MARISSA MONTICOLO

The Cost of Lies Proves Steep in Craig Mazin’s HBO/SKY Miniseries Chernobyl

Every now and then I become obsessed with a show that sends me on a quest for knowledge and into a rabbit hole of information. Craig Mazin’s new five part HBO + SKY co-production Chernobyl has done just that. For many, the Chernobyl disaster is a hazy memory we have from our childhoods— relegated to grainy VHS tapes we watched in elementary school or a few paragraphs in our history and science books. But as it turns out, what we learned only scratched the surface…

“There was nothing sane about Chernobyl.”

Part dramatization, part investigation, part history lesson, and part cautionary tale, the first two episodes of Chernobyl narratively demonstrate this won’t just be a story about the events that unfolded in the early morning hours of April 26th, 1986 but rather a story about heroes and villains. About humanity. Though Mazin provides facts akin to those we may have heard before, he wastes no time knocking us back in our seats and into the web of deception spun by the Soviet Union to reveal some of the best— and worst people that emerged from the tragedy. This Chernobyl is a story of bureaucracy in the Soviet Union— of negligence, of a system that would rather let its people believe they were safe rather than admit wrongdoing, and a people willing to risk their lives for their love of the Soviet Union. In Mazin’s Chernobyl, truth is a crime and to admit the Soviet Union had a weakness? perhaps the biggest offense. After all, the World was watching.

“Our faith in Soviet socialism will always be rewarded.”

As Chernobyl opens, we find ourselves two years after the incident occurred in the home of our protagonist, scientist Valery Legasov (biographically portrayed by Jared Harris). In this moment, he’s listening to a recording of himself. “What is the cost of lies?” he asks, before speaking of Chernobyl deputy chief Anatoly Dyatlov (biographically portrayed by Paul Ritter) and his guilt in the events that took place. While he admits Dyatlov deserves nothing short of death, Legasov insinuates there is a far more guiltier party not paying a price— the Soviet Union itself. “Well, I’ve given you everything I know. They’ll deny it, of course. They always do. I know you’ll try your best,” Legasov concludes, recording his closing statement to a mystery recipient before stopping the tape. He gently holds a handkerchief over his mouth before placing it down to reveal it’s stained with spots of blood. Newspaper in hand, he then wraps what turns out to be a series of recordings, hiding them inside a waste bin before retreating outside as a man in a car looks on. He places the recordings inside a loose brick in the wall of his building before returning inside. For Legasov, the cost of lies is overwhelming. This is a man burdened by what we can only assume is failure to fully expose the truth and it has finally caught up with him.

Jessie Buckley as Lyudmilla Ignatenko in Chernobyl

Flashback to Pripyat, Ukraine exactly two years (and one minute earlier) before our miniseries open. We meet a young woman named Lyudmilla (portrayed biographically by Jessie Buckley) who is up early and “ill.” As she leaves the bathroom and heads into her living room, we see an explosion occurring in the distance. Moments after, the house shakes, startling her. Her husband awakens and together, they watch Chernobyl burn a mile away from their home before he receives orders (as a fireman) to head to the scene under the guise it’s just the roof burning. We then meet the group of men in the control room that night as the blast goes off— some an amalgamation suitable for Mazin’s story and others, including Dyatlov, real. We see Dyatlov being told the core has exploded and witness his refusal to believe it (ignorance? arrogance?). He will send men to their deaths to assess the damages— he will send men directly to the core. We meet the Plant Director Viktor Bryukhanov and Chief Engineer Nikolai Formin (portrayed biographically by Con O’Neill and Adrian Rawlins), two men in positions of power who clearly do not have anyone’s interests at heart but their own. They will also send men to the core. They will refuse to believe the truth. They will refuse to recommend Pripyat be evacuated. We will be introduced to Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministries and head of the Bureau for Fuel and Energy, Boris Scherbina (portrayed biographically by Stellan Skarsgård) who will recruit Legasov to General Secretary Gorbachev’s committee to manage the accident. He will make sure in this committee, Legasov knows his place.

“You’re on this committee to answer direct questions about the function of an RBMK reactor if they should happen to arise. Nothing else. Certainly not policy. Do you understand?”

It doesn’t take long for the miniseries to begin to answer Legasov’s initial question as we see firsthand the devastation that emerges in the moments and hours following the early morning explosion. Make no mistake, while impeccably directed by Johan Renck, shocking is the contrast between what we see at Chernobyl through the eyes of those on the ground, and what the citizens of Pripyat are unaware of— discoloration of skin, coughing, bleeding, vomiting, radiation poisoning— death. An unknowing population watches on bewildered yet enchanted by the beauty of a glowing blue light emanating from the opening of the reactor 4 core, ignorant they are being exposed to high amounts of radiation surpassing the readings on military grade dosimeters (the instrument used to monitor levels of radiation). Chernobyl is difficult to watch because it actually happened. Though some characters are fictionalized (Ulyana Maximovna, a nuclear physicist portrayed by Emily Watson), these people— or a composite of them to serve the narrative, actually existed.

With a beyond eerie score by Hildur Guðnadóttirset against the bleak backdrop of a nuclear disaster and the seemingly endless clicking of the dosimeter (which never fails to increase my anxiety and pulse), Mazin’s words acted out through an amazing cast makes for compelling television as does each episode breakdown he provides on the companion Chernobyl Podcast. I recommend watching first, then listening to Mazin along with NPR’s Peter Sagal as they discuss characters and the inspiration behind the scenes. Mazin has taken a piece of horrific history and dramatized it with care, illuminating the Soviet Union’s role in what could have easily been the end of the European continent while educating us that it all could have been avoidable. Definitely tune in. This will rightfully be an awards contender.

While the first two episodes have aired and are available on HBO GO and HBO NOW, Chernobyl airs now Monday nights through June 3rd @ 9pm on HBO and in the UK on Sky. Its companion podcast is available at the conclusion of each episode.

