Michelle Buteau Breaks Down ’Survival of the Thickest’s Messy Love Triangle — And Season 1’s Ending

All the best romances involve love triangles – there are Buffy/Spike/Angel, Bella/Edward/Jacob, Archie/Betty/Veronica, and many more iconic examples. At this point, it feels quintessential to television and movies at large. Did your character even fall in love if it didn’t make another character jealous? Netflix’s new summer release Survival of the Thickest is no different as it puts its lead character through the wringer when it comes to finding her Prince Charming. 

Inspired by Michelle Buteau’s memoir of the same name, the series follows Mavis Beaumont (Buteau) as she leaves her cheating boyfriend Jacque (Taylor Selé) and an unfulfilling job to reinvent her life. As the story continues, she finds herself torn between her former beau and her new Italian lover Luca (Marouane Zotti).

On the surface, it may seem like a no-brainer, but the situation is a bit more tricky than it seems. Mavis and Jacque had fully built a life together before the cheating scandal, and Mavis’ religious mother already approves of him. Also, he has groveled for an appropriate amount of time and admitted to his mistakes in their relationships. Oh, and he wants to marry her. 

Luca, on the other hand, is perfect, aside from the fact that he works in Italy, has a female roommate, and struggles to comprehend everything that Mavis’s job entails – the latter of which is a problem Mavis never experienced with Jacque given that he works as a photographer and was contracted at the same company she worked at. 

Spoilers beyond this point!

The finale episode of the series sees Mavis having sabotaged her relationship with Luca by being avoidant and agreeing to get engaged to Jacque. But in the very final moments, she realizes that she made a big mistake. She can’t stop imagining Luca while Jacque is around.

After breaking her cell phone, Mavis visits a repair shop where she is asked if she wants to repair the broken phone or upgrade to a new one. Mavis decides to upgrade to a new one, and apply that same logic to her relationship. She breaks up with Jacque and gives him back the engagement ring. 

Then, in the final act of the episode, Mavis delivers a speech at the queer prom she planned. She tells the crowd, “We think that life should be a certain way, but I hope your wildest fantasies become your truest reality, because dreaming big… it makes life worth living.” 

Mavis finishes her speech and takes in the romantic event surrounding her with a bittersweet look on her face. She leaves the crowded room and calls Luca on FaceTime. The stylist explains her erratic behavior to her former boyfriend and confesses her love. “You don’t understand half the stuff I say, but you understand my heart,” she tells him. “I’d rather take the chance on uncertainty and still believe in love.” He tells her that he appreciates her honesty, but he needs more time to think. But, apparently more time has passed than we think. Luca gets a knock on his door in Italy and he opens it to reveal Mavis. The two embrace in a passionate kiss. 

Buteau, who also co-wrote and executive produced the series, opened up to Decider during a phone interview about the show’s finale and her character’s messy love triangle. “Triangles happen more than we admit,” she said. “Sometimes, people will go for the person that looks good on paper… the safe choice… the choice that everybody wants for you.”

But Buteau doesn’t believe that that’s always the right decision. She continued to explain that Luca is a combination of her husband and love stories from other writers involved. “What happens when you just take a chance on someone who you don’t know at all, but you just feel like they’re home even though they’re so far away?” she pondered.

“Why would you trust yourself and stick up for yourself in these other chapters of your life, but not follow through on this? It’s like emotional accountability. If you’re going to do it, do it,” Buteau said in reference to the themes of reinvention that guide the series. “And if it doesn’t work out, then at least you know. But, living in regret… no, that will age a bitch. Don’t do that.”

“That and water. Drink water and make good decisions,” she concluded.

Given Buteau’s happy ending with her own Luca, we suspect that things will fare well for the comedy show’s new couple.

Survival of the Thickest is currently streaming on Netflix.