Like many of you, I’m counting down the minutes until the White Lotus finale this Sunday night. I could use this whole newsletter to speculate about who might be killed off and who might be the shooter. But luckily, I don’t have to, because the Vanity Fair staff did that for me.
I’m Rebecca Ford, and I’m instead going to use this newsletter to write about a show debuting today that I think will really shake up the Emmy race for limited series: Dying for Sex. The FX on Hulu miniseries stars Michelle Williams as Molly, who discovers that her cancer is back and it’s stage IV. So she essentially blows up her life by ending her marriage and embarking on a sexual awakening before it’s too late. Molly also enlists best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate) to help her live out the rest of her life in the best way she can.
The eight-episode series is based on an acclaimed podcast of the same name that followed two real friends navigating this difficult journey together. The TV series is emotional, but funny and quirky at the same time. It’s a tough balance to pull off, and it does so well.
Williams, who previously won an Emmy for Fosse/Verdon, is at her most charming here, while also diving deep for the more emotional beats of the story. But it’s Slate who may surprise some viewers with her performance, which my colleague Richard Lawson describes as a “revelation” in his review of the series: “In some ways, Slate is the true phenom of the series, a comedic actor getting the chance to do big, expansive drama and nailing every facet of it.” She recently spoke about the role of Nikki with my colleague Savannah Walsh, sharing what it might mean for her future: “It helped open a door for me, and I do feel that there’s a lot on the other side. I don’t exactly know what it’ll all be.”
Dying for Sex is a very promising new competitor for the limited-series Emmy race. In the past few years, the category has often had a front-runner that’s dominated it, like Beef and Baby Reindeer. Netflix is back with Adolescence this season, and HBO’s The Penguin already picked up several awards earlier this year. But Dying for Sex should make this an even more interesting race. I expect both Williams and Slate to land nominations in their acting categories, and maybe even win.
On that note: Over on our Little Gold Men podcast, we’re looking to answer your biggest questions about this Emmy season. Feel free to send us a note at littlegoldmen@vf.com, and we might just discuss your question on an upcoming episode. There’s much more to talk about!
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