I, like many people, will never say no to a good romantic comedy. In fact, I’m much more likely to rewatch one of my comfort movies than to put on something new—a tendency that some of my cinephile friends hate. (Sorry, I can’t help it!) The ‘90s and 2000s rom-coms I grew up watching may not have the most realistic portrayals of love, but the nostalgia and fun they provide are hard to beat. Someone who’d agree with me is Jessica (played by Megan Stalter), the protagonist in Netflix’s new series Too Much, who turns to English romances and period pieces during a devastating breakup.
When Jess’ boyfriend, Zev (Michael Zeger), dumps her for influencer Wendy Jones (Emily Ratajkowski), Jess uses her comfort movies to cope, as well as her private Instagram account, where she records snarky responses to everything Wendy posts. In an attempt to rediscover her sparkle, she accepts a new job in London and finds herself falling for Felix, an indie musician and recovering addict, with a series of red flags.
Too Much follows Jess as she navigates her new life and new not-so-healthy relationship. This 10-part rom-com series is created by Lena Dunham, writer and star of the HBO hit show Girls, and may or may not be inspired by the story of how she met her husband. Too Much feels like a combination of Girls and Emily in Paris, with a touch of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. There has been so much hype around this show, understandably, but does it really live up to it? I binge-watched it over the weekend and am here to share my honest review:
My Review of Too Much
It pays homage to romance movies everyone loves
In an early episode, Felix says to Jess, “Let me guess. You’re one of those Love, Actually-loving girls.” While Jess would describe herself more accurately as the “Wuthering Heights with a Prime Suspect rising” type, her love for British media and rom-coms in general is all over this show. Each episode title is a play on a classic film (for example, “To Doubt a Boy” and “Terms of Resentment”). Some throw in little Easter eggs to their namesakes, like the episode named after Notting Hill featuring Jess’ photo shoot in front of the famous blue door.
“Too Much feels like a combination of Girls and Emily in Paris, with a touch of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”
Other episodes pay homage in structural ways. For example, the Before Sunrise-inspired episode shows Jess and Felix pulling an all-nighter to get to know each other, just like the original film, which takes place over 24 hours. And of course, there are plenty of beloved, stereotypical rom-com moments throughout the show, such as racing through traffic to have a dramatic love confession in the middle of the street. As a fellow lover of love stories, I thought this was such a fun way to represent this aspect of Jess’s character. I also enjoyed seeing which rom-coms inspired Lena Dunham to make her own.
The writing, whether intentional or not, is hit or miss
While the rom-com nods in this film completely won me over, the writing… not so much. I don’t know if Lena Dunham was playing up some of the jokes since the show is called Too Much, but I was not enjoying myself for the first half of the season. There was more cringeworthy dialogue than I expected or cared for. I was shocked to find out Jess is supposed to be in her 30s, because most of the time, she seemed much younger. What’s worse, I found myself thinking that Jess wasn’t so bad in her quieter moments, which immediately made me feel guilty since it’s the exact opposite of the show’s message.
Every once in a while, a funny and relatable scene would pop up, like Jess handing her passport to a customs agent and announcing, “I’m going to London! You might not recognize me; I had bangs in the last picture.” But other moments made me straight up uncomfortable, like Jess saying UTIs make her feel like her “piss-hole is burning fire” while talking to her boss’s wife, whom she’d just met an hour prior. It just seemed very unrealistic. We do eventually get an explanation for why the writing was a little off, but I wish that reveal had come sooner in the show. It might have been easier to get through with more context.
There are painfully relatable moments
However, even with all the cringeworthy moments, some incredibly relatable scenes shone through. In the episode titled “Pink Valentine,” almost the entire hour runtime is a flashback/montage of Jess and Zev’s almost decade-long relationship. It starts with a classic meet-cute and an almost-kiss in a bar. Then, he meets her family, they move in together, and they even get a dog. They match each other’s energy so well at the start. But little by little, Zev starts to tear Jess down. He calls her taste in music “manufactured bullshit,” throws away her pink pillows, and tells her she’s selfish for having an anxious attachment style and needing constant reassurance. “I used to feel so special about me,” she says to him. “You just want to beat me into submission.”
“It might not be your favorite watch of the year, but the soundtrack and rom-com-inspired episodes are enough to see it through until the end.”
While many moments in the show feel unrealistic, this one hits hard. It’s no secret that Jess has a strong personality, and seeing someone slowly crush it while claiming he loves her is heartbreaking. How many women can relate to that? Thanks to this episode, it becomes clear how much Jess’s self-esteem took a hit in her relationship, and it provides more context for certain interactions with characters like Felix and even Wendy. It’s a definite turning point, and one that ultimately kept me watching.
The soundtrack is full of bangers
Another aspect of the show that kept me glued to the TV was the music. I love when a movie or show uses music to elevate the story it’s telling, whether it’s a song that perfectly describes the scene it’s in or an artist I’m obsessed with. Too Much has plenty of both. The first episode starts with a bang: an opening montage of Jess exploring London set to, you guessed it, London Bridge by Fergie. Other highlights included Girls by The Dare being featured in a club scene that made me say “hell yeah” out loud while watching, and Taylor Swift’s Bigger Than the Whole Sky playing as Jess says a final goodbye of sorts to her past relationship in the finale. While I won’t be rewatching the series, there’s no doubt I will be adding its soundtrack to my go-to playlist.
So, should you watch Too Much?
You might have more fun with this series if you’re a fan of Lena Dunham or Girls, but if you can’t handle secondhand embarrassment (like me), this is not the show for you. I had a really hard time during the first few episodes; however, I will say that I appreciate its overall message in the end. Jess wasn’t “too much” for someone like Zev; he just wasn’t enough for her (a breakup lesson a lot of us can relate to). Her story of love, loss, and self-discovery proves that we’re all a work in progress in our own way and that even though life doesn’t play out like the movies, we’re all worthy of a happy ending.
With that said, if you’re looking for a quick binge-watch or something to throw on while you’re cleaning your apartment, hit play. It might not be your favorite watch of the year, but the soundtrack and rom-com-inspired episodes are enough to see it through until the end.
Hannah Carapellotti, Contributing Writer
Hannah is an Ann Arbor-based writer with a bachelor’s in English and writing from the University of Michigan. Outside of The Everygirl, Hannah has written for The Michigan Daily, where she also served as an editor. She currently works at an independent bookstore and is interning for a literary agency.
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