Stellan Skarsgård as Boris Scherbina and Jared Harris as Valery Legasov in Chernobyl

In the event Chernobyl the miniseries isn’t enough for you, take a deep dive and learn more with some of the following:

Babushka’s of Chernobyl (Amazon Prime) – 2015 documentary that follows a group of strong women who after the Chernobyl disaster, decided to rebel against orders and return to the exclusion zone where they have resided ever since.
Chernobyl Heart (YouTube) – originally airing back in 2004 on HBO and winner Best Documentary Short Subject award at The 76th Academy Award, Chernobyl Heart is a shocking and heartbreaking glimpse into the lives of the children Chernobyl impacted and continues to today.
Voices from Chernobyl – while Mazin assured me via Twitter he will be releasing a full bibliography of the material he used to once the miniseries concludes, he has mentioned multiple times in Tweets and the companion Chernobyl podcast that Voices from Chernobyl was a great source of information.

IN A WORLD FULL OF CONTENT, DON’T OVERLOOK FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS (IRISH EDITION)

You’re a teenager. You live in a small town where news travels at the speed of sound. No one gets you. Everything is an absolute crisis or total disaster and to be honest, you’re a bit of an asshole. That’s Netflix new Channel 4 Irish import Derry Girls. Set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland in the early ‘90s during the Troubles comes the tale of four female misfits from Derry (“or Londonderry, depending on your persuasion”) as they start a new term at Our Lady Immaculate College. There is self-absorbed Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), her quirky cousin Orla (Louisa Harland), the group resident narc, Clare (Nicola Coughlan, Harlots) and feisty troublemaker Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell). Trailing along with them as a human punching bag for Irish discontent is Michelle’s cousin James (Dylan Llewellyn) who “unfortunately, happens to be English” and the first ever boy to study at the college.

The series pilot starts with a narration and juxtaposition of imagery as The Cranberries song Dreams appropriately begins to play – “My name is Erin Quinn. I’m 16 years old, and I come from a place called Derry.” An armed military vehicle cruises atop a road overlooking the town, driving past as a group of boys graffiti the welcome sign. As we continue on towards the center of the town with a series of overhead shots and additional narration, we see sprawling landscape and a group of young girls dressed all in white before cutting to the military vehicle in front of a large mural portraying a man in a gas mask. A nearby sign reads, “YOU ARE NOW ENTERING FREE DERRY.” All serve to inform the viewer that although there is turmoil happening at the time we enter this world, life still goes on – especially for Erin Quinn’s wonderfully insane family and group of friends (one of whom is narrating the opening by reading Erin’s stolen diary).

Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Louisa Harland in Derry Girls

Irritated that her daughter and niece might not make it to their first day of school because the Derry barricade has been bombed, Erin’s mother Mary (Tara Lynne O’Neill) begins to lose her cool. “I’ve had a whole summer of it, Gerry. She’s melting my head!” In an act of love and comfort, Erin’s father Gerry suggests to his wife, “their bus can take the long way around.” And so it will – without any fear or apprehension after one final argument about Erin’s school uniform, a denim jacket, and individuality as Mary’s father Joe (who despises his son-in-law), her flighty sister Sarah, and Sarah’s kooky daughter Orla look on. In defeat, the girls head for the bus. Along the way we meet Clare (currently fasting to raise money for an Ethiopian boy and faced with temptation), and Michelle (who has adopted the new phrase “motherfuckers!” as a greeting after seeing a movie with “the disco dancer from Look Who’s Talking”). Then there is James – our “wee English fella” who is surprised to learn (as Michelle mouths off his identity) that the reason he’s British is because his mother went to England to abort him and changed her mind.

Written and created by Lisa McGee, this part autobiographical series based on her life growing up blue collar in Derry provides tons of situational comedy where the smallest of issues become magnified in futile attempts for the girls (and sometimes their parents) to resolve them – all the while, efforts to attack local infrastructure due to political and religious conflict surround the characters and the town. According to McGee who spoke on a panel this past year at the Edinburgh TV Festival, while she loved My So Called Life growing up, nothing she ever watched rang true to the experience McGee and her friends had in the Northern Ireland she knew. In fact, up until recent years there hadn’t even been an appetite in the UK for regional programming like Derry Girls which left some apprehension on the part of McGee and EP Liz Lewin (The End of the F***ing World) in launching a potentially divisive show with four female leads in what had been mainly male-driven content. But their commitment to adding flawed female characters to UK programming paid off. Not every woman needs to be strong and perfect. Quite honestly, we’re lucky to get these crass and vulgar ladies.

Family Dinner: Ma Mary (Tara Lynne O’Neill), Da Gerry (Tommy Tiernan), Granda Joe (Ian McElhinney), Orla (Louisa Harland), Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) and Aunt Sarah (Kathy Kiera Clarke

What makes this show compelling are not only the characters you’ve possibly known some version of in your youth, but also the town and its inhabitants shared dark sense of humor as survivors and underdogs (I’m looking at you, Sister Michael). Performances are truly incredible with sharp and witty dialogue delivered impeccably by a group comprised mainly of new comers who shine. All are bound to add more to their list of credits after starring in Derry Girls. Lacking self-awareness and being awkward is part of being a teenager and the group of twenty and thirty year olds playing sixteen give their all – especially Nicola Coughlan as Clare whose constant exasperation and anxiety can be felt through the screen. If you can’t keep up with accents and often quickfire exchanges, put your closed captioning on. Not only will you absorb new lingo, but you’ll digest even more of the comedy in this six episode series has to offer – where a failed attempt at bullying, thievery from a chip shop, lying about an apparition, and offending a Ukrainian refugee displaced by Chernobyl lead to big laughs.

Fueled in popularity by the universal teenage storyline and portrayal of a working class family, Derry Girls is reportedly the largest launch Channel 4 has seen since 2004 and has already been picked up for a second season.

With an average running time of 23 minutes per episode, you’ll binge watch this and beg for more. Derry Girls streams now on Netflix and guys, I love it.

J.K. Simmons and Counterpart – the actor that deserves your praise and the show you should be watching

You may know him as Juno’s loving father in the Diablo Cody dramedy by the same name, the abusive yet respected professor in Whiplash (for which he received an Oscar), the voice of the yellow M&M, or even the Farmers Insurance guy. But no matter how you recognize him, one thing is true – J.K. Simmons has serious range and is a force to be reckoned with. Last December, Simmons again put his acting skills to the test starring in Counterpart, STARZ sci-fi thriller straight from the mind of writer Justin Marks (Jungle Book). I’m here to say that both the actor and the show deserve your attention – even if they were overlooked for Emmy nominations (though it did get a nom and win for Main Title Design).

