Who doesn’t love a good romcom? The promise of a happy ending, the tension and the chemistry, the laughs and the cheesiness. There’s something inherently comforting about the genre, which has been making a comeback in recent years. Netflix, for instance, has been producing more romantic comedy movies (of varying quality, it has to be said), and romantic fiction remains one of the publishing world’s best-selling niches. Romcoms are a force to be reckoned with, and the genre only becomes better when creatives can put their unique spin on it. Enter Rose Matafeo.
Matafeo, a comic/writer/actor/recent director from New Zealand, created the series Starstruck for the BBC. This should not be confused with Disney’s made-for-TV movie StarStruck, or ITV’s Starstruck reality show, in which contestants impersonate their favorite musical artists. No, Matafeo’s Starstruck is three seasons of comedy, romance, fantasy, and the bluntness of reality all rolled into one, and it is genuinely marvelous.
If you miss Fleabag—season 2, more specifically—definitely give this a go. Starstruck might not have the same deeply personal exploration of grief, but it has a similarly complicated love story, wonderful chemistry between its two main players, and a greatly comedic supporting cast.
Starstruck season 1 is fanfiction come to life; it is gender-swapped Notting Hill. Jessie’s (Matafeo) reaction after discovering that she slept with one of Britain’s biggest movie stars without realizing it is nothing short of honest. We’d all like to think that we’d be completely fine, but in reality, you’d probably utterly flip out before remembering that celebrities, too, are just people. And that’s exactly what Jessie does until she and Tom (Nikesh Patel) both figure out they could be something more.
Season 2 is an exploration of what comes after a romcom’s typical happily ever after. Jessie and Tom agree to try and make it work—but that isn’t easy, and there are obstacles along the way. Jobs, friendships, ex-boyfriends, and troublesome brothers all get in their way, but the final scene of the season is modern-day Jane Austen.
Season 3 is available now on BBC iPlayer in the U.K. and will be available on September 28 on Max in the U.S. As Matafeo herself put it in an interview with the Guardian, Starstruck‘s third season explores an important question: “What’s it like to have an ex?” Without spoiling too much, there’s a two-year time jump, and Jessie is forced to confront her choices as her friends all move into different stages of their lives. Brutally honest and relatably hilarious, Starstruck‘s third outing has been hailed as a “victory lap,” and it’s no wonder why. Matafeo’s outlook on life has changed, and this is reflected in Jessie’s story.
In an age where Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has proven that stories written by women for women are sorely wanted, Starstruck may be just what you’re looking for. And, if you’re on the lookout for a new weekend binge, each season only has six episodes—so what are you waiting for?
(featured image: BBC)
