"You Me Her" Season 4 premiers, and other polyamory on TV

Darko Sikman/ AT&T AUDIENCE Network

The "polyromantic comedy" series You Me Her opens its fourth season tonight (Tuesday April 9) at 10 on AT&T's Audience Network. There is no other show like it on television.

Season 1 was about a troubled couple who, independently, fell for the same third person by way of comic flukes: a novelty gimmick. But creator/producer John Scott Shepherd soon realized that the show was onto something bigger. Season 2 began straight off with the three together in a serious, all-around polyamorous relationship, and things have grown from there.

Life, of course, hasn't been easy for them. Tonight's opening of Season 4 is titled "Triangular Peg, Meet Round World." Season 5 is already scheduled for 2020.

Trailer for Season 4:




Rather than say more I'll send you to Paste magazine yesterday, The Charming Poly Rom-Com You Me Her Reveals the Biggest Problem with 'Peak TV' (April 8, 2019). The "problem" in the title is that a remarkable show like this can go undiscovered on an obscure channel like Audience.

Excerpts:

By LaToya Ferguson

...Though the first season leans on the characters’ sexual relationship(s) more than subsequent seasons, You Me Her is not a show about sex and titillation. It’s about romance and love and all that crap: The series is so committed to the rom-com genre that there’s even, at one point, a last-minute dash to the airport. ...

...The series itself roots for its protagonists to make their unconventional relationship work. It doesn’t make it easy for them to do so, but it is invested in their success: While the phrase “just a phase” may have come up, Shepherd and company make perfectly clear that it’s not the answer, and if the series entertains the idea, it’s ultimately to topple it.

...Their (very supportive) friends wonder how they can even function in the world, throuple or not. Indeed, the supporting cast is as integral to the series as the leads: Jack, Emma, and Izzy are each allowed to have substantial, separate relationships with their best friends ... which is another way You Me Her stands out from other rom-coms.

...For a comedy series about polyamory that doesn’t shame it or make it a punchline to be this far under the radar is baffling. ... This is a light romantic comedy about three people who are in love with each other, one that explores the spectrum of sexuality and identity and self-discovery in a way that doesn’t often get explored in more mainstream series. And it’s also not as though the cast is a bunch of total unknowns ... But the conundrum of “peak TV” is that the proliferation of series and networks/platforms has made accessing specific shows more difficult. ...

AUDIENCE [Network]... lacks what’s called “brand awareness.” ... There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s an audience for the series, and its five-season run on AUDIENCE suggests that it’s something of a hit for the network. But the series is only available to watch via AT&T video platforms like DirecTV and U-Verse, international (not American) Netflix, or DVD. ...  You Me Her is, sadly, an object lesson in how shows fall through the cracks when there’s more TV — and more good TV — than ever.

● Five-minute vid on Cheddar.com: 'You Me Her' Stars Talk About The Love and Drama of Season Four (April 8):



Rachel Blanchard (Emma) says here, "I hope that people in the polyamorous community see themselves reflected in what we're sharing on screen."

Priscilla Faia (Izzy) says, "Since the show has aired we've had so many people [in the community] that contact us and talk to us about it. We're so grateful and lucky we get to be involved that way."

● On the Daily Brief: ‘You Me Her’ Wonders If Polyamory Can Survive the Suburbs (March 12).

...At the end of last season, the three sealed the deal with an impromptu commitment ceremony at a pizza joint. Now that they are back living their settled lives in the suburbs, how will they handle new people who are curious about their lifestyle and might be interested in joining in?

● More on the show's Twitter.

Update May 10: Says Hollywood Reporter today, "'You Me Her' Ending With Season 5 on AT&T's Audience Network. With season five set to begin filming on May 21, the network opted to make it the last run. There's no word yet on a premiere date or episode count for the final season. Past seasons have run for 10 episodes." Article.

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Meanwhile, to expand our view, polyamory in one form or another is finally infiltrating television more widely. For instance, these have been in the media just since the start of 2019:


● Now Apocalypse, recently launched on Starz, is reviewed by a Slate writer: How Now Apocalypse Creator Gregg Araki Foresaw Our Pansexual Present (March 27).

    – And on Hidden Remote, The 3 main reasons you need to be watching Now Apocalypse (April 1).


● Siren is in its second season on Freeform.  Says TVLine, Siren Season 2 Is Giving Us TV's First Polyamorous Mermaid Thruple (Jan. 24).

    – On Syfy's site, Siren Turns Its Mermaids into Pansexual, Polyamorous Killers (Feb. 27).

    – A rave on the feminist The Mary Sue: Siren’s Polyamorous Relationship Is One of the Most Refreshing Queer Relationships on TV (Feb. 5).

    – Update June 13, 2019: A long, detailed, positive review on Paste.com: From Ecoterrorism to Polyamory, the Second Season of Siren Continues to Transcend Expectation. "Freeform’s quiet, murderous mermaid series has only gotten bolder and more interesting as it’s found its sealegs."

    – Update June 14: Breaking into the bigtime? TV Guide interviews the actress who plays the show's lead character Ryn, the deadly mermaid in a poly triad: Siren's Alex Roe is Proud to Portray TV's Most Interesting Polyamorous Relationship.


● Future Man. As Pride.com notes, Polyamorous Families Thrive in Hulu's Post-Apocalyptic Comedy (Jan. 16).


● The Wanderlust series (BBC, Netflix) has been dissed in poly circles for cringiness, but Canada's National Post said Netflix's Wanderlust offers an honest examination and a unique discussion around polyamory (Jan. 2).

    – Poly comedian and activist Kate Smurthwaite discusses Wanderlust and delivers this memorable line: "It demonstrates one of the most important axioms of the media: If you want to know how to do something, don't look at the mainstream media [such as that]. Wanderlust is sort of a master class in how not to do open relationships":




● I'd never heard of the long-running teen soap Hollyoaks on British TV (Channel 4), but a couple months ago came this: Hollyoaks lines up polyamorous relationship storyline for Tom Cunningham (Digital Spy, Feb. 15).

    – And, Hollyoaks spoilers: Soap to explore polyamory storyline between Tom, Peri and Harley (Metro UK, Feb. 14).

    – But this is a soap opera, so of course the poly relationship didn't last long: Hollyoaks star Mollie Lambert speaks out after Harley Frater's surprise exit (Digital Spy, March 9).


● Teasings of a polyamory direction coming on the macabre Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix, Hulu), on Digital Spy: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina needs to be brave and subvert the 'love triangle' (April 5). "Give the people what they want."


● A distant early alert about The Simpsons is getting a lot of notice this week in the queer press (and, furiously, on Breitbart). First out in Metro UK: The Simpsons showrunner teases Lisa’s sexuality and could become polyamorous president (April 2).

The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean has high hopes for Lisa in her future – and has backed up the suggestion she could become the first polyamorous bisexual president. Despite being stuck aged eight for the past 30 years, smart-alec Lisa Simpson is clearly wise beyond her years, and thanks to the magic of flash-forwards and dream sequences, we’ve been given glimpses to who she could become as an adult. ... Al also confirmed that the team were looking to bring more diversity to the show – including more LGBT characters. ... Lisa was seen in a flash forward card to have been in a throuple. ...

Future Simpsons family portrait? Bart looks jealous of Lisa's triad. (Fox) 

 

● Don't forget about three indie webseries that have been out for a while: Compersion, Unicornland, and 195 Lewis. At last February's Poly Living con in Philadelphia, Ruby Johnson of Poly Dallas called 195 Lewis "my idea of the most realistic portrayal of positive black poly community," with its highlighting of "the mutual support and community solidarity." She called 195 Lewis "a cult classic" among women of color. "The first couple episodes are a bit rough technically, but it gets better."

