Tig Notaro’s half hour comedy One Mississippi dropped its first full season on Amazon Prime this month, and it’s well worth a watch. The series follows Notaro as a fictionalized version herself as she returns to her hometown when her mother dies very suddenly. Much like the real-life Notaro, her character has recently experienced an avalanche of tragedy and bad news, having lived through breast cancer and a double mastectomy, followed immediately by a debilitating intestinal disorder, C-Diff. As Notaro sifts through her mother’s belongings in her childhood home, she must reckon with her painful childhood, her mother’s secrets, and the distance of those family members closest to her, like her socially awkward stepfather, Bill, who reminds her, “We aren’t legally related anymore.” And yes, this is a comedy. One with a dark humor and fewer laugh lines than you might expect, but still a comedy.
I'm a big advocate of dark comedies. Especially away from network TV. I didn't know too much about this comedian actress named Tig Notaro. But when I saw that Louie C.K was the executive producer on this, I knew I was in for some dry dark humor that would make you pay attention to as much of the interaction and conversations as possible. Why, because you are likely to miss something. Tig is an interesting character that exudes a cool laid back demeanor and it goes well for the environment she is in. She kinda has a style like K.D Lang (country singer), not because she is gay but because she has this ambiguous look and feel to her that fits her and only her. Tig is struggling with multiple things at once and you can see it weigh down on her through out the series. Family, health, relationship, career, you name it. Again dark comedy, not laugh out loud stuff. The other characters in the show are well presented and aren't just fillers. They are part of her story and compliment her well. I like the way some characters come in temporarily and show up here and there and not appear as partners and side kicks. The only one that does is her younger brother who has problems of his own. The biggest take away I got from researching this show is how Tig has this show resemble her real life which makes it looks so natural. Well written, quirky and a very odd show.
As the summary states above, a radio host comes back home to be with her family as her mother is taken off life support. She walks through the show from beginning to end with a very miserable unexcited demeanor that you are undecided on whether she is angry, sad or what ever. You just don't know. recovering from Cancer, clingy girlfriend, C-Diff, childish brother and an emotional detached father in law. I guess, what would you expect? What's so crazy is there are other smaller issues that changes her life on top of these things that keeps coming up while she is home. But Tig's dry humor carries the show making it amusing and dramatic. Sad at times but hopeful as well. You watch and hope that life will get better for her. Based on the first 6 episodes, I'll be finishing the series and hopefully see more if they renew it.