How to Die Alone definitely finds its groove mid-season as the show moves forward in a way that’s comfortably predictable yet never cliched. In a world where new shows aren’t given enough time to bake with shorter seasons and smaller budgets, How to Die Alone uses familiar TV tropes to move along the storytelling while delivering refreshing writing and allowing the actors room to make the characters their own (Natasha Rothwell and Bashir Salahuddin did their thing!) in a mere eight episodes. For example, Thanksgiving episodes are a staple across genres; the opportunity for ensemble acting and getting a peak into our main character’s psyche through the lens of their family dynamic makes for great television.
The Bear ’s critically acclaimed episode “ Fishes ” comes to mind as a recent demonstration of how well Thanksgiving works as a backdrop for drama, and How to Die Alone’s take on the holiday stands out for similar reasons — but with much less yelling and a lot more laughs. Melissa’s holiday has all the classic Thanksgiving episode elements — from the snarky, backhanded compliments from family (“I didn’t know that Rainbow sold blazers.”) to a frazzled mom of young children trying to impress her mother-in-law, plus a hilarious holiday at the airport opening scene.
But it’s the small moments within this formula and the conversations they spark that highlight the rawness of the series. With her freshly pressed hair, new blazer, and career updates, M.