest, created by Buteau and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, reminds us of shows like shows like Shrill and Everything’s Trash.
Our Take: The final season of Survival Of The Thickest is a natural step in Mavis’ story arc. In the first season, she was trying to change her career and was recovering from the breakup of her previous, mostly-toxic relationship when she met Luca. In Season 2, she and Luca committed to each other has Mavis’ new career as a designer started getting traction. Now in Season 3, Mavis’ career is reaching new heights while she looks to the future. A future that includes not just Luca, but a baby, as well.
The way the arc is playing out certainly makes the case that some shows should only be on as long as needed to tell their stories. Yes, the series has been carried along by Buteau’s effervesecent charm and the general hang-out vibe that she and Sanchez-Witzel have created among Mavis and her friends (for some reason, Mavis’ other bestie, Tasha Smith’s Marley, isn’t in this final season).
At the end of the season, Mavis may have to make a choice between career and love/family, or she may try to “have it all” and find out that that’s a myth. She may end the season in bliss or in some degree of heartbreak. But what we’ve enjoyed about the series is that Mavis’ travails are organic and honest, not writerly contrivances designed to keep her constantly striving and searching. With the show’s finish line in sight, we’re hoping that kind of organic development of Mavis’ life continues.
Performance Worth Watching: Michelle Buteau is as bubbly as ever, and she really gets us to root for Mavis to succeed in both her career and love life.
Sex And Skin: Not much in the first episode, but there is both in other episodes.
Parting Shot: We see Mavis and Luca sitting in front of the fertility doctor. But Kahlil is also there, feeling very much like a third wheel.
Sleeper Star: Besides some of the guest stars we mentioned, we’ll also see Wyatt Cenac as a benefactor who looks to promote Khalil’s artwork. In the second episode, there is another guest appearance that we won’t spoil, but really enjoyed.
Our Call: STREAM IT. We like that Survival Of The Thickest is bringing Mavis’ story to a conclusion with some funny, inspired episodes that make sense for her arc. We wish more comedies dealt with their stories the way Thickest does.
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.