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● Oh, while we're at it, here's The Daily Dot's pick of the nine Best Sex-Positive TV Shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime (March 14).

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Says Vice: "TV Is Finally Starting to Get Polyamory Right"

They are referring to You Me Her, which is now 8 episodes into the 10 of its more serious Season 2. And also the independent webseries Unicornland, about which more to come.

The article just went up Monday evening:

TV Is Finally Starting to Get Polyamory Right

The You Me Her triad takes on the world.

By Ilana Novick

We chat with the creators of 'Unicornland' and 'You Me Her' about the importance of showing realistic depictions of polyamory.

Recently, New York Magazine reported that a 2016 study of two nationally representative groups of single Americans found 20% of respondents practiced some form of non-monogamy in their lifetime. YouGov found 31% of women and 38% of men surveyed said their ideal relationship would involve multiple partners at some point. Now, television is ready to explore what it's like to date — and even marry — outside the bounds of traditional monogamy.

Though this has popped up in a few television shows — Broad City's Ilana is vocal about open relationships, and No Tomorrow's Xavier explicitly brings up "ethical non-monogamy" — there are two recent series that are tackling the subject head-on. The web series Unicornland follows Annie (Laura Ramadei), a newly-divorced woman who explores her sexuality by dating couples. You Me Her, TV's "first polyromantic comedy" on Audience Network, is about a thirtysomething couple (Greg Poehler and Rachel Blanchard) who both fall in love with a grad student, grappling with what happens when polyamory comes out of the shadows and into the suburbs.

A few years ago, if Americans wanted to explore this interest on television, the options were limited. The choices included Big Love, its reality show alter-ego Sister Wives, and the kinds of documentaries that, as You Me Her creator John Scott Shepherd explained in a phone interview, made their subjects seem like "fringe members of the sexual society."

Unlike either the subjects of said documentaries, Jack and Emma are squarely within the mainstream of their community...

...Shepherd, however, is intent on puncturing those beautiful surfaces. The series really gets interesting when the music stops and Jack, Emma, and Izzy are forced to contend with whether their relationship is a real three-way commitment, or a way for each of them to avoid their individual and collective fears: of growing up, starting a family, and possibly having to live with making wrong decisions.

You Me Her is committed to showing the honest frustrations and realities about this non-traditional relationship. Izzy's concerns over whether she's an equal partner or just a plaything in Jack and Emma's marriage are entirely understandable, but it never seems to occur to her that perhaps it might be not only awkward, but life-changing, for the couple to welcome her openly into their lives. On the other hand, it also doesn't seem to occur to Jack and Emma that their desire to hide this relationship may be robbing Izzy of her own twenties.

That tension, according to Shepherd, was by design....

Unicornland's tensions, by contrast, are more internal. ... The series follows Annie, freshly divorced and exploring the sexuality she stifled during her marriage. Each short episode is centered around a date (or club encounter, or sex party) with a different couple, each couple and each situation a stepping stone for Annie on her sexual and emotional journey.



...She's awkward and tentative at first, rushing to the bathroom at the beginning of the series' first date and psyching herself up on the mirror: "You're beautiful. They're attracted to you. You're a young, grown up woman. You can do this." ...

Web series only have so much space, and it's tempting to wonder what the episodes would look like with more recurring characters, more room for emotional stakes and more time to let the stories play out further. It's fascinating to follow Annie's journey, but, possibly because of the short episodes, it sometimes feels like each moment of growth happens so quickly.

Still, the couples are diverse and it's a pleasure to watch Annie's comfort level increase as the series goes on. In the first couple of episodes she seems eager to please, to achieve like she's gunning for an A in dating. With time, her confidence builds: she heads to a club bathroom with a couple she's picked up on a dance floor or spends a lazy afternoon in bed with a college friend and her girlfriend. She finally has agency, and it's a cathartic viewing experience.

As creator Lucy Gillespie put it in a phone interview, "In the beginning especially, what Annie's doing is really just fucking around. As she continues, I think that anybody who does something for long enough is gonna look into what that is. If you play the piano long enough, you might start to think about music theory."

Both series creators report positive feedback from their non-monogamous viewers. Gillespie says, "We've been showered with support and love. The only negative stuff that I've heard is that it's another woman dating couples, but again, the series is sort of about my experience. As a creator, you get to choose what the series is about, so sorry, buddy. Write your own series."

Shepherd has even heard from poly recappers who review every episode. They seem to like it because "it's not a show about threesomes. It's a show about a romantic relationship between three people." Poly viewers appreciate that, as Shepherd continued, "they're not portrayed as sexually obsessed, or deviant ... They really respond to that. That makes me feel good."

The whole article (April 10, 2017).

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You Me Her: More media attention before tonight's show

Tonight (Tuesday February 21) at 8:30 ET/PT, we get the second episode of this season's You Me Her — the Audience Network's romcom in which our three characters from Season 1 have become a full-up polyamorous triad, facing the world together as three. It airs on DirectTV and U-verse and is available from DirecTV on demand or online afterward. (In Canada, Season 2 begins on HBO Canada on March 5.)

Since last week's post, more has appeared in the news.

● The Guardian takes note:

The retro romcom with three-way chemistry

This surprisingly earnest and old-fashioned sitcom explores a very contemporary question – is monogamy the only way?

By Rebecca Nicholson

...Why you’ll love it: You Me Her tells the story of Jack and Emma Trakarsky, a married couple pushing 40 with a nice big house, aspirational jobs and a tepid sex life. ... The wheels are in motion for a retro romcom with an ultra-current twist....

For all its attempts to explore what feels like a contemporary question – is monogamy the only way? – there’s something incredibly earnest and old-fashioned about You Me Her. There is no suggestion that it’s merely about sex and desire, as emotions and attachments between all parties form rapidly, and in fact, what it leans towards is a pretty traditional form of a non-traditional relationship....

But there is something charming about it nonetheless. Poehler and Blanchard are just the right side of sweet, while Priscilla Faia, who plays Izzy, is just the right side of intense. The three-way chemistry is palpable. The lingering shots of Portland are not unpleasant. It sits somewhere between a sex farce and Sleepless In Seattle, which is not a combination that should be successful, but on occasion, when the jokes land as they should, it hits the spot.

The whole article (February 16, 2017).


● On the show's Facebook page is a brief "sneak peak" video of tonight's Episode 2:
www.facebook.com/youmeheraudience/videos/815907768611827.


● HiddenRemote.com interviews the actress who plays Izzy: Meeting “Her” – An Interview with ‘You Me Her’ Star Priscilla Faia (Feb. 14). Some long chunks of it:

We spoke to the rising star, where she gushes about how the Polyamory community has embraced the show and how much she adores Amy Adams.

Hidden Remote: How has the Polyamorous community embraced you and your character?

Priscilla Faia: Last season when we were doing press for the show, we had lots of people from the polyamorous community coming to… we had a few come to our premiere in Austin and we had a bunch of people – which was awesome – come to our premiere in New York.

I think that with any new representation of a community, I think that there’s always going to be holdups about how they’re going to be portrayed because, I think that sometimes when we’re looking at alternative relationships they can be overly sexualized in the media. But I think that’s where our show is different, because our show isn’t about sex, it’s about relationships and that’s what Polyamory is, it’s about having love with more than one person. So in that aspect, the feedback has been great, because you know being in a Polyamorous relationship is just like a regular relationship just with more than one person. So, there’s the positive aspects of that, and the challenges just like with any relationship, and I think that John does a really great job of portraying both sides.

