Weird City - Ep 1 "The One" (2019)
Weird City - Ep 1 "The One" (2019)
Synopsis (from imdb):
In the not-too-distant future of Weird City, Stu (Dylan O'Brien) and Burt (Ed O'Neill) discover that dating is not what it used to be, and that love can be found in the most unexpected places.
Review:
Weird City is an American comedy sci-fi anthology series created by Charlie Sanders and Jordan Peele. It’s set in a futuristic city which is divided into two by ‘The Line’, with ‘the Haves’ living ‘Above The Line’ and ‘the Have-Nots’ living ‘Below The Line’. “The One” is a quirky episode which at times feels a bit surreal, but the plot is really funny and heartfelt, so I thoroughly enjoyed the episode and it was rather different from anything else I’ve seen.
Stu is our main character, he was born ‘Below The Line’ but his family moved ‘Above The Line’ due his mother’s business success. People ‘Above The Line’ are assigned marriage partners, however as Stu’s family moved there after he turned eighteen he was not assigned a partner and thus has to date. He decides to try a dating service called ‘The One That’s The One’, which promises to match people with their perfect partner.
To his shock, Stu is matched with Burt, a much older man. Neither believe they are homosexual so determine that there must have been a mix up. However, they bond nonetheless and end up hanging out at a diner ‘Below The Line’ which they both love. They both order the exact same thing and find they have loads in common, with a definite chemistry between the two. The two chat and we discover that Burt has been married before, but that his wife passed away. At the end of the evening it is clear they’d both enjoyed their time together and they share an awkward goodbye.
Stu returns to ‘The One That’s The One’ to try and get a refund and bumps into Burt. The two agree to go and get lunch but end up sleeping together. The two build a super cute relationship, going for walks and eating ice cream together! Burt, who is of a similar age to Stu’s parents, gets on really well with them, and Stu meets Burt’s kids. Despite the age difference the relationship works and the chemistry between the two characters is actually believable.
The two end up getting married but things take a turn when they receive a visit to their house from some familiar faces…but I’ll save any more spoilers about how this impacts their relationship for the ‘Other Observations’ section below.
This episode of Weird City was indeed ‘weird’, but really funny. The acting and chemistry between Stu and Burt is excellent and believable, and their relationship is actually kind of adorable, even with the age gap. While some of the humour is a bit hit-and-miss, there’s warmth in this episode. It’s something a bit different and it’s got a heartfelt message.
Favourite Quote:
“That was crazy. Had no idea that was gonna happen.” – Stu
“Me neither. Well…maybe some idea.” – Burt
Tone: Warm
Score: 8/10
Other observations:
Stu and Burt end up getting married but things take a turn when the technician from ‘The One That’s The One’ comes over to their house and declares that there was a mistake in their matching, and so they legally must separate if they want to stay living ‘Above The Line’ to maintain order and standards. They reluctantly accept the separation. Stu is reassigned to another partner (a girl of a similar age to him), but he has little chemistry with her and clearly misses Burt. Stu leaves her and returns to Burt. The two reunite and kiss, before moving ‘Below The Line’, where they can be together.
I love the messages from this episode – it’s so anti-toxic masculinity and anti-conformity. Stu and Burt fall for each other despite neither of them thinking they are interested in men, but they accept it so naturally and without much drama. Love can be simple and when something feels right then perhaps it is – even when it’s not what was envisioned or expected. Their relationship seems so healthy and I love it! Plus, their families are so supportive.
It’s cute when Burt meet’s Stu’s parents. Stu’s mother has a fondness for collecting ornamental owls and Burt gets her one which she loves – very wholesome!
Stu meeting Burt’s kids is quite bizarre. Stu is worried that they will compare him to their mother, and while Burt’s daughter accepts him immediately, Burt’s son is more hesitant. In one of the more surreal conversations of the episode Stu manages to win him round.
You can tell that they definitely had a lot of fun making this!