It’s no secret that it’s often challenging for a project to be greenlit unless it’s based on original intellectual property or has strong packaging. Whether a book, comic, article, format, or concept that has already been proven to show success, it’s easier for studios and networks to take a chance on something that already resonates with the cultural zeitgeist. However, Counterpart is unlike any other show on television or OTT platform that I can find or immediately think of (and if there are, then tell me). If we want to see more original shows from the minds of really creative people, then we need to start and keep watching. That’s not to say series like Westworld, Game of Thrones, Homeland or the record number of revived sitcoms on broadcast TV don’t have merit, it’s simply to point out that there’s room for both. And thankfully, because of Amazon, Netflix, HULU and in this case, STARZ (owned by Lionsgate), we’re able to see Counterpart and other series come to life.

Olivia Williams and J.K. Simmons in Counterpart

Howard Silk (Simmons) is a seemingly nice guy. Employed as a member of the Interface team in the Office of Interchange in Berlin for 29 years and well-liked by his colleagues, he does the same menial tasks and performs the same routine daily, almost with robotic precision – no questions asked. But six weeks ago, his life changed when his wife, Emily (Olivia Williams) was involved in a hit-and-run. Concussed and in a coma, she clings to life on machines and a breathing tube with Howard visiting her daily after work, placing a single flower in a vase at the nurses station before heading into her hospital room to read to her. And on the day we are introduced to this character, Howard Silk breaks routine not once, but twice – alerting a co-worker to a stain on his tie (which breaks protocol) and deciding to go after what he thinks he’s deserving of for the first time in his life – a promotion. Soon, because of the actions of someone whose existence he’s unaware of, he’ll find himself trapped in between two worlds and become one of the very few people to meet their counterpart, a person who looks exactly like him – Howard Prime. Moving forward to cut down on confusion and also, because the writers room had to differentiate between the two Howard’s, i’ll refer to them as Alpha (our OG Howard) and Prime (our Other Side Howard).

During the Cold War, Eastern scientists had been experimenting when an accident occurred, unintentionally opening up a passage directly beneath where the Office of Interchange stands. “When you go through this door, you come out the Other Side – you’re in another world identical to ours,” OI Director of Strategy, Peter Qualye (Harry Lloyd) explains to Howard Alpha. Surprise, Howard – you’re working for a company that trades information, gathers intelligence and “keeps a lid” on the fact that 30 years ago, the world split in two. But, you also never asked what it is that you do here sooo *shoulder shrug emoji* You and your counterpart share genetics, you share a childhood, but you’re going to find out you’re entirely different people and as the audience, we get to watch it magically unfold.

On the Other Side, Howard Prime is higher in rank than our Howard Alpha, working in Section 2 – gathering a network of spies on the Alpha side. He’s come through what is known as The Crossing where upon entering a room handcuffed, head and face covered, he alerts a small team including Howard Alpha and OI Director of Strategy, Peter Qualye (Harry Lloyd) and OI Director of Intelligence, Aldrich (Ulrich Thomsen) that a contract assassin has been coming over from his side to kill (Baldwin, played by Sara Serraiocco). There has been a lot of in-fighting in leadership on the Other Side and it seems a faction has emerged, wanting to take over for reasons that aren’t clear as the pilot unfolds. Baldwin has already killed a lot of good men on his side and it seems the fight is spilling over. “I don’t know what this is, but it’s not random,” Prime discloses. The next hit on Baldwin’s list? Emily, currently in a coma who poses no danger to anyone. Howard Prime’s goal? Come to the Alpha side, pretend to be Howard Alpha, and take Baldwin out himself using his counterpart’s identity.

“The difference between you and me could be a single moment – one little thing gone wrong.” – Howard Prime

Howard Prime and Howard Alpha – J.K. Simmons pulls double duty in Counterpart

Yes, folks. We get J.K. Simmons in not one, but two very different roles acting against not only others, but himself in a feat that’s nothing short of spectacular to watch. While Simmons’ Howard Alpha is meek, mild, and lacks ambition, his Prime is bold, has confidence in spades, has a takes no prisoner’s attitude and could care less about formalities or breaking the rules. As you keep watching the series, you begin to notice subtle changes in BOTH Alpha and Prime in even more of an impressive blend of acting and character development.

Underneath the politics, secrecy, mystery, deceit, and espionage that unravels over ten hour long episodes is a show that subliminally asks its audience to question “what if life were different?” by examining both characters in the Alpha and Prime worlds. Love, loss, and yearning all go into building the fiber of who these characters truly are. For Howard Alpha and also Peter Qualye, we see lives they thought they had in direct opposition to a life each never got to have both through themselves, and reflected in others.

When you can create a world that simply doesn’t exist, yet lead a viewer to believe in it, that’s a sign of a well-crafted show. For me, the Counterpart pilot and subsequent episodes manage to do just that. Yes, there are times where Counterpart isn’t action packed but it’s during those moments where we build to a new reveal – a deeper mystery uncovered. Stick with it. Apart from Simmons, Williams, and Flloyd, we get two kick-ass females in Sara Serraiocco’s Baldwin (she learned English for this role!) and Nazanin Boniadi as Peter Qualye’s wife, Clare who plays a more significant role as the series progresses.

While the show is available on STARZ and also via the STARZ app, If you don’t get the network, Counterpart is available on Amazon Prime to members. Season 2 is slated to premiere in January but if you’re fortunate enough to be attending Austin Film Festival later this October, you’ll get a sneak peak of the Season 2 premiere from Marks himself.

Post International Podcast Day, let’s talk about the Canadians

According to my Twitter feed, yesterday was #InternationalPodcastDay. I would have written and posted this earlier but after last week, I needed to mentally decompress and sink myself into my couch where I proceeded to eat my feelings in Trader Joe’s Soft-Baked Snickerdoodles, drink wine from a can, and scream into the void that is social media with the rest of the masses. My apologies, dear readers. We’re all just trying to get by these days. Even though it’s a day late, to me this is still a topic worth visiting and hopefully for you, worth reading.

Chances are you’ve downloaded and listened to at least one podcast in your life since the early 2000’s. Whether you’re into politics, sports, true-crime, science, pop culture, history or health, there is virtually something for everyone. In fact, the medium has become so popular that Hollywood has turned to podcasts to source IP for film and television development (Bravo series Dirty John starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana based on the LA Times podcast of the same name is slated to premiere late fall on the network).

