Togetherness: HBO Brings in More of the Same

A title card fitting the rather bland approach to storytelling.
Come on... at least capitalize the T!
 "Oh no please! Seduce away, it's been so long! I rather think it's all for naught. What happens when the nonexistent bumps against the decrepit? A question for the philosophers." - Lady Olenna Tyrell, Game of Thrones, S03E04



I have spoken extensively about what a "dramedy" is on this blog. What I said last time still stand... I don't think that dramedys are bad, but I would really like them to stop masquerading as comedies. HBO in particular seems to adore the dramedy. This past Sunday, instead of airing any hour long drama, three dramedys premiered. First came the season four premiere of Girls. Though it must be doing something right to get to a fourth season, I just can't jump on board with that show. Next was the first ever episode of Togetherness, which I'll be talking more about quite soon. Finally there was season two of Looking, a show I just don't think I'm the right demographic for. This little lineup is rather disappointing to me. Not only do I only watch one of the three programs, but this season has zero hour-long shows! I can't help but be dismayed.
This being said, the new Duplass brothers show has a lot to be talked about.

Our cast of characters at the beach
Togetherness is a pretty standard premise. Not unlike FX's recently debuting Married, Togetherness follows a young couple (Mark Duplass and Melanie Lynskey) with young children trying to make it as a couple. But, hold on - there's a twist. This time, the husband's best friend and the wife's sister are also main characters! Within the first episode, the struggling, heavyset, out-of-work actor who is Duplass's best friend (portrayed by Steve Zissis) and the relationship-seeking, desperate, slightly bitchy sister of Lynskey (played by Amanda Peet) move into the central character's house. Obviously, a blossoming relationship between the two is in the cards. Thus, the show follows two relationships struggling to make it under the same roof.
We start off the episode with Duplass attempting to have sex with his wife. Upon rejection, he takes matters into his own hands (literally), only to be stopped once again by his woman calling him gross. Right off the bat, we have some classic tropes. A once happy marriage is obviously hitting a snag, a man masturbates unsuccessfully, and the dialogue is highly reminiscent of Duplass's earlier mumblecore projects (Jeff Who Lives at Home, Cyrus, The Puffy Chair). Soon, Duplass is off to pick up Zissis who is being evicted from his apartment. Meanwhile, Amanda Peet is clinging to a man who obviously just wants to use her for sex. Once again, the dialogue is jokey with an underlying sadness, the characters are put in awkward situations, and straight comedy is avoided.
In the next ten or so minutes, our characters attended the beach which, just like the rest of Togetherness's world, is quite even-colored and not at all bold. In fact, the entirety of the show's cinematography can be described like this. Obviously, the show is striving for realism. None of the characters are drop-dead stunning, none of the sets are overwhelming, and nothing is meant to be absurdest whatsoever. Essentially, it's the opposite of every show put on Showtime ever.
Mark and Jay Duplass created
Togetherness

As much as I may bash Showtime for their hyper-flashy programming, sometimes HBO's dramedy antithesis can come out to the same result. While House of Lies loves to show sharp-dressed men, model-like naked women, and generally life in the fast lane, Togetherness likes to show regular looking people, harsh realities of under-glamorized sex, and a rather bleak outlook on life. In this sense, the show succeeds yet underwhelms. Perhaps the portrayal of marriage in Togetherness is accurate, but what is hooking me? Perhaps life isn't quite as absurd and funny as Archer, but again, what is hooking me? This leads me to my overall point on the show: it's not bad by any means, but it's just not hooking viewers in. Perhaps I'm just an action-seeking young man, but something about Kevin Spacey's deception in House of Cards, Bryan Cranston's rise to supervillainy in Breaking Bad, or the fantasy wars going on in Game of Thrones just draw me in more. Likewise, the hilarious (yet admittedly unrealistic) dialogue in Veep, Archer, or Arrested Development makes me care a lot more than that of Togetherness. 

 What Togetherness needs is the driving force that so spurs HBO's more dynamic programs. I'm not saying that Mark Duplass should join the Soprano Mafia or begin to deal drugs in Baltimore, but having something other than "why doesn't Lynskey want to fuck Duplass?" would probably do a bit more to make me care.
By no means am I completely finished with Togetherness. I'll watch the second and third episodes, seeing if it ups its game. However, if I remain not caring about what goes on in the half an hour it takes me to watch and if either the drama or the comedy don't become more apparent, I fear the worst for Togetherness.

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