Russian Doll (2019)

Splinter

Apr 29, 2019

We watched one and a half episodes last night, which is about as much as I could bear before cringing and stabbing my eyes out. Not one single character was likeable or possessed any redeeming features. In fact, each was a one dimensional cardboard cut-out. The protagonist was simply irritating and I was hoping that she would just stay dead and not come back, to be honest. It was all just so pretentious, badly executed and not a patch on Groundhog Day, which grabs you from the start and is also very humorous. This is neither humorous or hooks you, at least for me.

Peter McGinn

9.0

Aug 29, 2020

There is a great temptation, which many succumb to, to not only compare this series to Groundhog Day, but to rate it according to how they believe Russian Doll fared “against” Groundhog Day. Indeed, leading up to watch it, based on the previews, I was thinking in those terms. But I was mistaken to fall into that trap. Groundhog Day is a romantic comedy, played almost entirely for laughs. There is an obvious comparison to be made here, with the protagonist (plural in Russian Doll) reliving the same day over and over again. But I felt Russian Doll had more depth. It wasn’t just magic like it…

First season is one of the most captivating shows I have watched, starting with the main characters and plot that never completely crystallises, but makes openings for theories to be made by the viewer. Natasha Lyonne creates a multifaceted, captivating character that is not fuzzy or particularly humorous, which could also be said for the show itself. Comparing it to a romcom like Groundhog Day is as irrelevant as comparing any other Romantic Comedy to a Mystery Thriller or Drama. They are not in the same league, and they never strived to be.