My entire life, I’ve been told that I am a lot. I get it, I do. Sometimes I cannot stop talking and I don’t like silence so I fill it. But knowing that people think I am too much to be around does hurt. In comes Netflix’s Too Much.
The new series from Lena Dunham stars Meg Stalter as Jessica, a girl who moves to London after her long term boyfriend breaks up with her for a young influencer. It is, according to Dunham, a nod to her own true life love story with husband Luis Felber. Dunham moved to London after her break-up with musician Jack Antonoff and met her now husband. The story of Jessica is similar in that regard.
Jessica leaves New York after she hits rock bottom and goes into her old apartment she shared with her ex and yells at him and his new girlfriend. Her life in London though isn’t as perfect as she thought. She’s struggling to find balance at work, she’s in a complicated relationship with Felix (Will Sharpe) and her “messy girl” lifestyle makes everything…well, messy.
For me, the series is more than just a perfect platform for Stalter, who is known for her work on Hacks. As much as fans already loved her, Too Much allows her to show everyone just how talented she really is. But what really works for me, as someone who has been called “too much,” is that Jessica is always true to herself even when she questions things about her life.
You don’t have to change who you are
When you’re told that you’re a lot, your first thought is to change. I can make myself smaller, I can be quiet, I can not put myself out there as much as I have in the past. What I loved about Too Much is that even when Jessica does have those moments where she feels more down on herself, she is still unapologetically who she is and that’s what makes her so special.
It is the kind of love story that the “too much” girls hope for. Felix is also a bit of a mess and he knows this but together, the two are trying to navigate their own lives and insecurities together. He’s not perfect and neither is Jessica but what is sweet about this show is that even when Jessica is the loud girl that so many of us relate to, she still finds a way to balance that with humor and lightness.
Maybe Too Much is the hope I have always wanted in a love story. I’m loud, “a lot,” and someone who has always thought I’d have to quiet myself to find love. But seeing Jessica not only embrace those qualities about herself but find someone who loves those things about her? That was beautiful and filled me with hope that other romantic stories do not.
So if you’re on the fence about watching Too Much, don’t be! It is well worth the watch.
(featured image: Netflix)
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