The new Hulu series How to Die Alone premiered on September 13, and viewers have been raving about it. The comedy series created by and starring Natasha Rothwell follows Melissa, an airport worker who has a near-death experience that forces her to awaken to her life. The representation of plus-size people on screen has often left room for improvement, so fans were eager to see Natasha Rothwell in a story that centers on the experiences of a plus-size woman in How to Die Alone. Let’s review some thought-provoking themes to expect ahead of more episodes in the show this season.
Plus-Size Representation
Natasha Rothwell is popularly known for her comedic supporting roles in Insecure and White Lotus. One of the few critiques regarding her character on the show Insecure was the use of a plus-size woman as comedic relief since she was portrayed as the fat and funny friend of the group. This leads to a bigger conversation about how mainstream media often portrays plus-size characters as the comedic punchline who make other characters laugh at their own expense. Plus-size people also rarely get to star in TV shows as the lead characters, but they are often expected to be in a supporting role that advances the plot of a skinny character who is considered desirable. This is rooted in fatphobia, the systemic discrimination of fat people, which affects how they are treated and desired by others.
As the creator and lead character of the Hulu series How to Die Alone, Natasha Rothwell portrays a fat character named Melissa who goes through a near-death experience that drastically shifts her life perspective. Her character highlights important life lessons that people can relate to in a comedically masterful way. In the show, Melissa acknowledges that her character is a fat woman, but that does not take center stage in her story. Instead, the series is a portrayal of her character going through different ordeals, and she just happens to be fat while doing so. Her fatness being secondary to her character allows the audience to humanize her experience and see beyond her fatness. This is important because we are conditioned by fatphobia to dismiss the lived experiences of fat people while uplifting the experiences of skinny people who are considered more desirable.
Loneliness vs. Being Alone
The premise of How to Die Alone reminds the audience that life is too short and tomorrow is not promised. Natasha Rothwell expressed that she wanted to explore the difference between being alone and loneliness through the show. Loneliness is a normal human emotion that can often be confused with being alone. However, you can have access to family and friendships and still feel very isolated in these relationships. You can also be in solitude, which is being very comfortable in your energy and space, without feeling lonely. We look forward to the exploration of these themes through Melissa and other characters as How to Die Alone progresses.
Being Afraid of Love
Another important theme that How to Die Alone addresses is being deserving of healthy and authentic love. Melissa experiences a workplace romance with a co-worker named Alex, and as things get serious, she pushes him away due to fear. The portrayal of this scene was something a lot of viewers could relate to, especially in the context of the experience of fat Black woman. Since fatness and, by extension, fat people are villainized due to fatphobia, it is understandable that Melissa would internalize these feelings and view Alex as someone outside her league. Even though Alex never acted in a way that would create mistrust in the relationship, Melissa still couldn’t let herself be loved due to her insecurities. Natasha Rothwell’s portrayal of Melissa throughout her romantic relationship with Alex is endearing to witness due to the raw expression of her character. The audience can’t help but empathize with her insecurity because it is something we all experience. We look forward to seeing the progression of Alex and Melissa’s relationship as more episodes of How to Die Alone are released.
People-Pleasing Behavior
Setting boundaries in friendships and people-pleasing is another important theme that How to Die Alone confronts. Melissa’s best friend Rory, whose father is the boss at the airport, requests that Melissa should not apply for a promotion due to his tainted relationship with his father. A lot of viewers had strong reactions to Rory’s actions as he centered his feelings at the expense of a friend’s career advancement. This leads to a bigger conversation about people-pleasing and being passive instead of speaking up about your feelings. Even though people-pleasing is often a trauma response or a protection tactic, avoiding confrontation to maintain peace is also toxic behavior. Melissa is a classic people-pleaser, especially when it comes to Rory, so seeing her character arc as How to Die Alone progresses is something we are excited about.
How to Die Alone is a breath of fresh air due to its ability to balance both emotional and comedic elements while tackling serious topics. So far, viewers have been impressed by the show’s ability to evoke strong emotions out of the audience, which has left some people teary-eyed. The comedic element is also very intentional about not making Melissa the punching bag at the expense of a laugh, which is very refreshing for a fat Black character on mainstream TV. We can’t wait to see how much Natasha Rothwell has in store for the characters on the show as new episodes are released. If you have yet to see it, you can stream How to Die Alone on Hulu.
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