So to answer your question, I think you know from what I’ve heard from the feedback on Twitter and what have you has been positive, which I’m very grateful for we want to represent them in the best way we possibly can.

Hidden Remote: I love that about You Me Her, and [that] the relationship aspect isn’t all about sex.

Priscilla Faia: Me too, that’s why I love the show so much. The reason I love being an actor is storytelling. We want to see the dynamics that happen between people and how that affects life and what have you and, like we said with You Me Her, it’s really relationship-centric and it doesn’t just stop at the three of us – it goes further to our supporting characters, to our best friends, with Nina who is played by Melanie Papalia and Carmen and Dave (Jen Spence and Ennis Esmer) and the neighbors and so on.

Hidden Remote: Izzy is the “unicorn” of the relationship, with the term generally having negative connotations… I don’t see Izzy accepting the usual negativity of that label.

Priscilla Faia: ...For Season 1 there’s definitely more of a unicorn aspect because she comes into this marriage with Jack and Emma and they have difficulties. There are things missing within each other that Izzy fulfills, and that’s what brings them together. And Izzy’s also not committed in any way to them, she gets to come in and out of their marriage so there’s this kind of fairy-like presence of her, when she comes in and changes their world and pops in and out throughout the season.

But in Season 2, we see a shift. In Season 2 we see that Izzy’s desires have changed and that she wants more, she wants the commitment, she wants to actually be with these people. Which is really exciting for me as an actor to play that arc for her, cause whenever we get to watch somebody go through a huge internal shift is always really exciting.

Hidden Remote: She is experiencing what the Poly community calls “New Relationship Energy” two-fold with Jack and Emma. What benefits is she experiencing and what’s the biggest issue she’ll find herself struggling with in Season 2?

Priscilla Faia: That’s kind of what Season 2 is about, new relationships. Sorry what’d you call it? I want to get this right, New Relationship Energy? ... John Scott Shepard — who is our Showrunner, Executive Producer, and he created the series — talks about Season 2 being now we’re in the realistic area of what happens when you’re in a relationship. What is it like having three people in a home, living, sleeping, and being intimate together, and the complications that arise from that. There’s always someone left out in a three-person dynamic. There’s always somebody that’s going to be left out, and how do they move past those complications and move towards each other instead of away, and we explore all of that in Season 2.

...And with any relationship, especially that of with multiple partners, you have to move into the love instead of the lust. I think that Izzy wants that, so I don’t think the new energy going away is something that she even considers possible. ... Izzy just believes that everybody deserves to have the life that they desire and you know, she’s someone who jumps in first and figures it out later....

You know when you’re going about life and something big happens and you go, “Oh, I have to grow up a little bit”? I think that that’s what’s happening....

Hidden Remote: Who would you say Izzy is most attracted to in her new Poly relationship, Jack or Emma?

Priscilla Faia: I don’t think it’s who she’s more attracted to, she is falling deeply for both of them equally. But within any dynamic where there’s more than one person, there’s a shift. Every moment of “who are you connecting with more?” in that moment, “who’s falling on the wayside?” in another moment. So there’s this constant shift between the three of them, of pulling into one another and pulling back – because it’s new. It’s new and they’re trying to figure this out....

Hidden Remote: Is there a specific scene you’re particularly excited for fans to see?

Priscilla Faia: Yeah, you know in the second episode I believe, they come out to the neighborhood to say “this is our reality, this is who we are”, and I’m really excited for everyone to see what happens, because you know in Season 1 Jack and Emma and Izzy all try very hard to keep it a secret because they’re afraid of the scrutiny and the judgment and when they finally do it, it’s surprising. I’m really excited for people to see that....

● TheGate.ca has another interview with Faia.

When season two returns on February 14, things are more complicated than ever. Izzy has moved in with Jack and Emma. Their living arrangement is out in the open. Can this unconventional romance thrive in a society based on tradition and that clearly defines what love should be?

...Where do we find this trio in season two?

Faia: “This season is all about now that we’ve decided we want to do this, what does it look like? We are learning this on the fly....

This season is about bravery. Bravery is living a life that you want, that makes you happy, but it’s nothing like you intended it to look like. We explore the reality of coming out to their friends and the unexpected response they get. I think there’s a misconception of, ‘Oh. What are you talking about?’ We’re past that, I feel. We’re past the judgment of that. In this world, they are much more accepting of those things, so we get to navigate them through that.

Despite their brave decisions or choices, in what ways are they at a crossroad this year? How have the emotional stakes been raised?

Faia: First of all, they’ve all moved in together. What does that look like? Moving in with anybody, whether it be one person or two people, is an adjustment. ... Izzy’s status in this relationship really shifts. She becomes more of an adult and stands up for what she really wants, which is this relationship. The stakes are raised because things are getting more serious. It’s about building deep intimate relationships.

How rewarding has it been to be on a show that breaks stereotypes and fosters conversations about what love really is?

I love being a part of something that shakes things up. It’s important to have shows where we can think and ask questions and break the barriers. Tradition puts us into boxes and it’s important to celebrate the different communities and creative outlets people have. We’re tapping into this new wave about how people are living their lives.

If one person who is stuck in their life watches our show and says, “What if I live my life a different way?” that makes me really happy. I think it’s incredible.

● And therefore, the right-wing site NewsBusters is hot and bothered:

You might wonder why a telecommunications company, together with Entertainment One, is hosting a show that attempts to normalize “throuples,” or romantic threesomes....

Just as Will & Grace normalized the gay lifestyle in the early 2000s, You Me Her is a blatant attempt to normalize polyamory. Despite what many progressives would deny, sexual deviancy is a slippery slope. Gay marriage paved the way for other heretofore taboo behaviors. Deadline's Pete Hammond called polyamory "TV's new sexual frontier." And show creator John Scott Shepherd has confessed as much, describing his attempt to "mainstream" the behavior and make it "relatable."

Folks who watch, please tell us your impressions in the comments below.

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"Audience Network’s polyromantic series ‘You Me Her’ gets brave in Season 2"

Last spring's Season 1 of You Me Her was, from what I gather, mainly focused on the triad's improbable getting-together (the premise seemed forced), and then on drawing the TV audience into a novel concept. In other words, an outside-looking-in perspective on polyamory.

Now, if we believe the Deadline Hollywood story below, writer-director Scott Shepherd has done more research and is shifting the camera to an inside-looking-out perspective: the viewpoint from a triad facing the world. The three now live together, they fret as a group about coming out, and as a group they declare to other people that they're a "throuple."

Season 2 premieres on DirecTV's Audience Network February 14th (at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT).

Audience Network’s Polyromantic Series ‘You Me Her’ Gets Brave In Season 2

By Anthony D'Alessandro

When it comes to the second season of Audience Network’s threesome romantic comedy series You Me Her, the honeymoon is over.

More specifically, after playing out the high jinks involved in a polyamorous relationship, and the whole “hiding” facet of it, creator John Scott Shepherd said at TCA today that Season 2 will deal with “what happens when they go home.”

In You Me Her, Jack (Greg Poehler) is a suburban husband who has a fling with escort Izzy (Priscilla Faia). But she also winds up becoming involved with Jack’s wife Emma (Rachel Blanchard).

