Rock Bottom

IFIf you liked Sideways and High Fidelity, you’ll probably enjoy Loudermilk—a new comedy series from Netflix. It revolves around Sam Loudermilk (Ron Livingston), recovering alcoholic, ex-rock critic-currentjanitor, who runs a support group for other recovering alcoholics. He cribs, whines and passive-aggressively makes it through his days. Throw in his sponsorroommate Ben (Will Sasso), a young alcoholic named Claire (Anja Savcic) and Allison (Laura Mennell), a new neighbour who listens to terrible music, and the series becomes oddly addictive. Why? Loudermilk feeds on our obsession with finding out how the story will end and whether Sam will start drinking again (he’s on the edge in every episode). But as in everything written by co-creator Peter Farrelly (one half of The Farrelly Brothers of Dumb and Dumber fame)—it’s questionable whether the series has any point at all.

The show either takes itself too seriously or not seriously at all. Sometimes Sam is this insightful, sensitive and sensible person (Remember Ron Livingston in Swingers?).

Other times he is the least compelling person in the show. Like many recent streaming TV shows, it can sometimes feel like a 90-minute movie that’s been larded up to fill 10 episodes.

The thing that stands out is the music. The soundtrack is amazing and a reminder about what you should listen to all the time, especially if you are a music snob and believe that nothing decent was released since the ’90s. But then too it seems like the show is packed with music—too many songs that interfere in your just feeling the moment. I kept watching the show because I can’t get over how much Ron Livingston is still like his character from Swingers. I’m not sure I would go back to a second season. But then, the music might just get me.