Netflix’s “Living With Yourself” set up great expectations when the trailer was launched. But after the show dropped on Netflix on 18th October with eight episodes of about half-an-hour, it was quick to lose all of the people’s attention. Things started off with a strong note, but the storyline has dragged a bit in the last few episodes. The plotline was termed as boring and muddy by few, and the ending was too cryptic.
The show featured much loved-star Paul Rudd in the lead role. Paul plays Miles, a depressed marketing creative whose career and marriage were on the verge of collapsing. His co-worker recommends him to go to a strip mall for a rejuvenating spa treatment. There he is cloned into a happier version using his DNA but was unsuccessful in being murdered to let the better version take over. Unfortunately, both Miles survives, and now there are two of them trying to navigate his life.
While this conceit might have been an effective way of revealing more insights about Miles’ psyche, it instead makes Living With Yourself feel housebound and repetitive. The show doubles back to repeat storylines and scenes from multiple characters’ points of view.
Paul Rudd does an amazing job, but the show is more about the problems of society than anything else. Living With Yourself is a dark comedy that deals with issues people go through on a daily basis like existential crises, self-loathing, stagnant relationships, and even depression. Miles and his wife Kate are in a passionless marriage, in which fertility treatments have been a point of contention. They both look for happiness outside, not realizing that it is inside them due to which they do not appreciate the love that is between them.
The ending was made too cryptic with Kate pregnant and not sure who was the baby’s father- Miles or the clone Miles. Though the two miles realize that they love each other, and all decide to live together, we see the look of worry on Kate’s face as she considers how this is all going to work out.
However, the story could have been better as, in the end, we feel something lacked in the show despite the great performances. Due to Paul Rudd in the lead role, expectations were high from his double role in the show Living With Yourself. Thankfully, he doesn’t disappoint, but the same can’t be said about the show.