Essentially, after researching everyday people with LGBT and polyamorous relationships, Shepherd decided that the series should deal with the reality of this trio coming out to their friends and family and dealing with the complexities that creates. In regards to the leading protags, Shepherd adds, “They needed to say this is our reality, which may not look like everyone’s happiness, but it had to be brave.

...“The biggest challenge in these relationships is that someone always feels left out or that they don’t have their place,” says Shepherd. Next season, Poehler’s Jack lights a fuse that blows up in his face.

Nonetheless, as complicated as a polyromantic relationship can be, for a comedy series, there’s plenty of material.

Says Shepherd: “Romantic comedies are hard to do as features, because it’s hard to figure out the roadblocks. But they’re baked in here. For the life of the series, there are forces pulling them apart such as going to a more conventional lifestyle or there’s a friend or family. The magic moment is where the romance sparks; they’re better than when they’re apart.”

Season 2 of You Me Her premieres, appropriately, on Valentine’s Day.

Original article (January 5, 2017).


● From an AT&T/ Audience Network press release:

Season 1 of “You Me Her” was a contemporary classic rom-com that just happened to involve 3 people, from meet-cute straight through the iconic race to the airport. Now that grad student Izzy is moving in with suburban couple Jack and Emma, season 2 is about the complex realities of polyamory and “throupling.”

What happens when this peculiar rom-com fades to black? Can they prove their best, truest, happiest lives really are together, even when more conventional alternatives beckon? They stood up to the outside world but now they have to face something even more formidable: themselves. Taking the leap was just the beginning. Season 2 is about holding on when letting go seems so much easier.

● A longer story appears at HiddenRemote:

5 Things We Learned from the Season 2 ‘You Me Her’ Teaser Trailer



By Sharina Davenport

Audience Network dropped the much anticipated Season 2 trailer on Wednesday and it has blown our minds. Admittedly, the first season blew our minds so much that we didn’t think we’d ever be prepared for a second season. An alternative lifestyle on prime-time television with an amazing cast; who knew that this is what we needed to fill our TV line-up?

...We’re wondering what the future holds for the three brilliant individual characters, so we’re dissecting the Season 2 trailer to try to put together the pieces!

Jack & Emma Aren’t Without Their Worries

Jack and Emma have a lot to learn about the Polyamory lifestyle; they’re no longer a couple when Izzy is involved. When Izzy is added to the equation that is their new life, she has input to give and her own choices to make with them. Can Jack and Emma find a balance in which Izzy is equal in their home, can they work through their jealousy issues and ensure that Izzy feels like she’s included in the marriage? It may not be an official and legal addition to their marriage, but there are steps Jack and Emma need to take to transition into the throuple lifestyle.

Emma Finally Has What Jack Couldn’t Provide

...From a few clips in the teaser trailer we see a happy Emma, a complete Emma, and even a thrilled Emma. When Emma married Jack, she didn’t just give up her bisexuality – it’s always been there and now she can finally explore that side of her in a comfortable yet dynamic relationship.

Izzy is Still Her Own Person

...How will she transition into the relationship? Will she maintain her anti-misogynistic ways and perhaps teach Jack a few more things on how to love and respect a woman?

The Three of Them Are on Cloud Nine

There’s so many smiles in the trailer that we can’t help but root for these guys! ...With new relationship energy flowing in their veins, the three of them are bound to crash back to the real world soon enough. The question is, how will they deal with that?

They Are Finally Official

In the trailer we see Emma stood in front of what seems to be a house party, the three of them come out to what seems to be their neighbors. They’re about to be judged at every corner, but we have a feeling there’s nothing the three of them cannot accomplish together!

What We Hope They Address in Season 2:

– Polyamory will not save your trashed marriage, but with a lot of communicating and sacrifice it may possibly be the right lifestyle.
– Living with 3 people under the same roof will not be easy, it will have its challenges.
– Hard work goes into maintaining long-term relationships; we’d love to see these three continue to thrive with love in their eyes though!
– The Unicorn aspect definitely needs exploring; there needs to be addressing of the couples privilege to completely woo the more picky members of the poly community. (We’re just thrilled to have it on prime time!)...

The whole article (January 6, 2017).

The filming of Season 2 is finished, and Audience Network already committed to a Season 3.

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*You Me Her* writer/director on "polyamorism"

IndieWire

Audience Network's polyamory dramedy series You Me Her was just renewed for two more seasons; see yesterday's post. John Scott Shepherd, the writer and producer, says he's listening to input from the poly community. So we should get to know him and his thoughts, if we want to help the show represent us in our true interesting-ness.

From an interview that just appeared on IndieWire:

‘You Me Her’ Creator On Making A ‘Premium’ Dramedy That’s Not ‘Duplass-y’

Greg Poehler and Rachel Blanchard in "You Me Her."

By Liz Shannon Miller

Writer John Scott Shepherd’s “You Me Her,” which was renewed Thursday for two more seasons by Audience Network, is unique among TV shows. Despite being what he calls a “premium half hour” [episodes are one hour. –Ed.], a label that could be applied to many other indie-style series like Mark and Jay Duplass’s “Togetherness,” the Portland-set relationship dramedy has tried to make sure it stands out.

Step one: Tackle one of modern society’s most unconventional relationship types — a triad that develops when Jack (Greg Poehler) hires call girl Izzy (Priscilla Faia), who becomes entangled in his marriage with Emma (Rachel Blanchard).

When Shepherd took on the concept of polyamory for the Audience Network/DirecTV original series “You Me Her,” he was surprised to discover that he was tapping into a whole community that was thrilled to see their stories told in an authentic way.

“These real people… it’s so weird, like when you buy a car and you never notice other people driving that car until you bought it,” he told IndieWire. “As soon as you get into this area, you start talking to people who are like, ‘Oh yeah, I know someone,’ or even, ‘I’m in a relationship right now and people constantly tell me it can’t work, but it is working.’ It just opens the door.”

By telling the story of Jack, Emma and Izzy honestly, Shepherd found a whole new way into depicting the subject matter. “I kept thinking of the tone of Working Title movies or ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ or good romantic comedies, the ones that I’ve loved,” he said. “Not only were there stakes, as far as the real world and what it means to do something that different in a community or a society that’s not easily accepted — but could I also create real emotional stakes? Where we actually care about these people and their feelings? If you could accomplish that, if you could take the big idea of polyamorism and then bring it down to the real world and make it relatable, it could be something special.”

The result is a TV series with a real indie film feel....

------------------------------

"Besides not wanting to set it in LA or New York, we didn’t want to have that exact same mumblecore feel. We felt that [the romantic comedy] was being done over and over and over to the point that you couldn’t separate them. I have this problem because I love the form, but which ones are good and which ones aren’t? Do I have to watch them all to find out? Because they do all sort of take on that very, very, very low-concept “Happy Christmas” kind of vibe.

"Another thing that I was interested in experimenting with was, what if it was okay to have a bit of rhythmic, aspirational dialogue in a romantic comedy vibe, and not be afraid of “spiking,” as I call it, whether it’s dramatic or comedic? I do believe that that world of the prestige half hour is going to have to expand its boundaries beyond very, very contained relationship dramedies. Having three people [in one relationship] is an example of that, but there are many other ways to do it. I do think that it’s going to have to happen."

...In terms of working with DirecTV, how has that experience been?

