‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ is a quick-witted, dark comedy that brilliantly portrays a shift from usual misogynistic comedies to one where the focus lies on the forgotten wife.
The show starts with Allison (Annie Murphy) catering to every need of her husband Kevin (Eric Petersen), her husband’s best friend and her father-in-law. From cooking and cleaning up after them to agreeing to every whims and fancies that the man-babies have but we see a huge shift in Allison’s approach to it throughout the season. Unable to relocate to a house of her choice, it becomes the breaking point where she realises that her life has been stagnant & stuck in the same routine for over two decades. She is then on a mission to find herself away from Kevin and is desperate to make her life exciting.
Kevin comes across as a typical chauvinist who is so self-centered and self-serving that he is unable to be a present husband for his wife. He constantly belittles her and lives as a man-child who makes everything about himself. Throughout the series, one is bound to become annoyed at how Kevin always gets his way and how hard Allison is trying to get away from someone who is extremely needy and obsessive. Towards the end of the season we see how Allison has pushed herself to find her voice, and when she does, she is a force of nature.
Annie Murphy gives a striking performance as a tired rebellious housewife, in complete contrast to her role as Alexis in Schitts Creek. She plays the role of a woman who is constantly troubled to an extent where she intends to harm her husband. Her friendship with Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden) is a modern take on female friendships and is quite refreshing.
The series is an enlightening and satirical take on the way a person may appear to be all bright and shiny on the outside but internally they are fighting their own battles. The constant transition of cinematography between the dull grey when Allison is alone as compared to the bright yellow when she is a wallflower around Kevin, is what stood out to me the most. It is a unique way of storytelling that makes us see the character for all their layers and moods.
Season 1 of ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’, created by Valerie Armstrong, is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
