finibabe2
I think this show could have had more depth and more longevity if it focused on stories of the supporting cast instead of everything being about the lead and his sex life. The mom's story was cool , but depressing. The father was OK with wife. But everything was central to the lead. If they developed the other characters more it would not have been just a gay show.
shoot-41307
If you like Amelia, Transparent etc you'll love this. Great soundtrack, funny and quirky. It's also quite moving at times. The characters are great and you warm to them all. It gets better as you go along, so stick with it. I'm at season three and liking it the most so far. A real gem. So glad I found it. I'm really enjoying every episode so far. Also tackles themes of homosexuality and mental health in a revealing way.Jump in and watch it. It'll make you feel a bit more relaxed about life. It's sometimes so funny the actors appear to be genuinely laughing.
svanlijnden
'Please Like Me' seems a bit needy, as titles go. But it's not hard to like this Australian series, which is a dramady with a documentary, understated feel to it. The lead is Josh (played by Josh Thomas), who gets dumped by his girlfriend in the first few minutes of the first episode. Things haven't been working out, she says. 'Also – you're gay.' Josh only begrudgingly comes to terms with this and he doesn't really feel like really having a proper coming out because the concept is 'so 90's'. As it happens, his best friend's colleague is only too happy to help Josh on his journey of self-discovery. This despite him seeming to be out of Josh's league looks-wise. That's not me being mean, that is something repeatedly stated in the series, by Josh himself.Josh is an interesting character. He tries to avoid conflict, but is also outspoken, and he keeps finding himself in situations he does not quite want to deal with. He is a bit aimless still, apparently studying – though we never see him do it – and he doesn't have a job. His parents keep him afloat financially. He's smart, funny, stubborn and maybe a bit lazy.The other character who plays a central role, especially during the second season, is Josh's mum (Debra Lawrance). She is suffering from manic depression. This leads to scenes that are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and she gives Josh plenty to worry about. We see her at her worst and also as the ultimately normal person at the core, who is just trying to cope with her illness. Rounding out the main cast are Josh's anxious, ineffectual dad and his feisty new wife, Josh's ex and his roommate best friend who is amusingly bad at expressing himself when it comes to emotions.They're a sympathetic bunch, well-portrayed and dealing with relatable crises. They're flawed and don't always do the right thing, but how they act makes sense given who they are. You will enjoy hanging out with them, even if you may be happy that you don't have to live with them full-time. Two seasons of 'Please Like Me' have been made so far, the last episode completely focusing on Josh and his mom taking a long trek through nature, just sharing thoughts and feelings. This is by turns funny, sad and awkward, in line with the rest of the series. Thankfully, Please Like Me's journey will continue in an upcoming season of ten episodes. More reviews at: popcultjunk.com / Twitter: @PopCultJunk
Kim Bailey
Josh is an everyday guy learning about sex, love, life and responsibilities. He is only slightly effeminate and there is really no clue where this is going, it's an exploration of emotions and gut wrenching relationship issues. Draws the viewer into the new age world of today's young adults. Explores the generational cracks and their impact on the ones least prepared to shoulder them, till challenged. And everyone has their own challenges here. All gets sorted by the intuitively intelligent Josh. So very real. Emotional, endearing characters with nothing pretentious about them.Fresh faces, great casting, and you will love the characters, everyone has their story to tell, and you get to know them all well. Great icons of the Australian TV industry also bring their talent, experience and professionalism to the fore as support characters, making this another Aussie TV success story like Offspring or Sea Change. I hope ABC keep this one going all the way. Love it.