Smartly Written and Deeply Thematic
Episode 3 of Modern Love begins with Lexi writing out a dating profile before heading to the supermarket, riding a wave of euphoria. There, she runs into Jeff and they start talking. This talking leads to coffee which in turn leads to meeting again on Thursday. Surfing those good vibes, Lexi arrives at work on a high despite receiving a light grilling from her colleague Sylvia over missing days at work.
As she heads home, depression strikes and she finds herself curled up in bed and lethargic. Jeff arrives soon after and hands her a wooden carved peach, a symbol of their first meeting, but she doesn’t seem too enthused by the gift. They head out for a date together and unlike their first meeting, things aren’t the same and her mood swings turns him off from coming up for a nightcap. As night turns to day and light filters into her apartment, Lexi’s bipolar swings back to enthusiasm again as she brightens up the apartment and prepares to cook dinner for Jeff, having invited him back again.
Partway through getting ready the doorbell rings and her mood swings back to depression again. Lexi slumps down on the toilet and weeps. Outside, Jeff walks away feeling betrayed and a fool as Lexi slumps deeper into depression. To make matters worse, Lexi’s absence from work has resulted in her losing her job. On the way out the door, she speaks to Sylvia over coffee and tells her the truth about her bipolar condition.
Sylvia cancels her upcoming appointments after hearing the truth about Lexi and watches as she breaks down crying. It’s the first time she’s ever told someone about her condition and it’s a monumental moment for her. From here, her life changes as she begins opening up to people about her mental health. Knowing there’s no cure, she learns to live with her disease.
With topical ideas around mental health and dating, Modern Love smartly depicts these changing mood swings with a smart aesthetic. During the brighter moments everything radiates with colour, background characters sing and dance their way through a dream-like state and Lexi’s clothes are suitably extravagant and wild. When things turn dark, so too does the colour palette as everything is muted, dingy and outright depressing to look at. It’s such a simple concept but the execution perfectly complements Anne Hathaway’s performance in this episode.
It’s worth noting too that the peach is used as a metaphor throughout the episode. The wooden peach Jeff gives her feels symbolic of the way people want to view you -not bruised and with a perfect exterior regardless of what’s inside. It’s a clever motif and one that sets this episode apart from the others in this series.
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Episode Rating
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Lol. The comments above are funny. And not haha funny. I’m sorry I know I sound passive-aggressive, and it’s kind of on purpose, but people need to consider that when you say things like those that are said above, it makes people who actually feel like this feel insignificant, like when someone says “get over it”. So this is my response:
Remission from BP? There is no such thing. It is a chemical imbalance of your brain, that can only be managed with the correct medication. And this may be many multiple types of medication over your lifetime.
Also. There are indeed many forms of BP, and then there is BPD (borderline personality disorder) which is similar, but you don’t get the highs so much as the erratic moods. Also, just to clarify…The old term for Bipolar is “Manic Depression”. I think some need to learn that there s no one way to describe these conditions, they vary from one extreme to another with every person who may experience some or all of the aspects of this.
I have BPD, and this episode describes me, and who I am, and how I am in every single way, except leaving the house to begin with is a struggle. But when I do, I am vivacious, kind, caring, humourous, engaging, and I am on cloud 9. I love being with people with who I can actually have a conversation, but also being an “Architect – INTJ” personality type, I don’t gel with people so easily, and find people, in general, irritate me. But when I do, it is wonderful.
Anyway, each time I get myself out, I go out, have fun (I don’t drink anymore because it affects my medication and ME too much), I get home… And as soon as that door closes, it’s like a coldness washes over me. I don’t know what it is, or why it comes, but it’s exactly as described. It’s like a monster, and no matter how fast you run, it catches you. And the only way to get rid of it is to sleep.
So, this is a very real, very accurate depiction. Including when she tells her boss. I am a HUGE advocate for mental illness, and I talk about it all the time now. And it has helped my life so much. I may never find true love like Lexi (or Terri), but I am happier at the moment where I am. This might not be every single person’s experience with BP, or BPD, or BP1 or BP2. But you take from it what you can relate to, don’t argue that it is wrong when you are uninformed.
“On the way out the door, she speaks to Sylvia over coffee and tells her the truth about her bipolar condition.” —— THAT is the episode. The turning point for this woman’s life is the highlight of this episode. You write paragraphs about all the details of the show, but you gloss over the crux of the show. I think you missed the whole point.
Uh bipolar is manic depressive. And there’s BP I, BP II, rapid cycling bipolar. BP effects different people differently. Having been in remission from BP and experiencing it first hand, I don’t think the depiction is inaccurate. IMO.
I have a few bipolar people in my family and they are nothing like what is depicted in episode 3. I think they should do more research before they put this on tv. She seems more manic depressive.