I Hate Suzie
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I Hate Suzie
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents should know that I Hate Suzie is a dark comedy about an aging former teen star. It delves into the adult topics of sex outside marriage, sex in marriage, the complex emotions in long-term relationships, the sacrifices of parenthood, and other thorny issues. There's no nudity in the show other than a sea of comically large fake penises that appear in a dream, but Suzie and the other main characters talk about sex extensively, and one episode is entirely about masturbation and fantasy. Expect lots of foul language ("f--k" "c--k," "bitch," "slut," "d--k," and the like) and plentiful drugs and alcohol (cocaine, wine and hard liquor, ecstasy and other pills).
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What's the Story?
Suzie Pickles (Billie Piper) should be on top of the world. In I HATE SUZIE we meet her 20 years after she became a teen singing sensation on a TV competition, then languished in second-rate TV shows. Now her career is on the upswing -- she's just been cast as an aging Disney movie princess. The high doesn't last: After she gets that news, Suzie is assaulted with a flurry of texts; she learns that her phone has been hacked and compromising images are out there at the same moment that photo crew shows up to shoot her (she's the star of a zombie show) for a profile. In a panic, she has to keep that scandal from everyone -- her mansplainer husband, Cob (Daniel Ings), 7-year-old son, Frank (Matthew Jordan-Caws), the photo crew, the cleaning lady -- for the next second, minute, hour. Once the story in on everyone's phones, the season's eight episodes explore how the scandal affects Suzie's already messy, complicated marriage, sex life (inside and outside of her marriage), career, friendship (her agent, Nicole [Leila Farzad] is also her best friend from childhood), motherhood, and more.
Is It Any Good?
Billie Piper, as Suzie Pickles, has mined her own life (teen singing star, actor on shows with obsessive fans) in a tour de force performance, with seemingly every human emotion played out in closeup. Before this series, Piper has enjoyed a successful, multi-faceted career, with multiple hit singles before she could drive and starring roles in well-received shows (Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful). Her latest feels raw and personal -- in good company with the long list of funny, often emotionally wrenching series that their stars created for themselves (e.g., Insecure, I May Destroy You, Fleabag, Better Things).
Piper's performance is great -- from the outsized physical reactions (only heightened by her huge eyes and mouth) to her career and personal life in a nosedive to the subtleties of her interactions with her condescending, sometimes menacing husband and possibly troubled son. I Hate Suzie looks at life from the mid-30s rather than the 20s, a view that can feel like a non-stop panic attack -- an exaggeration of reactions that'll feel familiar to many viewers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about marriage and relationships. Is love the only good reason to be in a partnership or get married? What are some of the other reasons people get together and stay together? What does this series suggest about some of these points?
How does the media portray casual sex and related themes? Is there a connection between the sexual content we see on TV and the decisions we make about having sex and protecting ourselves?
How does the media portray adults who were child stars? How does early fame seem to affect actors and singers?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 19, 2020
- Cast: Billie Piper, Daniel Ings, Leila Farzad
- Network: HBO Max
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: August 8, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Fleabag
Quirky, mature U.K. comedy; cursing, strong sexual content.
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Insecure
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Better Things
Mature single-mom comedy is raw -- and refreshingly real.
For kids who love dark comedy
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