While I could easily wax poetic about cult favorites like Pod Save America (Crooked Media), My Favorite Murder (Midroll), This American Life (NPR), Radiolab (WNYC), and the series that sparked heightened attention to this format, Serial (NPR), I wanted to shed some light on our friends from the North and talk about how CBC Podcast in particular is really killing it – especially when it comes to sharp investigative journalism. Here are three of my favorite series for you to check out on iTunes, Stitcher, or directly online at CBC Podcasts

1) Uncover: Escaping NXIVM

The latest and greatest from CBC Podcast, Uncover: Escaping NXIVM involves a Hollywood actress, the heiresses to the Seagram’s fortune, the self-proclaimed smartest man in the World, sex trafficking, racketeering, extortion, money laundering, a cult masquerading as a self-improvement group, a hidden secret group within the cult, and branding initials with a cauterizing pen into the flesh of female members.

Hosted by radio producer Josh Bloch, the podcast is a fascinating and detailed look at what it was like to spend twelve years inside of NXIVM – a “multi-level marketing company offering personal and professional development,” from Josh’s childhood friend and former member, Sarah Edmondson.

Escaping NXIVM recounts how Edmonson discovered the group, the psychology behind why she felt compelled to join, the manipulation of members belief systems by leader and “Vanguard” Keith Rainere, and questions whether or not she feels a responsibility in profiting off of recruiting members. Additional interviews from others who broke from NXIVM including Raniere’s former girlfriend as well as his attorney help put the pieces together for outsiders to this world inhabited by seemingly very intelligent and educated people.

Keep an eye out for a potential fictionalized TV series in the works on NXIVM and secret group DOS from Annapurna Television who optioned the rights to reporter Barry Meier’s 2017 New York Times exposé “Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded.”

2) Someone Knows Something

Filmmaker David Ridgen spent most of his life creating impactful documentaries. Whether his subjects are Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, a group of people seeking spiritual enlightenment by digging, then being buried in their own graves, or the potential trial for the case of three Mississippi Burning victims, his work has received critical exclaim. But it would be his later works which focused on cold cases that would continue to follow Ridgen and act as the catalyst for Someone Know Something.

While each season focuses on a different cold case, my recommendation is to start with Season 2, the disappearance of Sheryl Sheppard. Sheppard, a Hamilton, Ontario native mysteriously vanished from the home she shared with her mother, Odette, just two days into 1998. She had been proposed to on New Year’s Eve during a live televised special by her boyfriend Mike Lavoie with whom she often had a turbulent relationship.

Someone Knows Something meticulously deconstructs Lavoie and Sheppard’s relationship through a series of interviews with friends, family members and former co-workers while taking a deep dive into Sheppard’s mysterious past – much of which we come to find even Odette was in the dark about.

The most interesting part of Someone Knows Something? As it airs over the course of several weeks, tips come in which often lead Ridgen to discover more clues into finding out what happened to Sheryl.

3) Missing and Murdered – Who Killed Alberta Williams?

In 1989, a 24-year-old Indigenous woman named Alberta Williams was found dead on the side of the remote road known in British Columbia as the Highway of Tears. Reporter Connie Walker investigates a tip she receives out of the blue from a former detective who has been haunted by her unsolved murder – and he says he knows who did it. Through a series of twists and turns that eventually lead to Walker and team confronting the prime suspect, the mystery of Who Killed Alberta Williams? unravels with the family members she left behind seeking justice.

Though two seasons of this podcast have been released (Finding Cleo is S2 and focuses on another cold case), I would advise you start with Who Killed Alberta Williams? for additional context as both cases center around an alarming trend in Canada’s First Nations – “Indigenous women are disproportionately victims of terrible violence,” Walker, an Indigenous woman herself says. “We are three times more likely to go missing and four times more likely to be murdered.” This is a case that will have you clamoring for each new episode based on Walker’s meticulously crafted narrative that has deeply and personally affected her. It will also have you wondering how you’ve likely never heard about the staggering number of cases in which Canada has failed its 1.2 million Indigenous people – forcing them to assimilate through the residential school system, ultimately leading to abuse and neglect.

Missing and Murdered – Who Killed Alberta Williams? is as much a cold-case you’ll want solved as it is an important history lesson.

Sorry For Your Loss – Proving you should not discount Facebook Watch as home for exemplary long form content

Sorry for Your Loss – Proving you should not discount Facebook Watch as home for exemplary long form content

I am admittedly not someone who actively checks Facebook these days. Unlike my college years, I don’t feel the need to stay logged in as photos of friends babies, what people from my hometown ate for dinner and political rants grace my feed while the right hand rail fills up with shoes I’ve looked at on Nordstrom and are stalking me. But lately, I’ve been summoned back by the promise of new weekly long form content distributed on Facebook Watch – more specifically, the Elizabeth Olsen half hour drama Sorry for Your Loss.

As my declared Favorite Olsen™, when I saw “Lizzie” would be starring as a widow who tragically loses her husband at a young age, my interest was piqued. Since emerging on to the scene in 2011’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, Olsen has given some truly stellar performances, positioning herself as an actress with the ability to cross genres. When you combine her presence with the chance to finally see Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) in a meatier role as Olsen’s addict sister going through her own journey? I’m in. And guess what? Despite my aversion to Facebook, if this series is any indication – we’re going to have to start paying attention to this new distributor.

Elizabeth Olsen, Kelly Marie Tran, and Janet McTeer in Sorry for Your Loss

Leigh Shaw is in mourning and completely numb. Its been three months since her husband Matt (Mamoudou Athie) has suddenly passed away. Unable to enter the home she shared with him, Leigh has been living with her single and very spiritual mother, Amy (Janet McTeer) and recovering addict sister, Jules (Tran) – all three working together at their family owned Pure Barre-esque studio, Beautiful Beast. As the story begins to unfold and Leigh continues to process her loss both in grief group (which she would prefer to not attend but there are donuts) and on her own, we see her life in snippets through cleverly inserted flashbacks – Leigh’s memories which provide us with an understanding of Matt, their relationship as a couple, and his position in their family.

“I hate how in the beginning everyone wants to send you flowers and donate to a foundation for your dead person. And then they stop calling and writing and doing nice things for you because they’re over it – and they expect you to be over it.”

