Let’s Talk About #Sex/Life…Baby

Netflix has done it again with yet another “cult” favourite in one of their latest  series called Sex/Life.

The Premise

A suburban wife and mother takes a fantasy-charged trip down memory lane that sets her present on a collision course with her wild-child past. he new drama is based on her 2016 book, 44 Chapters About 4 Men. Similar to the series, the memoir was initially a journal of sorts for B.B., who documented her past escapades with ex-lovers, which included “a tattoo artist turned U.S. Marine turned motorcycle club outlaw, a baby-faced punk rocker out on parole and a heavy metal bass player.

Billie is a stay-at-home Mom who has it all. She has the perfect Mansion with the perfect open plan layout, 2 perfect kids and of course the perfect husband who is hard-working, faithful and the “good-guy” that didn’t finish last. One would think that she seemingly has it all figured out, but she feels something is missing. There is a side of her that her husband doesn’t know;  this side of Billie was less calculated and was young, fun, wild and sexually charged. Like any woman who has reached a certain point in her life, she starts reminiscing about her past which brings her back to her hot but emotionally unavailable  Ex, Brad. Brad is the opposite of her Husband Cooper and is the cliche’ bad boy record producer who wears leather jackets, rides a motorcycle, has an accent and is amazing in bed.. which was clearly “seen” in the shower scene. It just so happens that while going through all the emotions, she calls her friend and shows up at her Apartment un-announced and she stumbles on her bestie and Brad “together”. She is confused and some how angry and storms out and drama ensues.

This series in a nutshell, touches on Female sexuality and explores a woman’s desires to be sexually and professionally fulfilled (pun intended) and Bille is not shy that she wants both. She is however not the typical “damsel in distress”, that needs to be rescued as she was on her way to completing a PHD in Psychology before being pregnant … then being pregnant again .. and settling to do the “stay at home wife thing”, when she realises, “Jeez, I miss being young and enjoying sex”.

Let’s Talk About #Sex/Life…Baby

Billie’s husband soon realises his wife has a whole sexual fantasy with another man by reading her digital journal and tries to fulfil her fantasies. While he manages to be less “stiff and boring” and attempts to be somewhat adventurous, Billie is still lacking as he is nothing like Brad. 

I must admit I felt bad for her husband as instead of speaking to his wife to see what she is lacking, he tries to do all the things she did with Brad — which I found to be a little pathetic. As humans, our personalities are so dynamic that different people are able to bring out different sides of it. As Billie as openly and honestly stated earlier on, in the series “after ho-eing her way through Manhattan, she knew Cooper was her safe choice”.  She knew a guy like Cooper could never fulfil the desires she had like Brad and Brad could never play the “safe-husband” role like Cooper can. 

I’ve heard mixed mixed reviews about this show, as there are some (women) who feel Billie is ungrateful as she has a man who created the perfect life for her and is faithful, but it still was not enough. Throughout the series, we also see that Cooper has always been the nice, yet boring guy and Billie was way out of his league which is why he was hell bent on keeping her to make sure she didn’t leave him. I mean, which man would go to a woman’s ex to make a deal with him just because he seems threatened?  Let’s not forget the scene with the very presumptuous Co-worker who was ready and willing to “jump his bones”, the minutes he becomes available. Now, sis , is desperate! I know that for sure, though some can say she is quite like Billie who clearly states what she wants.

One thing I noticed throughout the serious is how all the characters seem to create their version of a better life, as if they didn’t have kids. Sure Billie could up and leave and fulfilled her sexual desires, but what will happen to the kids? What is Cooper’s co-worker sleeps with him and starts a relationship — again, I ask “what will happen to the kids”. I am sure most people are probably thinking this but too afraid to say it, but! The kids make it difficult for Billie and Cooper to truly “live their” lives. If they were not in the picture, she could have gotten with Brad so many times, and Cooper’s co-worker could get with him with no strings attached!

I feel as humans, we settle a lot, especially as women, as we feel time has ran out and “we might as well, because this is it for us”. Billie was open and honest and was brave enough to act on her “what if”, even if it meant her husband and children would be the casuality.

I actually liked it because it was an interesting look on female sexuality and the idea of “perfection” was accomplished by society’s standards and even challenged.

If you watched this series, let me know what you thought about it and how you felt about the characters

Are you #teambrad or #teamcooper?

Comment below!