Russian Doll | Nihilistic Groundhogs Day
"Automated Voice: We are experiencing a temporary power outage.
[The Elevator's Door opens revealing the shaft as the cabin begins to go into free fall. The other passengers began to scream]
Nadia: Hey Man, Didn't you get the news? We're about to die
Alan: It doesn't matter. I die all the time
Nadia: Me too" - Episode 4, "Alan's Routine"
While Groundhogs Day(1993) is not the first Time Loop Movie, (Notable examples would be the live action The Girl Who Leapt Through Time(1983) and Mirror for a Hero(1987)*), it cannot be denied that the iconic Murray film created a familiar ruleset for the many films that came afterwards. Although not ever time loop film follows the GHD formula, (E.G Run Lola Run), many films follow the prescribed tropes given. Generally a 24 hour period in which the character is reset back to a "respawn point" usually waking up to whatever leitmotif the producer went over budget using. Deaths are meaningless, actions don't have consequences and side characters and events occur exactly as they did unless the protagonist intervenes. That being said while some films follow in GHD comedic footsteps, (the Netflix Film Naked(2017) for instance), many others films run the gamut in genre. ABC's 12 Dates of Christmas is a holiday romance, Happy Death Day(2017) is camp horror and Before I Fall(2017) is a Teen Drama. Russian Doll is a sendup of the Time Loop premise playing to its strength but allowing the time shenanigans to take a back seat when its time to get to the center of a heartfelt character drama.
The show begins with Nadia Vulvokov(Natasha Lyonne) staring at the bathroom mirror as she prepares to go out and celebrate her 36th birthday. Later on that night she gets hit by a car as she attempts to rescue her indoor-outdoor cat Oatmeal. The next thing she knows is that shes is 1. Not Dead and 2. Standing in the bathroom back at her birthday party. A few cycles, (and about 10 deaths later), she gets in a elevator after preventing a man from freezing to death in the future, ("I think a guy who gave me a haircut yesterday may have died tomorrow and I don't know how tomorrow deaths work when it's yesterday again ..."), the elevator goes into free fall and she finds out that she is not the only person stuck in the time loop.
It should come as no surprise that a show co-written by Amy Poehler would be hilariously funny combining a morbid sense of gallows humor with a surprisingly amount of high-brow humor, ("Is this why you two have been meeting up for your dissertation on Philip Roth or whatever? For the millionth time its about Updike and the Suburban Imaginary"). Amongst the Humor there is also a surprisingly amount of subtext and imagedy. One motif throughout the series is questioning the persistent nature of self. Essentially are we the same person as a child and as an Adult or are these different forms of us a strict dichotomy that exist concurrently in there own timelines. Mental health and Illness are also a centralized theme in the series with many of the characters suffering from various issues, (I highly recommend reading this article by Jordan Davidson which goes into depth on the topic). From its fore front RD is both a deeply humorous and intelligent work with snappy dialogue, humorous exchanges, and some deeply profound moments of realization and character growth.
One of the most intriguing parts of the premise of the show is its inclusion of two characters stuck in a time loop as it not only allows themselves to be relieved of the loneliness of the situation but also to present a foil to each other. Nadia is a sarcastic, acerbic, chainsmoker who pushes everyone who loves her away and runs from commitment. Alan on the other hand is anal-retentive constantly trying to establish exact control over his life while also being a yes-man. Both characters at the beginning of the film are deeply flawed and it takes them looking past their own myopic goals to grow as characters. Most films in the subgenre use the Timeloop as a way to allow the character to grow as they have a presumingly infinite amount of times to get things right, say the right things, and learn from the mistakes. Like an imaginary argument one has in the shower a time loop is a safe space for the character to grow and reach the desired outcome. RD capitalizes on this usage as both characters throughout the show realize that many of the behaviors are self-destructive and by trusting in each other they can start to seek the help they need to mend their broken relationships and heal.
On a lighter note, Russian Doll is surrounded by an absolutely fantastic cast of supporting characters. The majority of the cast are people of color and while the main characters are both straight, (or at least straight-passing), Nadia's best friend is in a sapphic polyamorous relationship. Besides the honestly refreshing amount of representation the side characters are all surprisingly deep.
Whether its the amoral college professor Mike, The Riches to Rags Horse who wants to cut your hair, or the girl at Garrett's who thinks your fucking with her, Russian Doll is filled with memorable characters that you can deeply relate to and whose troubles you care about.
Russian Doll had three directors, Co-Creator Leslye Headland(Sleeping with Other People(2017), The Seven Deadly Plays), Lead Actress Natasha Lyonne(American Pie Series, Orange is the New Black), and Director Jamie Babbit (But I'm a Cheerleader(1999), Itty Bitty Titty Comitty(2007)). While it is possible to find slight stylistic flourishes between individual episodes and scenes the show flows in a fluid and clear manner. That is not to say that it doesn't have its creative moments. Episode 2 "The Great Escape" features an absolutely beautiful Tove Lo homage while other scenes are done with style such as the elevator scene in episodes 3 and 4. Overall Russian Doll has a strong visual style with masterful cinematography.
A standard part of the time loop trope is the wake up song. A strong leitmotif that signifies the start of a cycle. In RD's case this is "Gotta Get Up" by Harry Nilsson. While its usage did take up a majority of the shows music budget the show manages to include a bevy of other musical acts mostly Indie and Electro Pop artist but will occasionally include a familiar face such as Pussy Riot and Ludwig Beethoven. The Composer for the series was Joe Wong and while the show is not heavily scored the sound is ephemeral and incredible subtle. Its easy to miss but still absolutely fantastic.
Russian Doll is can't miss television whether your looking for a new series to make you laugh or cry. Stunning performances from Natasha Lyonne and Charlie Bennett, Writing that is in turns hilariously, biting, and introspective, and an Innovative sendup of the Time Loop Subgenre all create a show which will have you coming back to it again and again much like the characters themselves. Season 2 has been postponed for 2021 so you have plenty of time to catch up on a show that's nigh impossible not to binge.
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*Small note but both films are foreign, (at least to my American ethnocentric ass), The Girl who leapt through time(Toki o Kakeru Shojo) is a Japanese film adapted from the 1965 book by Yasutaka Tsutsui. Mirror for a Hero(Zerkalo dlya geroya) is a Russian Film adapted from a short story by Stanislav Rybas
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