As Leigh looks back on life with her husband, signs are revealed that Matt kept a part of his life private. A secret stash of weed in a boot, a credit card hidden in the freezer, a phone locked she doesn’t know the pass code to, a game played among friends that allude to Matt being a good liar. In putting the pieces together, she isn’t sure whether or not she knew him at all. But while Matt’s death sets Leigh on a course to unravel mysteries he’s left behind, in episode five our story takes a turn and suddenly, we see Matt’s point of view from the same moments Leigh has recalled. It’s only then we fully recognize his internal struggles and fears and understand Matt’s life with a level of clarity we don’t get entirely from Leigh’s perspective.

It’s important to mention that while the show focuses on Leigh, it’s not all about grieving and mourning. It’s about living and reclaiming your life. We see how the death of one person transforms relationships with other members of the family as well as friends — how death becomes a reflection on your own mortality leading to decisions to become sober, to get married, to pull the trigger on building a larger business, to making amends with loved ones or in some cases, not be ready to forgive.

“My sister’s in free-fall and she just needs some time to turn everything right-side up again.”

With an amazing DIVERSE cast and strong writing from first time showrunner Kit Steinkellner (Z: The Beginning of Everything), Sorry for Your Loss delivers truly memorable performances from not only Olsen (who should and likely will be recognized for this role, in my opinion), but Tran. I found myself consistently rooting for her as a reformed party girl trying to stay on the straight and narrow in the shadow of her sisters grief.

Elizabeth Olsen in Sorry for Your Loss

I do my best not to judge a series by its pilot – sometimes, it just takes an episode or two for a show to find its groove. But, I can honestly say this was a pilot I enjoyed and a series I’ve welcomed each week. If you’ve experienced loss or grief, this show will resonate. If you’re fortunate enough to have not yet experienced losing a loved one, Sorry for Your Loss is as insightful as it is beautiful, handling a multitude of difficult subjects with great care and thought. Stick with it.

While the series could have easily been a Netflix or HULU original or even a NEON, Annapurna, or A24 distributed indie given the quality of story, directing, and the cast, I think it’s time we look at Facebook Watch as a potentially formidable opponent to streaming services if they continue to acquire series like this. My only gripe? Currently, no app available to stream on your television. My hope is moving forward when more buzzed about content is available, this becomes a priority for the social media giant. If they want to play with big dogs Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and the yet-to-be-named Disney streaming service, they’d do right by consumers and make it easily accessible across devices.

With two new episodes slated to drop each Tuesday, the first six episodes of Sorry for Your Loss are now available to stream on Facebook Watch. Check it out.

Only losers hang out with losers – and I want to hang out with Sierra Burgess

Sierra Burgess (Shannon Purser) wants to go to Stanford. The would-be legacy daughter of a famous author (Succession star Alan Ruck) thinks she’s a shoe-in. With an almost perfect SAT score, straight A’s, and participation in all of the normal “nerdy” extra-curricular activities, it would seem she’s correct – until a visit to her high school guidance counselor (Mary Pat Gleason) throws her off her game posing the question, “what are you – other than a legacy student? What’s your sell? Sierra Burgess is…” In the world of high school, Sierra Burgess is a loser – picked on for all the typical reasons but possessing an unflinching ability to resist bullying from a trio of mean girls (Kristine Froseth, Giorgia Whigham and Alice Lee). Having seen shades of this story before in television and cinema, as the audience we know Sierra is anything but a loser.

With determination to bolster her high school resume, Sierra’s life takes a turn when at a diner over an actual plate of lettuce, Veronica (Froseth) – head cheerleader, school bully, and object of everyone’s affection is approached by the handsome and charming school quarterback, Jamey (new heartthrob we stan for, Noah Centineo). But despite his boyish good looks, charisma, and overall nice guy demeanor, Veronica only has eyes for college boy Spence who will obviously be a disappointing asshole. In delicious rom-com fashion, Veronica decides to give Jamey the number of loser Sierra instead of her own, leaving Sierra to take on the biggest challenge she’s had thus far – talking to a hot guy – under the pretenses she’s someone else.

Giorgia Whigham, Kristine Froseth and Alice Lee in Sierra Burgess is a Loser

After we spend time with this character and her best guy friend Dan (RJ Cyler), it comes as no surprise she’s down for the task. But as their texting relationship progresses and Jayme begins to send selfies, Sierra will need reinforcements from the girl Jamye thinks she is – her bully, Veronica. In a ballsy move, Sierra approaches Veronica and confronts her over using her phone number to give to random guys before convincing her they each have what the other needs. As Sierra teams up with Veronica to make her seem smarter and win the affections of Spence while learning via a budding friendship that she’s actually pretty awesome, Veronica’s ultra-cool exterior is diminished and with all villains, the true reason as to why she’s the high school bitch is revealed.

Shannon Purser and Kristine Froseth in Sierra Burgess is a Loser

Here’s what I love about Sierra Burgess is a Loser and why to me, it’s not just another teen movie – Purser’s Sierra is strong, self-aware, and completely in control. Taught self-respect by her over supportive mother (Lea Thompson) and father who provide her with cringe-worthy daily acronyms for purposes of motivation, their well-meaning love takes her far – but not without consequence. Sierra is, after all, a teenager trying to please them while feeling the pressures of not looking like her newfound counterpart. She participates in band and debate team. She excels in academics. And in a refreshing twist, she doesn’t need anyone to save her. In fact, our fair heroine starts off the film being bullied in her English class and tells her teacher (who barks back at two mean spirited comments), “thank you, but I don’t need you to fight my battles for me.” It’s not a film fueled by revenge – it’s about coming-of-age in a world where social media is king and young girls are being bombarded with pretty pictures of who they think they should be as well as the notion that smart isn’t sexy.

This film has heart. A great soundtrack. And Shannon Purser in another vintage VW (I see you, Netflix). Watch it.

Stream Sierra Burgers is a Loser on Netflix starting today.

In a world full of content, don’t overlook foreign productions (Australia Edition)

It’s Wednesday night after a holiday weekend. You’ve made it through your version of a Monday and Tuesday with Friday a mere 2 days away. You turn on a streaming service and get lost in the platform. After 10 minutes of indecisive scrolling based on algorithms that allege to know you, you give up and decide to fall asleep to an old episode of something you’ve seen before. You’re not alone. This is entertainment in 2018 and with new platforms emerging frequently and more content available than ever before, allow me to help you on your quest to stream the good stuff that perhaps you’re not being recommended.

