Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Netflix’s new series Easy is about life, and in life, you have sex. (At least we hope you do, or at least did at one point!)
There are several sex scenes in the eight-episode series created by mumblecore pioneer Joe Swanberg, and they range from ordinary to operatic. Some employ the strategically placed sheet that you’ll recognize from 90 percent of TV shows that have ever done a sex scene, and others are the NC-17 sort that you shouldn’t play on the big TV until after the kids go to bed. (You’ve been warned.)
But even the most explicit sex scenes in Easy aren’t the porn-y, did-somebody-order-a-pizza, Eighties saxophone-infused sort. The series is centered on a loosely connected web of Chicago Gen-Xers and millennials. Some are in relationships, and some are just looking. Sometimes the sex informs the plot, and in at least one case — Episode 6’s much-discussed threesome — the sex is the plot.
Here below is a worst-to-first ranking with the episode number and minute marker to jump to if you wanna get right to the don’t-come-a-knockin’ scenes:
“Controlada” (Episode 4, 3:45)
The Setup: Gabi (Aislinn Derbez) and Bernie (Raúl Castillo) are young Latino couple who just bought a condo, a bunch of stuff from Crate and Barrel, and a couch. They seem nice. Gabi is ovulating. Cut to….
The Sex: Doorbell-induced coitus interruptus.
The Takeaway: Nothing to see here. Move along.
“Controlada” (Episode 4, 8:45)
The Setup: With their weekend houseguest out on the town, Gabi (Aislinn Derbez) and Bernie (Raúl Castillo) decide to give it another go.
The Sex: Another polite missionary appointment.
The Takeaway: C’mon, attractive couple in your 30s! She’s not into the houseguest, Bernie! Snap out of it!
“Controlada” (Episode 4, 11:45)
The Setup: Said houseguest Martín (Mauricio Ochmann) is back from his night on the town having met the love of his life for the night — a foxy blonde named Molly with a side tattoo.
The Sex: The episode intercuts Martín’s couchfest with scenes of Gabi (Aislinn Derbez) and Bernie (Raúl Castillo) in bed and plainly annoyed, so the Martín-on-blonde action is limited to an about-to-get-started scene.
The Takeaway: I think we all know where this is going.
“The Fucking Study” (Episode 1, 20:45)
The Setup: Kyle (Michael Chernus) is a stay-at-home dad, and Andi (Elizabeth Reaser) is the breadwinner. They’ve been together along time, they have two kids, and the sex is sporadic. Fortunately it’s Halloween, which provides the perfect cover for some gender-normative, construction-worker-on-slutty-housewife afternoon kitchen action.
The Sex: The cosplay doesn’t go as planned, but Kyle takes charge later that night. The stallion mount — almost entirely clothed in sweaters and fat pants — isn’t very cinematic, but the look on Reaser’s face says, “A+, Kyle!” Major deduction for Chernus licking his hand; that’s gross. Also, the heavy breathing is mostly the out-of-shape variety.
The Takeaway: He’s into it but she’s clearly not. At first.
“Chemistry Read” (Episode 7, 14:45)
The Setup: The episode connects a lot of dots from earlier episodes, including Annabelle (Jane Adams, Thomas Jane’s pimp on Hung), a Chicago stage actress. Marc Maron’s friend in Episode 5 (“Art and Life”) moves to the fore here when she visits her ex Wally (Jake Weber) for some witty banter and sexual rejuvenation.
The Sex: The episode cuts abruptly from talking to boinking and Wally is a new character, so it’s hard to say whether this is a codependence situation or a harmless pick-me-up. Annabelle appears to really enjoy the high-RPM missionary treatment after a long day on the stage.
The takeaway: Wally seems like a placeholder. Ask again later.
“Vegan Cinderella” (Episode 2, 1:15)
The Setup: Jo (Jacqueline Toboni, Trubel on Grimm) and Chase (Kiersey Clemons, Iris West in the forthcoming Justice League and The Flash movies) lock eyes across the bar. There’s a band playing. Hearts flutter. That’s the end of the setup. Cut to….
The Sex: Jo and Chase giggle and shove each other around on the futon, which quickly escalates to a high-energy romp. The scene ends before the grand finale — which, bummer — but the episode is more about what happens when the sex is Act I. The story belongs to Chase, who simultaneously loses and finds different aspects of herself in the salad days of a relationship.
The Takeaway: Millennial lust + good chemistry = great episode.
“Utopia” Episode 6 (15:45)
The Setup: Happily married Tom (Orlando Bloom) and Lucy (Malin Akerman) think it would be so cool to have a threesome, so they put themselves on Tinder. Their friend Annie (Kate Micucci, the brunette half of Garfunkel and Oates) comes across the profile and knows a Euro-gorgeous opportunity when she see it. The entire episode is oriented toward an epic threesome, so the tension is palpable.
The Sex: The three meet for drinks in Tom and Lucy’s ’70s-tacky basement den. The kid is asleep upstairs. Baby monitor hilarity ensues. Omigod we’re having a threesome! hilarity ensues. And then a threesome — though more of a twosome with featured performances — ensues. It’s surprisingly monogamy-affirming for an encounter that’s also threesome-affirming. Points for Orlando Bloom having insane abs.
The Takeaway: Two’s company; three’s also company.
“Controlada” IV (Episode 4, 25:00)
The Setup: They’re back! Turns out Gabi (Aislinn Derbez) was into houseguest Martín (Mauricio Ochmann), or at least she used to be. They dated for two years, but that was in the past. That is until Martín got a peek at Gabi’s culo while she was bent over putting sheets on the couch for him to sleep on.
The Sex: Whoooooooo, these people have some unresolved stuff. Martín for sure wants to. Gabi doesn’t want to, and then she does, and then she doesn’t, and finally she does. And they do — up against the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the surprisingly well-lit driveway. I don’t think anyone saw them, but Gabi and Martín got a great view.
The takeaway: They’re like addicts who fell off the wagon and really like the stuff.
