Modern Love is an anthology series, a joint production between Amazon Prime and The New York Times. NYT defines it as "a weekly column, a podcast — and now, in its 15th year, a television show — about relationships, feelings, betrayals, and revelations." Amazon's TV series is a direct inspiration from this column, in that the 8 stories are directly picked from it.
Modern Love became an internet sensation overnight. Because millennials consider ourselves to emotionally wrought and loveless, it appealed to us the most. Not because it is a stark portrayal of love. But on the contrary, Modern Love raised a simple debate — the essence of love.
Here are the top ten quotes from Modern Love that shook us.
He's Empty Headed
In the first episode, "When The Doorman Is Your Main Man", we see an unusual camaraderie between Maggie Mitchell (Cristin Milioti) and her doorman, Guzmin (Laurentiu Possa). The guy stands outside the building and watches over her, in a fatherly-protective way. He also acts a thin sieve, continually trying to separate her from the empty-headed boys she dates.
In this instance, Maggie has finally won more than a date with a nincompoop. She feels like has hit some sort of a lottery or something. Guzmin has known Maggie over the years and he knows what she's capable of. So he tries to discourage her from pursuing this guy, by calling her up and saying:
"I don't like him. He's empty-headed. You are a very bright woman with a Ph.D.!"
Conservative Nonsense
In the same episode, Maggie falls pregnant. The father, of course, is the empty-headed guy. And the couple are broken up. As Maggie learns of her pregnancy, she confides in Guzmin.
The two sit and talk over a beverage, the latter mostly comforting her. Maggie talks about her insecurity of having a baby without the support of a man. "I can't bring a baby into the world with a man that I don't love or trust. You know a baby needs two parents. A baby needs a mom and a dad." Guzmin replies by saying, "What conservative nonsense this is?"
Written All Over Your Face
Dev Patel and Catherine Keener walk around New York City in "When The Cupid Is A Prying Journalist" to narrate their love stories. Dev plays Joshua, CEO of a dating app 'Fuse' and Keener plays a prying journalist, Julie. The two meet for a business, by the end of which Julie asks Joshua if he's ever been in love before, followed by an assurance that she wouldn't print it.
Joshua: "Print what?"
Julie: "That story that's written all over your face."
Feet Off My Chest
Episode 3 “Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am” talks about bipolar disorder. Lexi (Anne Hathaway) is the focus of this episode. She plays a woman who works in entertainment law.
Lexi secretively struggles between two sets of moods, each lasting weeks. A euphoric manic phase where she is the Rita Hayworth of the world. This is followed by a depressive phase. Lexi's disorder causes her to miss out on dates and work. She loses the chance to go out with the man of her dreams. When she's finally fired from her job, she confides in a co-worker (Quincy Tyler).
"How does it feel telling me?"
"Like an elephant has taken one of its feet off my chest."
Almost Proud Of My Condition
“Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am” ended on a positive note. Lexi learned to embrace her condition and not be ashamed about it. She didn't have to hide who she actually was, she went on to say that she was proud of her condition.
"It's amazing what trusting one true friend in your life can do. Once I told Sylvia, it seemed like the cat was out of the bag. I rang old boyfriends from over the years, colleagues I had just stopped calling for no reason. It was cathartic, strangely healing, how forgiving and understanding they were. And how little credit I had given so many people. And I promised myself no person would not know the full story of me."
You Engineered That
Episode 5, "Rallying To Keep The Game Alive," tells the story of a middle-aged couple with two kids whose relationship is hanging by a thread. Ann and her actor husband Dennis Leary are played by Tina Fey and John Slattery respectively. They try to bond over tennis at the suggestion of their therapist, and which ends up doing more damage. So when they call it quits, Ann opens up to her husband.
"You made it impossible for me to be a part of your life, Dennis. So don't act surprised when I say that we have nothing in common because you engineered that."
Cold Calculation
Episode 6 "So He Looked Like Dad. It Was Just Dinner, Right?" tells the story of Madeline (Julia Garner) who has never had any fatherly love and affection. So she decides to get it from her boss, Peter (Shea Whigham). Except the latter thinks it's developing into a romantic relationship.
One day after gifting her an expensive coat, he tries to kiss her. After an altercation, Peter mentions the coat to which Madeline responds by saying:
"There it is. I can't believe you would reduce our relationship to a cold calculation. What is this, coat for sex? This was a transaction?"
Carried You Like A Trooper
Episode 7 "Hers Was a World of One" is the cherry on top of this anthology series. It is the story of a gay couple who try to adopt a baby. The episode ends up giving a whole to dimension to adoption and how it doesn't have to be transactional like it usually is. The couple Andy (Brandon Kyle Goodman) and Tobin (Andrew Scott) settle for an open adoption with Karla (Olivia Cooke). Karla is a homeless woman with a peculiar take on life.
When the baby is born, Tobin tells her, her mama's story.
"Hey, I want to tell you a story about your mom. And I'll tell you now when you can't talk back, and you are not all teenage and entitled and in case you don't get to see her as much as you want in life. Which would be a shame because I'm telling you now. She is fucking...awesome. She carried you like a trooper and she gave birth to you without one moment of fear."
Hunter-Gatherer
Tobin honors Karla by narrating the following words to the baby, outlining the current truth of our society, and how humans have evolved from the past. Although there are perks to where we are now, there are also certain losses of freedom.
"Now, we're not hunter-gatherers, by any means. We're capitalists. We wouldn't survive a second in the wild because there's no restaurants or Whole Foods, or therapists or hospitals for when you get sick or, um, books for you to read or movies for you to watch."
Old Love Is Different
Episode 8 "The Race Grows Sweeter Near Its Final Lap" is an end to the anthology series. It is the love story of an old couple, Margot and Kenji who meet in old age, fall in love and get married. The couple (of which Kenji expires) is a perfect symbolism to the end of love. Margot eulogizes at Kenji's funeral and the whole story comes together.
"Old love is different, yet it is also the same because Ken and I did everything that young people do. We fell in love, we traveled, we remodeled a house together, we planted a garden, I finished a memoir, he called me "sweetheart. Young love, even for old people, can be surprisingly bountiful."