Fire up your Roku, Apple TV, or player of choice and get down with these two Australian imports – streaming now on Netflix.

Sisters

Billed as an Australian drama, Sisters (which aired late last year on Network Ten) stars talented actress Maria Angelico as the lovable Julia Bechly, only child of renowned Melbourne fertility scientist and Nobel Prize winner Julius Bechly (Barry Otto). On his deathbed, Julius has his daughter unknowingly submit an op ed in which he confesses he supplemented his own sperm in place of many infertile fathers, resulting in the births of potentially more than one hundred children during his thirty year career – and this is just the first 5 minutes of the pilot. Over the course of 7 episodes secrets are exposed, lies are told — there are betrayals of trust, and one very intense addiction to pain medication.

Imagine you had a family you didn’t know about…

Antonia Prebble, Lucy Durack, and Maria Angelico in Sisters

While the series takes time introducing us to would-be brothers and sisters as well as parents, spouses and love interests, at its core, Sisters focus is on three genetically related females with entirely different lives – each grappling with not only their newfound identity, but their own issues that are becoming more apparent as a result of being a “Bechly Baby.” Julia (Angelico), who has spent her 20’s hiding behind the needs of others and ignoring her own – enough to sabotage a past relationship in heartbreaking fashion, Roxy (Lucy Durack), troubled star of the children’s show Farmyard Frank whose growth and development has been stunted by an overbearing mother and an all too supportive father – one of whom hides a dark secret, and Edie, a class-action lawyer with her marriage to co-worker (Dan Spielman) on the rocks who also has a sordid past with Julia.

“This is about the story of who we are and where we belong…” – Julia

Lucy Durack, and Maria Angelico in Sisters

Fueled by outstanding performances and a great soundtrack, Sisters is a touching yet funny series that feels raw, honest, and sincere – grounded in the reality of being a human. Created by Imogen Banks (prolific producer heading up drama at Endemol Shine Australia) and Jonathan Gavin (award winning Australian play-wright), there has yet to be an indication as to whether the show will be renewed for a sophomore season by Network Ten but there is A LOT more story to tell – not only with our leads but with Edie’s husband (guys, I stan for Tim). Be prepared to fall in love with these flawed characters and go on an emotional journey as they find not only each other, but themselves.

The Letdown

From creators Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell (who also stars as lead character Audrey), The Letdown is what I imagine to be an all too realistic look at the first year of motherhood. Over the six-part half hour series, we see Audrey trying to find the balance between being a new parent, partner to a work-stressed boyfriend (Duncan Fellows), daughter to an often insensitive and eccentric mother (Sarah Peirse), and friend to childless adults while trying like hell not to allow motherhood to define who she is as a woman.

While attending the ~~mothers~~ parents group she swears she doesn’t need but inevitably leans into, we hear Ambrose, the group leader explain, “You’re not number one anymore. There’s no point winging about what you’ve lost – your muscle-tone, sleep, freedom. It’s looking still at what you’ve gained – rounder bones, stretch marks, acne, hemorrhoids, and a small, helpless child. This is motherhood. You’re all in this together.” Welcome to The Letdown, Scheller and Bell’s play on words referring to both the reflex that causes a release of milk from breasts and also, the realization that no one bothered to tell you just how hard this whole parenting thing was going to be.

Having a new baby is a mother of a job…

Allison Bell in The Letdown

While the series revolves around Audrey, we get a glimpse into the lives of her parents group who are fighting their own battles while easing into parenthood – Ruben (Leon Ford), a man who would rather be a stay at home dad then return to work, his work obsessed wife, Ester (Sacha Horlerand), who would prefer he be employed. There is also Martha (Leah Vandenberg), a woman who lives her life in fear that her sperm donor (who leaves pre-made meals on her doorstop) may take custody of her son, and Sophie (Lucy Durack), the unicorn of the group who has carefully crafted a narrative and an Instagram feed that to the naked eye, would indicate her life is perfect.

“If you keep looking back, the only thing you’ll think about is what you’ve lost.” – Ambrose

Exploring topics of anxiety, mom shaming, sleep training, “in-laws” who know better, lack of mental stimulation, loneliness, and mommy brain, The Letdown is anything but. It’s a heartwarming and unflinching ride into the parenthood you’ve either personally experienced or your closest friends have told you about – but don’t let the accuracy of its depiction stop you from climbing aboard. Part of a 2016 Comedy Showroom on ABC Australia for potential pilots, it received a full order with Netflix on board as its distributor. While the series premiered in 2017 in Australia and in April of 2018 here in the states, there has yet to be an indication of a season 2 coming anytime soon. Still, it’s worthy of a binge for its charming cast and the way it handles the delicacy of life after baby.

Lucy Durack in The Letdown

Reinvent Yourself

I’m freshly 35 years old, I’m single, I’m jobless, and I’m reinventing myself.

Over the past year and a half I was faced with a lot of craziness that could have paralyzed anyone. I lacked self-confidence mentally and physically after being diagnosed with endometriosis, my boyfriend of four years suddenly broke up with me as I walked into our shared apartment from work, I met someone else I really jived with but timing was off, and oh yeah – I lost my job at a company I’d been with for over three years. If I were to give you the details of each situation, this piece would read like a scripted dramedy that five people and my mom would watch. Eventually at one time or another, we all fall victim to life – and I found for me, burying my head under the covers in lieu of facing it head-on wasn’t an option. Instead of wallowing in the notion of what I didn’t have, I started focusing on what I did; but it would take what I viewed as a push from the Universe to get me to move and make positive foundational changes to set me on a new life course.

Step #1: Get Dumped.

What began to motivate me into this new mindset wasn’t planned. It started with the breakup. The soul-crushing-should-have-seen-it-coming-breakup. I had moved in with him less than a year after we became a couple. Families had met. Our lives were intertwined. I even found myself taking on some of his ridiculous idioms. I had lost myself in his world and it slowly but surely became my own. The breakup was one of the most difficult and gut wrenching things I had ever experienced. However, I can look back now and find the humor of it all. Specifically the part where he turned off Rachel Maddow, sighed, put his head in his hands and said, “Marissa. I’m ending our relationship.” In the moment, it felt like a death, but with the possibility you might run into one another at Target. In retrospect, he had done me a colossal favor, but at the time it was hard to see.

