This month's Netflix spotlight is the third and final season of the Apatow produced comedy Love, starring Gillian Jacobs and man/bird hybrid Paul Rust.
After a dark and complicated season 2, season three picks up more or less where Mickey and Gus left off. However, things seem different this time around. Yes, Gus sports a new haircut that makes him look less like a 13-year-old hatchling and more like a fully grown adult bird person and Judd Apatow's daughter is rapidly aging to the point where it's nearly impossible to suspend disbelief that she's actually a 14 year old, but it seems like something else is going on here.
It may be that the overall tone of the series has shifted somewhat. Season 2 paints of picture of two deeply flawed individuals that probably should not be together. Season 3, on the other hand, offers a more nuanced view of these people as they learn from their past mistakes and make active efforts to become more self-aware and self-controlled. It makes the viewer want to root for them and genuinely sells the idea that these two people might actually work together.
This season, in particular, focuses on the many skeletons in Gus's closet, ranging from past career blunders to past romances. This serves to humanize him and give viewers a better idea of who he is beyond a whiney little people pleaser. Toward the end of the season, there's a short arc where Gus and Mickey go to his home state of South Dakota and meet Gus's family, which serves both the plot and character development in addition to providing an excruciatingly realistic portrayal of how family ties can put a strain on a relationship.
In addition to the main couple, there's also a strong B-plot that centers on Bertie and Randy's relationship. In a nice mirror to Gus and Mickey's increasing confidence and stability, Bertie and Randy descend into chaos and strife.
The series ends on a definite up-note, which seems almost out of place considering the dark and troubling path that the show was following. There are many loose ends and questions that never get answered, but this show was meant to serve as a foil to the typical Rom-Com formula. It was meant to be something closer to reality, something that gives audiences an honest look at love. The final season of Love hits the mark and leaves us with something sweet to chew on.
Check it out!