There seems to be a fascination lately in revisiting the Groundhog Day premise of having someone trapped in a time loop that repeats the same day over and over again. There have been a number of movies that did so and they weren't bad. And then there's Russian Doll. Of all the attempts to attack the premise this series by far is the the best. Its secret is in its mad cap pacing and witty dialogue, in being more like a very smart Marx Brothers movie than like the Bill Murray original. Really its secret is Natasha Lyonne, who is also one its co-creators. You may know her from Orange Is The New Black. But once you see Russian Doll you'll realize she doesn't belong as a supporting actor. This woman belongs right in front of the camera all of the time. It's her comic energy, her ability to toss out witty fast paced dialogue while driving the madcap plot that makes it all work so well, that makes you laugh out loud despite the lingering darkness of the storyline. She isn't a hidden gem. She's a red headed diamond. Somehow you believe that she is both brilliant and a little bit insane. Russian Doll is a fully modern comedy despite its madcap Marx Brothers feel. There is excessive drug and alcohol abuse. There is swearing and bad parenting and suicide. Do not watch it if you want clean fun. But if you want smart fun... If you want to laugh so hard it literally hurts... If you want to see what comic genius really looks like... Watch Russian Doll. There's even a new season. Which is good. Because more Natasha Lyonne is what the world really needs.
Review of Russian Doll