It’s no secret that because of social media we tend to only show ourselves cleverly disguised behind filters and in moments where we appear to be at our best; a curation of a seemingly perfect life. He and I were not perfect. I am not perfect. In fact, sometimes I’m a downright pain in the ass rife with self-doubt but let’s face it, we all have our moments. Being in a relationship is showing the other person your true self and having them accept you, flaws and all as you work to be better both as individuals and as a couple. But I didn’t always feel like I was being accepted or that we were working toward the same goal. I felt like I was being criticized and when I was working on myself, it wasn’t being done fast enough or to his preference. Like a piece of clay, over the course of the relationship I found myself melding into the version of who he wanted me to be; each word he uttered breaking me a little until I eventually cracked in two, a shell of my former self strewn aside on the faux hardwood floor of our three bedroom apartment. I held back in conversations for fear I would rock the boat and be perceived as “negative” as he would later come to refer to me as. Instead of feeling supported in what was going on with my life; work stress, my own mental health and actual health, I felt like I was under a microscope and wasn’t receiving the sympathy of someone who was to be my life partner. I played by his rules and would seldom assert myself. As time went by, I no longer wanted to get into trivial arguments about how nuanced Mad Max Fury Road is and how I was SO wrong to not like it as much as he did, or how the silverware in the drawer wasn’t even. He was a man whose neuroses I often took on as my own. In retrospect, there had been red flags for a long time that I had conveniently chosen to ignore. It was truly when my health declined that things began to crumble, and our sex life – not surprisingly – started to fall to pieces. It all fell to pieces.

The endometriosis diagnosis was a long and winding road that became mentally and physically taxing. My vagina became my absolute most hated body part; more than the pervasive stretch marks from being overweight as a teenager. Before the diagnosis, sex was painful and we wouldn’t have it all that often. He felt rejected and yet I also felt rejected, holding on to the lingering sounds of his voice that reverberated in my mind after a few months of this continuing to happen, “it’s all in your head. No one can find anything!” I grew listless and he would demand I try harder to find out the root of why he wasn’t getting sex because to him, that was seemingly most important. Not that I was sick, kept getting infections, felt tired, had a hard time running and doing the activities I ordinarily would due to pain. I felt bad because I wasn’t giving him what he wanted, but I felt worse knowing that he thought I was lying and that I needed to be on an anxiety and depression medication because that’s what this was – a mental health issue. To him, I was broken and true intimacy was the physical act of sex – at least that’s how I was made to feel. Truthfully, I don’t think I ever recovered from this with him and he didn’t seem to understand the damage he had caused, even when I would bring it up in couples therapy. I was TIRED of working to find answers and trying and fix myself. Coupled with continued issues at work that left me mentally bruised and battered, I didn’t need to also come home to feeling more emotionally unsound.

After seeing urologists, gynecologists, having several pelvic ultrasounds and other assorted exams, I had a very determined radiologist on a mission to get to the bottom of my pain. She listened to me, she lifted my pelvis, and she struck gold with her wand. 24 hours later, my gynecologist called and I was diagnosed with a baseball sized mass behind my uterus that would need to be removed. It was pushing on my bladder, on my pelvis and part of the source of my issues. I had pain off and on since I was 13. It had been missed FOR YEARS. Less than a month later, I went into outpatient surgery where my gynecologist removed the mass and discovered large pockets of endometriosis growing from my abdominal wall. I was fortunate – I didn’t have to lose an ovary or a Fallopian tube which you give them permission to remove if necessary before going under. While recovery wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated, after surgery I was forced to not work out which left me feeling body-conscious, especially considering I had put a pin in working out before surgery as well. Once again, I wasn’t met with sympathy – I was met with the utterance of “then you need to do something about it,” not a “you’re beautiful and I love you. Just be patient” which is what I needed in that very moment – acceptance and a support system. I was insecure, tired, mentally spent, and upset that I’d lived this way for years. I wasn’t me at all and needed some words of affirmation. Instead, on the heels of my follow-up appointment, the first words out of his mouth were, “can we have sex now?”

Over time and a litany of discussions regarding topics that he wanted to feel secure about including my finances and $6k of college debt, where we would get married (we weren’t engaged), size of the wedding, and when to have children – both in therapy and out of therapy, I felt less like a girlfriend and more like someone who would never be good enough. I got pushed away, then I completely shut down. I got dumped in undeniably heartbreaking fashion citing that he had tried everything – that I was his best friend and he loved me, but he wasn’t in love with me. Within 72 hours of his declaration, I moved out of the apartment we shared and into a friend’s home where I slept on an air mattress and had her two year old daughter occasionally snuggle with me. I would cry at work in uncontrollable fashion, listen to a lot of Stevie Nicks circa 2001, and question repeatedly what my life would be like without him. Yet somehow I managed to pull my shit together and find an apartment slated to be ready in a few weeks – and everything about it would be mine. No fighting over the way the toilet paper roll hung. No judgments about how the dishwasher was packed. No more questioning internally if the relationship felt right. I was playing life by my own rules. I was liberated.

Step #2: Get laid off.

In moments of chaos and despair, there are moments of clarity. I legitimately hated my job. I hated how it made me feel; not like someone with ten years of experience but a doe-eyed girl fresh to the world of employment who needed to not have opinions or feelings unless asked. I had been told on more than one occasion that I was aggressive and abrasive when in actuality, I was no different than my male colleagues with my delivery and in conversation. But when you work for a smaller company and find yourself surrounded by a boys club and a female boss who would rather throw you under the bus instead of lifting you up, there isn’t really any place you can go to except out – and hopefully on your own accord. I had been filled with fear that I was too old to transition into a new career and resistant to ripping off the Band-Aid to find a new one. In addition to the comfort of a consistent paycheck, fear and resistance had been holding me back. I had been holding me back. I already felt unsettled post-breakup and thought maybe in the wake of the dumpster fire of life, it was time for me to look into leaving my work situation as well. I revamped my resume as best as I possibly could. I started applying to jobs I’d only dreamed of in entertainment but regrettably, would never hear back.