"Really cool. They just are extremely supportive of not just what we’re doing, but also the process. That’s a big part of working outside of broadcast networks. Not everybody thinks TV should be written in a room full of people talking, I come from a background of being a novelist; I think writing happens when you’re alone — that’s where the magic happens, in my pajamas in my cave. I said that that’s how I’d like to do it. I’d like to write the whole series on my own with just the help of the writer’s assistant. I’d like to think of it like a book with 10 chapters. That allowed us all to do it that way. It’s just a whole different way of looking at things."

The whole interview (June 9, 2016).

So, if you were to send him a letter*, what is the one thing you would suggest?

My one thing — to fill a crying gap so far — would be for our entangled trio to meet the wider poly community.

There'd be plenty room for comedy or even snark — like in the newbie-goes-to-a-discussion-group Episode 2 of Terisa Greenan's 2010 poly webseries Family. This could add fascinating background characters. But mostly it could display the essential concept that if you want to master this poly thing, you want to seek out the 30+ years of accumulated, hard-won community wisdom.

A few years ago at a Network for a New Culture Summer Camp East, KamalaDevi (who later went on to a starring role in Showtime's Polyamory: Married & Dating) was asked in a discussion circle, "What's the most important thing for succeeding at polyamory?" She instantly replied, "Community. You need a community."

P.S. June 15: Joreth has begun a series of reviews of the show, on her Poly-ish Movie Reviews site.

------------------------------------------------

* Mailing address:
John Scott Shepherd
c/o Paradigm Talent Agency
360 North Crescent Dr., North Bldg.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-2500.

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*You Me Her* booked for two new seasons

The "polyromantic comedy" You Me Her has been renewed for two more seasons following the success this spring of its 10-episode first season, according to a press release today from Audience Network owner AT&T:

...Created and written by Executive Producer and showrunner John Scott Shepherd... the series was picked up for 10 new episodes each for seasons 2 and 3. It remains exclusive to AUDIENCE Network for DIRECTV and U-verse customers.

..."I appreciate AT&T's commitment to 'You Me Her,' ordering not just 1 but 2 more seasons," said Shepherd. "It benefits us creatively, in our storytelling, and allows us to maintain this spectacular family of cast and crew. Every day is a blast because we get to make something daring, funny and truthful, which bonds us with our viewers in a very cool conversation."

"Our viewers have opened their hearts and minds to embrace the unique relationship between Jack, Emma and Izzy," said Chris Long, senior vice president, Original Content and Production, AT&T. "AUDIENCE strives for compelling story lines and intriguing characters. And we believe in the potential for this show to grow even more as we continue our journey with eOne."

"'You Me Her' is a bold, provocative show that grabs your attention immediately," said John Morayniss, CEO, Entertainment One Television. "We're delighted AT&T has signed on for another 2 more seasons which speaks to the strength of these dynamic characters and storytelling. We're looking forward to seeing how this complicated, polyamorous relationship that John Scott Shepherd has brilliantly created will continue to unfold."...

About the show

"You Me Her," television's first "polyamorous romantic comedy," infuses the grounded and relatable sensibilities of an indie romantic comedy with a distinctive twist.

What begins as an impulsive "date" between suburban husband Jack (Poehler) and neophyte escort Izzy (Faia) spins into a whirlwind 3-way affair including Jack's wife Emma (Blanchard), who's been keeping secrets of her own.

Their arrangement soon breaks free of its financial bonds to evolve into a meaningful romance with real consequences, posing the question to viewers: What if your best, truest life looked nothing like you imagined? Would you be brave enough to live it?

The full press release (June 9, 2016). No word on the timetable.

Here's more about the series, with lots of links. Here are all my posts about it (including this one; scroll down). The show's Facebook page.

Writer/director Shepherd has talked about trying to get things right to the poly community's satisfaction. I take that as an invitation for you to send him your comments and suggestions. The address I found was his official postal one: John Scott Shepherd, c/o Paradigm Talent Agency, 360 North Crescent Dr. North Bldg., Beverly Hills, CA 90210-2500.

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"How the You Me Her Cast and Crew Learned From the Polyamory Community"

You Me Her, Audience Network's self-described "polyromantic comedy," ends its first season tonight with Episode 10. You can watch it from 9 to 10 ET/PT on DirecTV, or later online if you're a DirecTV subscriber. Here are titles and brief summaries of all 10 episodes. Some video clips.

I don't get DirecTV but Billy Holder (of Atlanta Poly Weekend) does, and he's reviewed some episodes in detail. He promises more soon.

The show's producer, Scott Shepherd, is paying attention. He talks about Billy as a poly-expert reviewer, though not name, according to this short piece just out at Vulture.com ("devouring culture"):

How the You Me Her Cast and Crew Learned From the Polyamory Community

Craig Barritt / 2016 Getty Images

By Summer Rej

During this weekend’s third annual Vulture Festival, the AT&T Audience Network presented their original series You Me Her, touted as “television’s first polyromantic comedy.” The Saturday afternoon screening, sponsored by DirecTV, was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Vulture’s Jackson McHenry, with creator John Scott Shepherd [above right] and series stars Greg Poehler and Priscilla Faia on hand for a Q&A. The series, which originally premiered at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival, centers around Portland suburban married couple Jack (Poehler) and Emma Travarsky (Rachel Blanchard), who, in an attempt to enliven their marriage, develop a polyamorous relationship with Izzy Silva (Faia), an inconspicuous grad student by day and escort by night.

In real life, the poly community has come forth to keep tabs on how they are represented, starting with the premiere at SXSW. Recounts Faia: “In Austin, when we premiered at SXSW, it was the first time someone came out in the audience and was like, ‘Thank you, I’m in a polyamorous relationship.’ We’re like Yeah, man. It was great.” Poehler agreed, noting, “It’s great that community has embraced the show.”

“The last time we were in New York, we had a whole community of people come, and they had some questions,” Faia continued, with an audience member correcting Shepherd about the definition of polyamory. “I said, 'It's a committed, romantic relationship between three people.' She said, ‘No! Three or more.’ I said, 'Oh my god, you’re calling me out in front of 500 people, thank you so much.' Three or more, I’ll never get it wrong again.”

Shepherd has little room for error — with some poly members so intent on making sure they are accurately portrayed, he choose to approach the series from an authoritative, critical perspective. “There’s a guy from [a polyamorous] group who writes a synopsis of every episode after he watches, and he grades us,” Shepherd says. “It’s kind of cool, because he’s grading us pretty well. It would suck if he was like, 'F, F, F, F, F'!” While the real life trio doesn’t share the same chemistry — with Poehler joking, “We’re in a relationship, the three of us,” and Faia quickly negating, “Don’t, that’s not funny” — keep an eye to see how the on-screen dynamic develops.

The original (May 22, 2016).

● A longer, deeper than usual interview with the show's two main actresses appeared May 4th at Paste magazine: Rachel Blanchard and Priscilla Faia Talk Polyamory and You Me Her.

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You Me Her: News, reviews & recaps halfway through Season 1

You Me Her, the Audience Network's "polyromantic comedy" series that began on March 22, last night aired Episode 5 of its ten-episode first season. You can watch the show Tuesday nights at 9 ET on DirecTV or AT&T's U-verse, or anytime online if you have a DirecTV account. Episodes run one hour. Director John Scott Shepherd is already saying Season 2 will be "wild."

The concept in case you missed it: A stale married couple fall in love with a wild girl (a grad student and sex worker) and vice versa. Awkward triad dramedy goes round and round, as the relationship slowly grows more serious among all three.

Here's a promo video in which Shepherd describes the show's goals (2:40):




Billy Holder, a longtime polyfamily member, activist, and the creator of Atlanta Poly Weekend, is posting weekly recaps on his blogsite. Short version: he's impressed. The show isn't perfect, he says, but it treats the subject and the characters with respect, and it builds on some genuine, all-too-common situations among polyamory newbies.

