Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
When you imagine a comedy that hinges on its protagonist having an STD, you assume it will be a lot of things — raunchy, vulgar, and likely packed with inappropriate sex scenes. The last thing you probably imagine it being is sweet, yet that’s exactly what Netflix’s latest global acquisition is. The British comedy Lovesick is back for Season Two, and it’s even more absurd, funny, and emotionally manipulative than ever before.
Lovesick has had an interesting path to its second season. The series originally premiered in 2014 on Channel 4 under its former title, the vulgar but retrospectively hilarious Scrotal Recall. Netflix secured the streaming rights to Season One and renewed the show for a second season in March of this year under its brand new name: Lovesick. Likely this decision to change the sitcom’s title came from months of intensive research and a desire to get as many viewers hooked on the series as possible. Though Scrotal Recall will always be a memorable name, it’s not exactly memorable in the way you want it to be. I understand Netflix’s decision to change the title, but personally I’m not a fan. If you start out by calling your show Scrotal Recall, it’s worth sticking by that ballsy name. However, whether you know the series by Scrotal Recall or Lovesick, Season Two is worth your time.
The series follows Dylan (Johnny Flynn), an insecure guy in his 20s who is diagnosed with chlamydia. Ultimately, Dylan is a kind if not deeply flawed and confused person, and as such, he proceeds to call every woman he’s ever slept with to pass along the STD news. The series delves into vignettes from there, each episode typically focusing on a different woman and a different moment in Dylan’s life. There’s a relaxing and meandering quality to the show’s narrative time jumps that feels in-sync with the show’s sweet tone. But at its core, Lovesick isn’t a show about a 20-something guy trying to figure out his life or even about sex. It’s a show about love.
Dylan is always backed by his two best friends, the shallow and self-absorbed Luke (Daniel Ings) and the barbed and sarcastic Evie (Antonia Thomas). Though Dylan and Evie start off Season One merely as best friends, it becomes increasingly clear they both want a deeper relationship. The end of Season One (Spoiler alert) saw Dylan realizing and ultimately admitting his feeling for his best friend as he travelled from past girlfriend to past girlfriend. It’s a classic will-they, won’t-they situation that has actual heart. Part of the selling point of the series is the chemistry between the three leads. Dylan, Evie, and Luke behave like actual close friends. They mock and yell at each other in moments of frustration, but whenever one of them needs something, they drop everything to help. It’s this line, between annoyance and undying loyalty, that Lovesick plays with better than most sitcoms. Because the characters and relationships feel so real, Dylan and Evie’s confusing relationship feels like it has real stakes.
Lovesick gets a lot of other things right. The series does a wonderful job of addressing sex and multiple sexual partners without transforming into a jeering romp fest. Rather, the comedy keeps an open and sex positive tone throughout its two seasons. Likewise, the show’s guideless 20-somethings — a character type that has become a television staple — seem less frustrated with the world, instead happily drifting through their uncertainty much the same way many actual 20-somethings do. This can largely be credited to Flynn’s muted portrayal of Dylan, which often gives the character a vulnerable yet relatable air. At its core, Lovesick is a rom-com series done right — sweet enough to be genuinely romantic, charming enough to be interesting, and often laugh out loud funny. Who knew we could expect all of this from a show about STDs?