Frustration reared its ugly head and quite honestly, I think I hit my own personal rock bottom thinking I was doomed for a life of phoning it in and clock watching. I felt bad about myself and would somehow become a stand-up comedian in therapy as a means to cope with it all. My long-term relationship had met its demise, and the job dealt a huge blow consistently to my already fragile self-esteem. I was being mentally tortured by a company who only saw me as a robot, a body in a seat to execute plans that weren’t my own. After being told by my demotivating female boss that only select people would be receiving a bonus and that I was not one of those people, it was game on. That was the fuel I needed. I found a career coach on LinkedIn and immediately hired her. The plan was to redo my resume after I answered a list of questions, spent hours on the phone being interviewed by her, and confirmed the types of jobs I should be going after based on my interests and passions. Approximately four days before my resume was completed, I walked into work on a Friday morning and walked out a free woman 2 hours later. I was laid off. The company had started downsizing. 34. Single. Jobless.

By all accounts, I should have thought I had been handed a shit sandwich because societal norms have taught us all that by this age, you should have your life together. You should be in a healthy relationship that leads to marriage and prepare to pop out a child if you haven’t already. You should be in a stable career doing something you love. You should be saving for the house, your child’s college fund, your retirement. It’s exhausting to live so far in the future and in all honesty, unfair to put such a tremendous amount of pressure on ourselves as opposed to living in the moment or for the days ahead. In reality, I had been forced to wipe the slate clean and now I was in the position to make over my life on my own terms, not the terms of boyfriend who wanted me to be debt free from college before he proposed (yeah, that was a thing), or a job that wanted me to simply never grow and develop to push business forward. A wave of calm washed over me for the first time in a while as I drove out of the parking garage and blared Arcade Fire on my car stereo. It was now up to me to decide how I wanted to direct the next portion of my journey. It was time for me to be myself, acknowledge all of the shitty things I may have felt before and allow them to come to pass. I could be whatever I wanted to – do whatever I wanted to. Age didn’t matter. What I’d done didn’t matter. Company downsizing had worked in my favor and I had bought myself time to figure out my next move.

Step #3: If Madonna can re-invent herself twenty times, why the fuck can’t I do it?

Legally, I can’t say whether or not I was given a severance on my way out, but here’s what I decided to do with whatever may or may not have come my way – invest in my future. Sure, the reckless non-adult side of me wanted to take some cash, fly to Europe, and Eat, Pray, Love the fuck out of some pasta but instead, I decided to do my own soul-searching; locally and responsibly. I enrolled in yoga and went to class at least once a day. I ran Silver Lake Reservoir. I meditated. I wrote down intentions and held them close reminding myself of what I wanted and what to let go of because it no longer served me. I would occasionally write because I found it to be cathartic even if I was my only audience. I joined organizations in the entertainment industry so that I could learn and network. I read every script I could get my hands on along with books on television and film and started teaching myself to write script coverage. I watched a ton of TV and movies both old and new. Most importantly, I found the courage to apply to a ten week intensive Professional Producing Program at UCLA. If I wanted to segue from being a creative marketer to working in the entertainment industry, I was going to have to deep dive. After all, I was already behind by Hollywood standards. No agency internships under my belt. No direct employment at a studio, network, or production company. I’ve absolutely been discouraged from time to time. I have had moments where I feel like I’m simply un-hirable. But over the course of the past several months I’ve learned I have to play the game. It’s the only way I’m going to end up where I want to be. Never stop hustling – especially when you’ve settled for so long.

As for a relationship? I’ve had some dates, there have been guys who have ghosted, and plenty of creepy messages since my false-start. But in all honesty, I couldn’t care less. My gut says there’s a reason that months later I still feel a certain way about a gentlemen who the mere thought of can make me simultaneously smile and strangely ache for something that couldn’t be. We met each other during a time of year full of responsibilities, obligations, and commitments. There were dates, a lot of FaceTime, and unfortunately a series of pre-planned trips that would sideline our ability to spend time in the same place with frequency. But I knew it was different from the moment we first met. I think it’s safe to say he did too. It wasn’t simply just a physical thing. There were emotions. We didn’t know how to deal with what had come our way, then life took care of that for us. We were over before we could ever truly begin. But I’ve not forgotten him. I cannot forget him.

He may be reading this and if so, bear with me, readers, and hello, person of interest. At the risk of sounding like Drew Barrymore in my very own version of “Never Been Kissed,” we were on a road to something that would have been incredible and maybe life-altering, and we knew that. It was frightening, surprising, and we didn’t dare try to rationalize it. We talked about how this wasn’t supposed to happen and how it wasn’t in either of our plans yet we were incredibly lucky to find one another and acknowledged it daily. While our mental and physical chemistry was palpable, it was also clear that we BOTH needed to take a moment to get our shit together. For me, that was going through this whole life experience of healing from this past relationship, growing, and learning to be better for myself, ready to tackle whatever comes next. It was rediscovering my passion and lighting a fire within me that could burn on its own before allowing someone else to throw in more kindling. For you, it was something entirely different yet equally admirable, coupled with wanting to feel like everything was in line with your life before inviting someone else in to share your World. But here’s the thing I’ve learned over the past several months; it’s not always going to be 100% seamless and there is never an ideal time to start something new. There will always be a reason to press pause or to believe it isn’t the right moment. The stars may never align and we will never be in perfect positioning. So here I am Drew Barrymore of my own ending sans a microphone and a pitcher’s mound, wanting to know if you’d like to try being perfectly imperfect—together.

Yes, folks like a veritable Khaleesi, the Universe helped me burn it all down and now only in the past few months do I find myself emerging from the ashes strangely more empowered and more confident than ever before; enough to write the above paragraph and bleed my heart on to the keyboard of this laptop and be ok with the outcome—whatever it may be. Sometimes life has a way of pushing you into total discomfort; making you analyze and think about what it is you want and don’t want – forcing you to listen to that voice inside your head and acknowledge fears, self-doubt, or anything else that might be holding you back from embracing the best version of yourself. It has taken me this long to realize I’ll live many lives on this one journey and that it’s OK. Life has no singular path, no master plan and maybe we take the long way around to get to our ultimate destination. It’s the lessons learned as we persevere and soldier on that define us and make us prepared for greatness. This revelation didn’t come overnight and in retrospect, I’m sort of glad it didn’t because I’m not sure I’d be where I am today without this period of time. The freedom I found in my daily life, I cultivated from within. The notions and constructs I had burdened myself with for most of my life fell to pieces. I have no idea what will happen in the upcoming days, months and weeks but what I do know is that I’ve made peace with it all and I myself learned to mend my life.

Illustration by Jennifer Vallez of Sophie and Lili