You may already watch enough television or not have enough time to, but when it comes to great, unwatched shows, you can always have room for another one, no matter how full you already are. It’s important to stretch your horizons of taste. What can seem a little too niche at first can melt into something that you hold dear. Here is an A&C staff pick for an underrated show: “Man Seeking Woman." It fits perfectly as a show that’s totally worth your time.
What happens when an average guy is forced to navigate through the thick hedges of the dating scene? If that’s the plot of a television show, you usually get a bored audience who has seen the plot unfold a thousand times over. But when you add a relatable cast, sharp writing and a sprawling surreal world to wander about, you get FXX’s underrated gem “Man Seeking Woman."
Already in its third season, “Man Seeking Woman” packs on the absurd with some truly hilarious but emotionally relatable material. Based on creator Simon Rich’s book “The Last Girlfriend on Earth,” the show follows Josh, played by the infallible Jay Baruchel, who, after he is dumped by his girlfriend of many years, tries to survive the cutthroat world of dating and find love. A beaten-to-death premise for sure, however, no show is quite like this one and for good reason. Josh has to uncomfortably mingle with girls while simultaneously getting around the outrageous events going on in the world around him. In one episode he has to go to a destination wedding in the bowels of Hell, another where he deals with the fact that his ex-girlfriend is dating the actual Adolf Hitler and one where he “settles” and starts dating a used car. It all seems confusing at first. Sometimes only Josh seems to question what is actually going on, while to everyone else it’s business as usual. Eventually the viewer begins to stop asking questions and just accept the baffling yet familiar world these characters reside in.
Josh is joined up by his best bro Mike, played by the restrained Eric André. These two actors play off each other well and their relationship usually becomes a focal point in certain episodes. Another anchor in Josh’s life is his older sister Liz, who is usually there to give him some much needed advice while dealing with her own relationship problems on occasion, like when she starts having an affair with Santa Claus (yeah, this show gets weird.)
The current season keeps up with the minor threads of dating. The first season dealt with moving on from a relationship, the second confronted unrequited love, but the third offers an exciting change of pace. Josh seems to have found a serious girlfriend played by Katie Findlay. Now that the man has found the woman, a whole new batch of obstacles presented themselves: meeting the parents, befriending your partner’s friend and mutual trust are all topics that are being explored thanks to the new direction the show is taking this season.
As the season continues, “Man Seeking Woman” is at a crossroads going forward. I mean the show is called “Man Seeking Woman” and since Josh has found a stable girlfriend for the first time in the show’s history, the title no longer seems relevant. Will this relationship end like most others, in heartbreak? Will there be wedding bells? Will there even be a fourth season due to the show’s small but faithful following? This could be it for one of the quietest and best shows on the air. It’s best to swipe right now before it’s too late and see for yourself.