Life & Beth is a 10-episode series on Hulu starring Amy Schumer. I binge-watched all ten episodes in a couple of days, so here’s my quick take on it!
What’s It About
In this “dramedy”, we explore the mid-life crisis of main character, Beth Jones. Who, you probably guessed it, is loosely based on Amy Schumer’s personal childhood story.
Beth is an almost-40-year-old who’s been with long-time boyfriend for 6 years. The best way to describe her life would be mediocre. Her job as a sales person for a wine distributor is relatively average. Or, at least, she definitely doesn’t get any excitement out of it. She numbly coasts through her relationship, and she also has strained relationships with her mother, her father, and her sister.
We start off in the first episode with the sudden death of her mother after a car accident. This serves as the catalyst for the rest of the events to take place that help spur Beth to revisit and address her past in order to move forward with a better future.
Watch It Or Not
When I think of Amy Schumer, I think of stand up comedy, or at the very least, raunchy comedy like “I Feel Pretty” and “Trainwreck”. But Life & Beth definitely hits different.
I think this is Amy’s attempt at something a little more soulful and meaningful. It’s clear that Beth’s story comes from the heart. We see a teenager not only navigate the awkwardness of high school years, but also navigate a life that’s troubled due to the fault of her parents. And we see those childhood traumas project themselves onto an adult that is fast approaching 40 years old.
It’s a story that a lot of older millennials and Gen X’ers can probably relate to, and I can appreciate the theme. I think if you fall into that age category, you can appreciate this show.
