No sex, it’s a pity
Sarah Jessica Parker has gone from a glamorous relationship columnist in Sex and the City to a middle-aged divorcee in new black comedy Divorce, writes CLAIRE HENDERSON.
Superstar Sarah Jessica Parker is back on our TV screens after a 12-year hiatus with a new series, but this isn’t a search for the perfect partner like Sex and the City – this time, she is getting divorced.
Forget the eternally optimistic Carrie Bradshaw and expect a whole load of grit from Parker in the compelling new dark comedy Divorce. It follows the lengthy unravelling of a 17-year marriage between Frances (Parker), and Robert (Thomas Haden Church), after their relationship fizzles from being madly in love and making a family into debt and contempt.
Set in New York, the series begins with the couple attending the 50th birthday party of their friend Diane (Molly Shannon) – an occasion that kicks off with high drama when Diane and her husband Nick (Tracy Letts) have a massive argument which ends up being a catalyst for an unhappy Frances to tell Robert they should split up.
After the party she announces to her stunned husband: “I want to save my life while I still care about it. I don’t love you anymore. I want a divorce.” Robert responds by asking her if she is drunk, then throws up.
But Frances soon discovers that making a fresh start is harder than she thought, while Robert, blindsided by Frances’ epiphany, struggles to cope with their marriage falling apart.
This first season follows Frances and Robert as they delve into the nitty gritty of their “conscious uncoupling”, not just for themselves, but also for their children and friends.
The show sensitively explores the notion that divorce isn’t black and white, and sometimes you need the person you are leaving just as much, albeit in a different way. “This could be the greatest thing that has ever happened to us,” Frances tells her ex-husband.
What makes Divorce so watchable is the sharp, intelligent humour found in tense situations ranging from awkward public encounters to bitter private therapy sessions.
There is great chemistry between Church and Parker, and their spot-on comedic timing means there are many laughs to be had within this sad, yet fascinating subject.
“It’s a really specific point in a person’s life, right now, for my generation. It’s when you start to think about relationships, the time spent, what came of it – and what do you do with where you find yourself now?” Parker said in an interview to describe the show.
Parker may have left the glitz of Carrie Bradshaw long behind for this dark comedy that is, at times, raw and uncomfortable, but that isn’t a bad thing.