Apple TV+ is transporting us back to the 80s with its new dark comedy, Physical – emphasis on the dark side.
Physical follows Sheila Rubin, a down-on-her-luck housewife, and mum to the most ear-piercingly screeching daughter in history.
Husband Danny is a waste of space, unemployed, and getting into politics, plus her ballet class are cancelled.
She hates her life – and spends her days milking the family savings to purge burgers naked in a seedy motel.
Then one day, she follows a cool-looking woman into an aerobics class, setting her up for future stardom.
Cue a whole load of lycra, and a pretty epic 80s soundtrack (which is the least you can expect from an 80s show.)
From the start, Physical shows Sheila’s destiny as a Jane Fonda-esque fitness mogul, flogging exercise videos to the masses.
These episodes track Sheila’s road to success – but man, for a show based on a high-energy exercise regime, the process is slow.
Before watching, you’d be forgiven for thinking Physical a woman learning to find empowerment in a misogynistic America.
This is not how this world works. In fact, the women are more vicious than the bumbling men they’re surrounded by.
Throughout the story, Sheila’s inner monologue spits out acidic commentary with vigor.
Even Greta, a portly but kind-hearted neighbour, doesn’t escape her venom, becoming the butt of fat jokes in the lead’s mind.
But its biggest sin is making the women’s lives revolve around their men.
We see Sheila spending more time on Danny’s campaign than in the dance studio – despite the series being literally about her.
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Why are we wasting our time at another networking event?
When Sheila’s career starts taking shape, it’s a man’s doing rather than her own.
Similarly, aerobics teacher Bunny holds up her porn-making boyfriend like a mother.
Even Greta succumbs to ways to keep her husband happy in a weird turn of events at the tail end of the series.
It seems to argue that through the men, the women find themselves. And it’s nonsense.
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Is Physical worth a watch?
Physical has a lot going for it, but just doesn’t live up to its potential.
It seems to work under the presumption that there will be a season two. Consequently, the episodes feel like set-up more than any kind of pay-off.
Rose Byrne is, naturally, the highlight, with her morbid life commentary at least providing some laughs at times.
But there’s only so often we can hear about how much Sheila hates everyone, including herself, before it becomes boring.
This is not the feminist empowerment piece the show promotes itself as. If anything, it goes in the opposite direction.
We thought Physical would energise us into getting hooked, but instead it felt a little like a slog.
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Physical is available from June 18th on Apple TV+.
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