Brief excerpts from his posts:

Episode 1:

...Sitting there watching this story, I almost forgot that it was a fictional portrayal. I seriously felt as if I was watching my neighbors, or myself. They did a great job with researching the topic, and the producers really found a way to make this seem real....

At one point Emma (Rachel Blanchard) says to husband Jack (Greg Poelher), “I want to know everything that happened.” I said out loud, “No you really don't. It won't help.” Why? Because I have lived this moment, early on in our explorations into polyamory and open relationships....

Episode 2:

A few things to highlight that I thought were good examples of responsible nonmonogamy behaviors....

[A stormy scene] shows a healthy respect for the relationship they have with each other. Even though emotionally passionate, people are discussing, being open, transparent and sharing emotions. Additionally, showing that it is OK to seek a mental health provider to be a go-between, mediator, to help sort stuff out.

...From a polyamorist’s perspective, this episode was fun and realistic. I commend the show’s creators for accurately depicting a couple falling into a poly relationship. Clumsily like so many do. [The characters] haven’t read any books, they haven’t searched any websites or gone to meetups. They are learning the hard way. Like so many of us have. It isn’t always pretty and fun. It is scary, hard, emotional, and challenges us to be our best self. I think this show has shown that.

Episode 3:

[In] several minutes of stumbling conversation, obviously all people in this are very nervous.... Jack and Emma are shown as almost joined at the hip, standing as one, a couple, a unit. While Izzy is shown alone, moving around a lot, much like a free spirit, single. Emma mentions she hasn’t done anything like this since college… then says, “Omg I just used that line.” In noticing how nervous she sounds in her own head, Izzy asks, “Is my voice as shaky out loud?”

...[Later] as they are smoking [weed] and getting high, they begin to talk about their actions in regards to each other. Emma and Jack talk about their masturbation sessions at work. Then realizing how they may sound creepy, Emma stops and asks if Izzy is freaked out. (Awww, checking on the emotional reaction.) Izzy: “I’m way too self-conscious to be upset. I am flattered that anyone would jack off to me.” Laughs all around…. Then a look of terror strikes Emma as she is faced with the reality that feelings are growing, as she sees something in the way Jack looked at Izzy....

Emma and Jack begin to discuss how, what and when things will happen with Izzy. However, they never ask Izzy what she wants. Izzy even calls them out for it at one point, saying "Thanks for remembering I’m in the room and a human being!”

Have you ever heard the term “couple privilege”? This scene was a FANTASTIC example. Izzy has been unicorned. She is the perfect fit for this couple and the perfect HBB (hot bi babe) that can fill their void.

A conversation about Izzy’s wants, needs, and expectations still was not had on camera.

...Emma and Izzy are in heavy NRE [new-relationship energy] and make very common mistakes of NRE.... Emma fesses up and tells the truth about what happened. I'm here to tell you that is never easy. But it is a requirement.... Honesty is where trust is built.

Again I think the show is doing a really good job of telling the story in a realistic way.

Episode 4:

Another good one. Really insightful into what happens to poly people when their mono friends find out that they are having relationships beyond the “approved societal standards.” All three characters end up in conversations with their friends and neighbors, in which they're told how “this” is going to ruin their marriage, or in the case of Izzy, end up with “someone getting hurt, most likely you.”

The episode opens with Jack and Emma having some pretty incredible sex. They actually talk about what is and isn’t working, what positions feel the best and not so good. Really good sex-positive example. Then Emma asks, “What got into you? We were damn sexy!” Then, “What if it is all Izzy?”

[Later: Jack goes to Izzy's apartment and announces the whole relationship is over, including between Izzy and Emma.] Izzy throws a salute and says, “Oh, says the misogynistic dickface. I am going to consider this evening's appointment [with you] cancelled and whatever the rest of us consenting adults decide to do is up to us.” Yay Izzy standing up for herself and her relationship with Emma!.... [Of course, in about one minute Jack and Izzy are right back to screwing hotter than ever.]

● Here's an interview with producer Shepherd, on Wheretowatch.com: We Chat With the Creator of TV’s First Polyromantic Comedy (April 15, 2016).

By Bryan Abrams

After watching a couple of episodes of You Me Her, you realize that a lot of the story-beats you were waiting for haven't arrived, and the show is moving to its own peculiar, beguiling rhythm. In fact, you realize you've never seen TV quite like it, and that perhaps it really is television's first "polyromantic comedy," as the show's been billed. Neither dark and twisted or goofy and unrealistic, You Me Her is a look at what might actually happen to a married couple if they both had real feelings for the same woman....

Let's start with the casting, which is always crucial, and especially so here, considering we spend almost all our time with the three leads.

The casting philosophy was that these are real people in the real world. A lot of extramarital shows get sort of un-relatable, you know, like pretend frogs in real gardens, with no consequences or stakes — they seem to exist in a vacuum. The whole idea of You Me Her was, what if? What if this was happening to me in main street, Portland. That idea drove us....

...The premise of a polyromantic relationship has been explored before, but not quite in a true rom-com fashion. What intrigued you about doing it this way?

All these assumptions about our happiness, relationship wise, what works for us, the idea that everyone’s happiness works the same — that’s not the case.... The idea of approaching polyamory as a polyromantic comedy, that’s not about dire circumstances and damaged people hurting each other, appealed to me. What if this is right for these three?... The hardest part of rom-coms is finding a real reason to pull the two lovers apart. Also, to make it the guy who's struggling.... Instead of him being the one that's the happiest with the arrangement, he’s the one with most at stake, he’s the most wary of it, he’s the most concerned that he may end up the odd man out....

● Deadline Hollywood: Audience Network’s ‘Kingdom’ And ‘You Me Her’ Push Boundaries (April 10):

...Meanwhile, You Me Her seeks to introduce the word “polyamory” into the national vocabulary. Created by John Scott Shepherd and inspired by a Playboy magazine article [allegedly, but maybe not really –Ed.], the story examines the love affair between two women and a man.

Appearing on the [April 10 "Contenders" Emmys] panel with cast members Rachel Blanchard and Priscilla Faia, Shepherd said the show attempts to show such a relationship from a realistic perspective, showing ordinary people in an extraordinary situation. He said the audience should be able to imagine themselves caught in such a dilemma.

He called the series part of a trend toward the “prestige half hour” in television. Shepherd also noted that while the series seeks to be naturalistic, “Season 2 is wild.”

● Priscilla Faia, who plays Izzy, had this to say during an interview on Untitled TV (April 12):

Q: Polyamorous relationships are still a foreign concept to most of us. Through the course of filming did you learn anything about them that made you think differently about them?

To be honest, polyamory was a totally new concept for me. I hadn’t heard much about it before in a real context. I think a lot of people have a false impression that polyamory is like swinging. Swinging is described as sex oriented. Polyamory is based around creating deep relationships with more than one person. I thought that was interesting. I’m a huge advocate for people expressing themselves however they see fit. So I was down....

● Faia also gave an interview to GoldDerby (April 6), with video:

"I think people are going to be very surprised," declares Priscilla Faia as we chat via webcam about her new DirecTV's series You Me Her. "...The show’s not about sex, it’s about connection and relationships."

