When it was originally on: 2022-2024

Original network: HBO

Where you can stream it now: HBO Max or HBO Go or whatever the hell we’re calling that app now

Had I seen it before: Yeah, I’ve given this one a try before and according to my HBO app, got through the entire first season. I don’t remember making any deliberate choice to stop watching it, I just kind of fizzled out with it.


What IMDb says: Sam is a true Kansan on the surface, but, beneath it all, struggles to fit the hometown mold. Grappling with loss and acceptance, she discovers herself and a community of outsiders who don’t fit in but don’t give up.

Why I picked it: Somebody, Somewhere isn’t necessarily a Hit in the purest sense of the word, but damn, the people who love this show and have recommended it to me looooove it. It’s the kind of show so few people are even attempting to make these days… just some ordinary people, living their life. I’m also a big believer that more shows should be set in places like Kansas, and hell, this one’s even about gay people in Kansas. I wanted representation for these more low-key, less plot-driven shows, and representation for the small-but-passionate fanbase shows that may not be making.

What I liked: I’m impressed by how well I feel like I know Sam without the pilot feeling like it’s trying too hard to tell me who Sam is. She has this incredibly tragic event that’s clearly going to be a defining part of her character and the whole series, yet I don’t just feel like I’m pitying her; I feel like I know her. She’s likable, even whe she’s doing unlikable things. She’s the fun aunt who helps her niece dye her hair green. She’s the lady who goes to an old classmate’s book signing just to make petty comments about the book later. It’s a testament to good show-don’t-tell writing as well as Bridget Everett’s performance.

The ending scene at choir practice also just… hits. I can’t fully articulate why, but it’s just a warm, cozy welcoming space. I really don’t know who any of these characters are as individuals, but watching them all revel in this safe space they’ve built for themselves and each other makes me feel like I know more than I do. And because this isn’t a very plot-driven show, these are the moments you need in the pilot. It’s about making me want to spend more time in this world, with these people vs. making me curious to see what’s going to happen next.

What I didn’t like: At this point, none of the characters besides Sam really have any life outside of her. Joel still feels like a manic pixie dream gay at this point. Tricia seemingly exists solely to yell at Sam that she needs to get her shit together. Everyone is just who they need to be to move Sam’s arc forward, and nothing else. I do like the choir practice scene, but it made me want to know more of these people better. And hey, maybe that’s actually a good thing if it left me wanting more.

Do I want to watch Ep. 2?: Yeah, I’m curious to see where the Sam/Joel relationship goes.