There really is no bad episode in the series, but there are ones that just didn’t quite hit the mark as high as others. Between Anne Hathaway’s depiction of a manic woman navigating the dating world, to an elderly couple finding love again… it is certain that Modern Love has something for everyone.
So He Looked Like Dad. It Was Just Dinner, Right?
By far, this episode was the most uncomfortable to watch. Young college student Maddy, lost her father when she was young. Now she has developed an attachment to an older exec at her place of work, Peter. Peter’s looks resemble those of Maddy’s late father, and when she sets her sights on him, she is determined to replay the part of her life when her dad was still alive.
Unbeknownst to Peter, Maddy does not have romantic feelings for him. She genuinely takes “daddy issues” to a whole new level and wants him to do things like tell her bedtime stories, and buy her toys at the zoo. It was refreshing to see the notion explored without sexualizing young Maddy, however this episode was just too uncomfortable to watch.
At the Hospital, an Interlude of Clarity
A second date between Rob and the beautiful Yasmine winds up with Rob in the hospital after slipping and cutting himself on a piece of glass. Yasmine sticks with Rob on the way to the ER, and through emergency surgery. All the while Rob still thinks Yasmine is way too far out of his league. He doesn’t really understand why she would give him the time of day, while internally Yasmine is struggling with self worth.
It’s really a cute tale about how we never really know one’s true self. That is until we seem them stripped down to a hospital gown, that is.
Hers Was a World of One
Throw together a random Ed Sheeran cameo, the sweetest couple, and a wild nomad, and you’ve got the penultimate episode of the Modern Love series. Tobin and Andy (two very different personalities) want to adopt a child. They come across Karla, a fiery soul who has no home.
Throughout their journey together, Tobin and Andy learn a great deal from Karla, better understanding her world and her sacrifice she has made for them. She doesn’t really have a filter, and puts them in their place, while learning along the way that she can learn a thing or two from them as well. It’s a super sweet adoption story, and the perfect vision of the modern family.
The Race Grows Sweeter Near Its Final Lap
While taking part in a running group, Margot and Ken bump into each other, and nothing is ever quite the same. After long marriages, they have both lost their partners, and they bond over finding love again even at their old age. Watching these two together is probably the sweetest thing you could witness, and the only reason it doesn’t get a higher rank is because I selfishly wanted more of the episode.
Margot and Ken are the perfect example of young love. Despite age or circumstance, it’s clear that these two were meant to find each other, and better each other’s lives until Ken sadly passes away. The episode ends the series, and concludes with the other 7 stories all being tied together with this one.
Rallying to Keep the Game Alive
Sarah and Dennis (a portrayal of Ann and Dennis Leary) have been having trouble in their marriage for a while. Tina Fey plays Sarah, a woman who just wants her husband to let her into his world of acting and creativity. Dennis (John Slattery) doesn’t think Sarah wants anything to do with his life as an actor, and has spent the last few years separating his two lives– family and career. We follow the couple on their journey through marriage counseling and trying to get back to the basics of love.
Watching them play tennis is probably one of the best scenes of the entirety of the show. The hard truth is that they both just have to apologize. They have spent so long focusing on the problems, that they forgot they used to have it so good. Over dinner one night, the couple is able to just get everything out on the table and learn to let each other in again. It’s a sweet story, and quite eye-opening to see that with the right communication some good things really don’t have to come to an end.
Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am
Lexi is a woman who is struggling to find love and companionship as she deals with bipolar disorder. She has kept her bipolar disorder a secret from most of the people in her life, and she has a hard time not feeling like a burden to others. Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of a New York City woman’s manic emotions, really resonates with so many people. One day she wears sparkly shirts and dances around groceries stores, and hours later, she is down in bed for the next several days.
It is a very important depiction of mental illness that I think was super important for the series to include, and thank goodness it came with a happy ending. Lexi is finally able to tell a co-worker/friend about her disorder and how much it takes a toll on her. Her friend sweetly sticks with her through it and tells her she’s happy she knows and that she’s not leaving her.
When Cupid is A Prying Journalist
Dating app CEO, Joshua, recalls the time he fell so deeply in love with journalist Julie. He tells the story of Emma, his true love, who cheated on him and broke his heart. They discuss love and being brokenhearted in a way that feels all too familiar, recounting past loves that changed their entire lives. Julie too was madly in love once, not with her husband, but with a foreign lover from decades ago who got away.
This episode really does a great job exploring those emotions of not being able to commit to someone, when your heart is completely somewhere else. It is a story of second chances and right place, right time.
When the Doorman is Your Main Man
Oh man, this episode is just too good. Perpetually single girl Maggie continues to bring home guys who aren’t good enough for her, and that doorman Guzmin does not approve of in the slightest. Guzmin seems to have a sixth sense about how poorly all of Maggie’s love affairs will go, and it is safe to say that Maggie is not into it.
After a brief affair, Maggie learns she is pregnant. She has no idea who to call, mostly out of fear, and so she runs to Guzmin. He comforts her, and immediately springs into action, helping her with everything. He helps her prepare for the baby, and once the baby comes he is all in. When Maggie moves away and finds love, she decides to return to NYC and pay Guzmin a visit. He approves of her new partner in the cutest moment television has ever seen. It was all in the eyes.