As she explains, “You see this guy, who’s married, who is possibly maybe having a threesome with these two women, but it is so different from that. It’s totally told from a unique perspective. It’s about the average joe, this suburban couple that are really falling for this girl and she is falling for them.... We’re moving into an era where we have all these shows that are really uncomfortably honest, but that’s why they’re so funny, because everyone that watches it says, 'Oh god, I know exactly what that’s like.' It’s relatable.”

Rather than being apprehensive about the subject matter, she was keen to shine a light on people and relationships that do not neatly fit the stereotypes we normally see on television. "I really loved the possibility of being part of something that would stir up some conversation.... What if the life that you want to live is nothing like you thought it was going to be. Would you risk it all to live it? That’s the big message of our show.”

● Meanwhile, Dan Gainor of the wingnutty Media Research Center declares on talk radio that You Me Her is "putting a nuclear weapon under the nuclear family and destroying it" (as reported by Right Wing Watch, a project of the liberal People for the American Way; April 18).

● My previous posts about the show, which include some video clips:

March 23: A poly review of You Me Her

March 22: You Me Her, DirecTV's "polyromantic comedy," debuts tonight

March 9: You Me Her: a "polyromantic comedy" debuts March 22 on Audience Network

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Update, May 4: A longer, deeper interview with the show's two main actresses, at Paste magazine: Rachel Blanchard and Priscilla Faia Talk Polyamory and You Me Her (May 4).

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Poly review of You Me Her

From left to right, Emma (Rachel Blanchard), Jack (Greg Poehler)
and Izzy (Priscilla Faia), as Izzy plays with a lock of Emma's hair.

At the SXSW festival a couple weeks ago, poly journalist and activist Kit O'Connell previewed the first two episodes of You Me Her, the self-described "polyromantic" sitcom that debuted on DirecTV last night. And he talked to its writer. He's posted a long, thoughtful review from a poly-community perspective. Excerpts:

You Me Her: ‘Be Careful What You Wish For.’ And Polyamory On TV.

By Kit O'Connell

“Be careful what you wish for,” declared Greg Poehler during the SXSW audience Q&A for “You Me Her”...

He was describing the reaction of Jack, the character he plays in the show, to discovering that his wife is bisexual.... But he could also be describing my reaction to the news that a sitcom centered around polyamory was coming to the airwaves. My trepidation was compounded by the fact that there seemed to be very little information on the show online... and even further when the show’s publicity team seemed reluctant to grant me access to their talent at SXSW.

...The quick version:

“You Me Her” doesn’t get everything right, but it represents an important “baby step” toward seeing alternative relationships and ethical non-monogamy represented on TV.

If you’re concerned about spoilers, I’ve mostly contained them to the next section, and tried to keep them to a minimum after that.

The basics: Izzy meets Jack & Emma

Jack and Emma (Rachel Blanchard), a cisgendered, upper middle class white couple living in a suburban Portland neighborhood, stopped having sex after they couldn’t conceive a baby. Even worse, they’ve stopped being intimate altogether.... One day, Jack’s brother Gabe (Kevin O’Grady, charmingly boorish) confesses that he hired an escort, and the experience reinvigorated his sex life with his wife. So Jack finds Izzy (Priscilla Faia) on the Internet, and makes a date.... On Izzy’s date with Jack, a long, drunken conversation turns into an over-heated make-out session before a guilt-stricken Jack pushes her away and runs home to confess to his wife.

Emma hires Izzy the next day with the intention of confronting her. She’s not as much angry as curious: she wants to understand why Jack likes this woman. She discovers Izzy is a smart, sexy, likable woman — especially likable after Izzy gives Emma a foot job under the table at a shadowy pub where they meet, then the pair make out in the bathroom.

The first episode ends as Jack and Emma have passionate sex before Jack confesses that he briefly saw Izzy again to say goodbye, and Emma confesses that she more than saw Izzy, and that she’s bisexual.

The second episode aired at SXSW reveals the aftermath of that night and those first encounters. Izzy is clearly emotionally entangled with the couple already, and struggles to pay attention to her nominal boyfriend, Andy (Jarod Joseph). Jack and Emma are enjoying the afterglow and their fantasies of another encounter, while at the same time struggling to understand what it means for their marriage and their lifestyle....

The good and bad of ‘You Me Her’

...I’m more concerned by how reductive Izzy’s character seems in the first two episodes, despite being a “progressive” depiction in the media. Although she’s no “Pretty Woman,” she’s being perfectly set up to be rescued from reluctant sex work by Jack and Emma....

Overall, the show depicts the simplest, most vanilla, most non-threatening to the status quo configuration of nonmonogamy imaginable: a bisexual woman who conveniently finds herself almost perfectly situated to join an established married couple who need someone to recharge their sexual and romantic lives....

I don’t want to be too hard on this show, which has a lot going for it too. Writer John Scott Shepherd’s words and the skillful performance of the actors achieve some very real moments in the first two episodes. I think anyone that’s stepped outside their (or society’s) sexual comfort zones can relate to the simultaneous feelings of exhilaration and trepidation Jack and Emma feel together. Like many polyamorous people, I’ve found sexual intimacy with a new person can reinvigorate my lust for the other lovers I’ve already had. And for all that some of us may be tired of seeing “hot bi babe” hunters on OKCupid, I’ve never seen a show that focuses on a three person relationship like this, even if it’s one that doesn’t look much like the ones I’ve been in.

I also appreciate that Jack is set up to be the person with the most to lose, and the most hesitation about going outside of cultural norms. While the perception of polyamory is frequently that its driven by male lust, in my experience heterosexual men are often terrified of granting their partners freedom to explore their desires. And used to being the recipient of patriarchal privilege and power, I’ve sometimes seen these dudes crumble at the idea of giving up even a tiny percentage of that privilege by joining a sexual minority....

John Scott Shepherd at the SXSW premiere
of “You Me Her.” (Kit O’Connell photo)

A few words with John Scott Shepherd

...During the red carpet, I asked him about what attracted him to the project.

“I’ve always been interested in alternative relationships and extramarital relationships,” Shepherd told me. “But when I was watching movies about them and TV shows about them, it seemed like they were all dark. I thought, what would it be like if it happened to me, if I was actually drawn into a romance that involved more than one person.”

He continued, “What would it be like if we actually got into a relationship and we realized that our happiness was based on something we didn’t ever foresee? It makes my heart patter if my definition of happiness was so different from my societal norm. Would I have the balls to do it?”...

A sitcom with a lot of heart(s)

In the end, I’m glad to see TV exploring new stories about different ways of relating. Given that it still sometimes feels revolutionary just to see opposite sex friends in a TV show (c.f. “Sleepy Hollow”), I’m all about a show that wants to mix it up.

I also appreciate any storytelling that sets out to depict sex as something that has a positive influence on people and relationships — a notion that’s shockingly rare in the media, and puts “You Me Her” in the same rarefied air as “Shortbus” (2006), albeit in a much safer, TV-friendly form....

There’s genuine chemistry between the cast, and the writing has emotional depth and realism, even if it never strikes as far into uncharted territory as some polyamorous folk might like. As the show continues, perhaps Jack, Emma and Izzy will seek out some other polyamorous friends, giving the show a chance to show even more ways of relating. Despite these limitations, it feels like a real slice of life that we’ve never seen sliced up on screen before.

...Whatever happens, I’ll still give credit to Shepherd, Pohler, Blanchard, Faia and company for trying something new, and letting some viewers see that love comes in many forms, if you’re brave enough to admit it.

Read his whole article (March 22, 2016), with more pix and videos.

