First Impressions: 'Lady Dynamite'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Despite the incredible progress that television has made over the years when it comes to diversity and showcasing slices of American life that it has stayed away from for many years, there is still more work to be done. CBS for example was recently cited as not being diverse enough for its upcoming fall season and for the most part, the networks still make an effort to stay away from more taboo topics, one of which just so happens to be mental illness.

But despite these challenges, television continues to evolve and continues to grow. New shows are finding ways to bring taboo topics right to the surface and into our homes in new and incredible ways and as Netflix and Amazon continue to expand their original programming lines, those barriers continue to fall. Case in point, Netflix's recent sitcom offering starring indie comic Maria Bamford; Lady Dynamite. This wonderful comedy series takes us into Maria's life as she works to get her career back on track after spending an extended amount of time back home in Minnesota to receive outpatient treatment in a mental health facility as part of her ongoing battle with BiPolar Disorder and well, calling this series wonderful isn't doing it justice...it's downright brilliant. 

That's in large part thanks to the fact that the series is absolutely hilarious. The series is loaded with subtle gags or hearty laughs and it helps that some big time names pop up in this show left and right. The third episode features a cameo from Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino and comedy legend Patton Oswalt finds a way to sneak into the series as well. But let's be honest, the star of the show is what matters here and Maria shines through and through when it comes to every episode. This is in fact a "best of" reel for Maria as she demonstrates just how talented a comedian she truly is and she does such an incredible job generating the laughs that you may find yourself pausing the show on several occasions to get all of the giggles out of your system.

But all of the comedy aside, a lot of credit needs to be given to the show for removing the stigma of mental illness and presenting it in a frank and honest manner. Maria is never a "crazy person", she's a human being going through a struggle and at no point does anyone ostracize her for her illness, she is accepted, she is loved and her friends and family support her and only want to see her get better. It's a wonderful and heartwarming touch to the show and it doesn't end there. This is a show that also provides us with an in depth look at her recovery, taking us inside her treatment as she works to get her life back on track and that too is some groundbreaking stuff.

Yet, while one might think that the segments surrounding Maria's recovery in Minnesota would be the dryer and more dramatic parts of the show to counterbalance the comedy, that's simply not the case. There are laughs to be found in those segments as well and that's what makes this series so absolutely incredible. Maria finds a way to find humor in everything that has come along in her life; and it's stunning to know this story is semi-autobiographical and that she has managed to overcome so much. That makes this series an inspiration, and one that you need to add to your Netflix queue as soon as possible. 

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