And if you see more reviews of the show worth noting here, please let me know: alan7388 (at) gmail.com

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You Me Her, DirecTV's "polyromantic comedy," debuts tonight

Mainstreaming continues. NBC's Today Show yesterday morning interviewed Greg Poehler, the starring guy in tonight's You Me Her, which DirecTV calls "a polyromantic comedy... DirecTV's answer to the modern rom-com." The series of ten half-hour episodes starts tonight at 9 ET/PT on Audience Network, which is carried by DirecTV (channel 239) and U-verse TV (channel 1114).

● Here's the Today Show interview, in which polyamory is declared a trend that everybody's talking about. (Be prepared for it to autoplay; to shut it up, hit stop or mute.)

● The summary on IMDb:

What begins as an impulsive "date" between suburban husband Jack and neophyte escort Izzy, spins into a whirlwind three-way sexual affair including Jack's wife Emma, whose been keeping secrets of her own. Over a span of just 10 days, their "arrangement" breaks free of its financial bonds to become something else entirely: A real romance, with real stakes, involving three real people, confronting viewers with the compelling question: What if your best, truest, happiest life looked nothing like you thought it would? Would you be brave enough to live it?

● One-minute trailer:



● More video clips.

● A half-hour interview program with the creator and cast, posted on AOL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQXRD9gj2UM

● A preview showing at SXSW last week is reviewed: Series premiere of You Me Her at SXSW had audience laughing.

The audience watched the premiere of two episodes, laughing at many scenes, and provided positive feedback afterwards. One audience member said, as someone in a polyamorous relationship, he thought the creators did well in portraying the relationship without over-sexualizing it.

“The whole idea of season one is to take this unconventional construct and make it fit in a conventional romantic-comedy flow,” said John Scott Sheperd, screenwriter and executive producer. “That’s kind of how season one goes, with some huge surprises along the way.”

The series is not about sex, it’s about connection and how sexuality is fluid, [actress Priscilla] Faia said.

“What we’ve talked about is the idea ‘what if your truth and happiness look nothing like you ever imagined, what if it didn’t fit in to your immediate society, would you have the balls to live it?’,” Sheperd said.

● On iDigital Times:

You Me Her can lean a little too hard on its “rom-com” genre at times, but its premise is genuinely thought provoking. Through the first two episodes screened at SXSW, You Me Her appears to exploit its loaded concept from a variety of angles — romantically, socially and professionally. And though these ideas may seem like heavy themes to ponder, the show maintains a light, easy-going tone that makes it easy to binge-watch in one sitting.

If You Me Her streamed on Netflix, it would be hit. Its odds to succeed would remain high even on network television. Unfortunately, however, You Me Her will make its home on DirecTV’s Audience Network. The platform is only available to DirecTV subscribers, and even they probably don’t know of the Audience Network’s existence. So then, who will watch this TV show?

It’s a shame, considering the quality of You Me Her....

● Expect more publicity to pop up today.

● The show's Facebook page.

● And now it gets silly/creepy: As part of its publicity push, Audience Network offers a Facebook gimmick, "Would You Me Her?", a hokey little spin-the-bottle game matching you up with two of your Facebook friends who presumably might also be interested:

What better way to find your ultimate polyamorous relationship than cruising your friends on Facebook. Let’s get your relationship status to a heightened “it’s complicated” and get started!

I tried it and got random triple-ups with known poly Facebook friends. Thankfully, it made no attempt to push us together. But maybe that's because I was careful to share the results with only myself.

● Another promotional stunt: A See-Through Bedroom in Times Square Is Inviting Couples for a Threesome today, as told in this morning's New York edition of Metro (March 22):

Today beginning at 10 a.m., a totally transparent bedroom will open for “business” in Times Square. That business is to promote the premiere of You Me Her, a new sitcom about a polyamorous relationship — by asking couples to get inside, climb into bed with a model and pose for a faux threesome. Oh, and it could be broadcast on the Sony digital billboard at 1 Times Square, so, smile?

We’re not sure where to even start with this one, but equating jumping into a stranger’s bed with an actual polyamorous relationship seems like a bad way to promote what may actually be a legit show. [Thank you for saying this! –Ed.]

You Me Her co-stars Greg Poehler, brother of feminist comedian Amy, as a husband who hires an escort to spice up his loving but sexually stale marriage. It’s a grotty premise, but Amy wouldn’t let him steer us wrong, right?...

I don't get DirecTV or U-verse. If you watch the show, tell us in the comments what you think? Thanks.

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You Me Her: a "polyromantic comedy" debuts March 22 on Audience Network

On Tuesday March 22, DirecTV's Audience Network will begin airing You Me Her, which it describes as a "polyromantic comedy" about a couple who open their relationship. They each hire the same sex worker, and then all three fall in love.

Ten 30-minute episodes have already been filmed. The IMDB description:

What begins as an impulsive "date" between suburban husband Jack and neophyte escort Izzy, spins into a whirlwind three-way sexual affair including Jack's wife Emma, whose been keeping secrets of her own. Over a span of just 10 days, their "arrangement" breaks free of its financial bonds to become something else entirely: A real romance, with real stakes, involving three real people, confronting viewers with the compelling question: What if your best, truest, happiest life looked nothing like you thought it would? Would you be brave enough to live it?

One-minute trailer:



According to DirecTV,

You Me Her was created by John Scott Shepherd who will serve as the executive producer and showrunner. The 10-episode comedy draws its inspiration from a Playboy Magazine article “Sugar on Top” by John H. Richardson. It will center on the complex dealings and interactions of a group of individuals involved in a three-way relationship.

The Movie Box calls it

...a new original comedy series about a suburban married couple flirting with the idea of having a polyamorous relationship.

Greg Poehler (brother of comedian Amy Poehler, and the former star/creator of the sitcom "Welcome to Sweden") plays Jack, a sexually frustrated family man who pays an escort (Rookie Blue's Priscilla Faia) to sleep with him. Feeling ashamed, he confesses his one-night affair to his wife, Emma (Fargo's Rachel Blanchard).

Fearing his marriage might be over, Jack is shocked to learn that Emma didn't hire a divorce lawyer, but instead has gone out and hired that same female escort to start her own sexual affair. It creates an unusual situation where they must have an honest and candid conversation about turning their marriage into an open relationship with a third partner.

Created and written by John Scott Shepherd (NBC's Save Me) and directed by Emmy-nominated TV helmer Nisha Ganatra (Transparent), the 10-episode series also stars Jennifer Spence (Continuum), Melanie Papalia (Suits), and Kevin O'Grady (This Means War).

A You Me Her logo

Does anybody know more? I'm told that the show is featured in the March 7–20 print issue of TV Guide, page 12, but that is not (yet) online.

DirecTV calls the show its "Answer to the Modern RomCom." It will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Audience Network is available on DirecTV and U-verse TV, as well as online.

Anyone who watches it, can you report what you think? Post here in the comments, or email me at alan7388 (at) gmail.com. Thanks!

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P.S.: NBC's upcoming "polyamory dramedy" Love, Sex and Neighbors also ought to be showing up sometime. Last November the Hollywood news and PR sheet Deadline TV announced,

Polyamory Dramedy Produced By Adam Shankman In Works At NBC

In Love, Sex And Neighbors, when a fresh-faced, traditional-values couple moves to Orange County [CA], they discover that the parents at their kids’ school are experimenting with polyamory. The one-hour dramedy, written/executive produced by [Gail] Gilchriest, follows four families at the forefront of a quiet revolution in the way everyday people live and love.

Googling finds me nothing about it since then. Does anyone have inside knowledge?

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