by Steven Fenton
If you’re a comedy fan, or if you’ve listened to any NPR show in the last four years, you know Tig Notaro. For the uninitiated, the comedian rocketed to fame when she turned her lowest point in life into comedy gold. In 2012, Tig Notaro had a pretty shitty year. Her mother passed away, she ended a relationship, and she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. Mere days after her diagnosis, Tig delivered an instantly iconic comedy routine where she mined her personal miserie; spoke frankly about the unbelievable circumstances she’d found herself in; and somehow transformed all that profound pain into poignant hilarity.
Notaro’s brilliance and signature laidback charm have launched her into stardom with albums, HBO specials, cameos on Inside Amy Schumer and Transparent, the Netflix documentary Tig, and now her very own Amazon show. In One Mississippi, Notaro channels her dark, deeply felt humor into a beautifully made, sensitive, and rollicking portrait of a grieving family with a talent roster full of Film Experience favorites...
Season 1, Ep 1. “Pilot”
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Written by: Tig Notaro & Diablo Cody
In the pilot episode, we meet Tig, host of Tig’s Musical Story Hour on KCRW in Los Angeles. Tig has just landed in New Orleans, en route to her hometown, Bay Saint Lucille, MS. Tig’s brother, Remy (Noah Harpster) and step-father, BIll (John Rothman), pick her up at the airport and comment on her gaunt appearance and hobbled walking. We soon learn Tig is a cancer survivor, coming off a recent double mastectomy (and currently managing an...inconvenient bout of C.diff). The family head straight to the hospital where they decide to take Tig’s comatose mother Caroline off of life support. Bill and Remy leave Tig to stay with her mother, who passes during the night (but thankfully not during one of Tig’s many trips to the bathroom).
Tig’s bouncy girlfriend, Brooke (Casey Wilson), arrives the next morning (beignets in tow) to support Tig. There’s an unease between them; Brooke unsure how to console Tig, and Tig feeling completely adrift. Furthering the awkwardness, orderly Bill informs Tig and Remy since they are no longer “legally” family, they’ll have to gather their mother’s possessions and remove them from house immediately. Tig is bewildered by Bill’s insensitivity and disinterest. As the family travel to the funeral together, Bill’s bluntness continues to disarm and unsettle Tig and Remy. From the back seat of the car, Tig watches the scenery pass by and memories of time spent with her mother rush back to her. In her eulogy, she admits to holding onto a voicemail from Caroline that she hasn’t listened to yet. Her tender speech unlocks something in Bill who extends an olive branch, welcoming Tig to stay and take the time she needs to process.
The pilot does an excellent job of establishing the plot and characters, and gives just enough of a hint about their relationships to tease out in future episodes. The script is agile, effortlessly balancing moments of genuine emotion with Cody’s signature acid. It’s whip smart - and shrewdly finds humor in the aftermath of death. The episode is beautifully shot by Paul Koestner. The sun-drenched, southern backdrop and light palette (think: Blythe Danner as an Instagram filter), keep the show’s energy cheerful and buoyant, even while grappling with such sadness. The music by Marcelo Zarvos complements the bright and airy visuals, with a delicate score that perks up with a twang; a lovely mix of Transparent and Beasts of the Southern Wild.
The cast are an eclectic and awkward bunch. I was thrilled to see Casey Wilson pop in as Tig’s earnest, but flighty girlfriend. Wilson plays Brooke as that person who intends to give more of herself than she asks, but her hopelessly narcissistic side obscures that goal (a Wilson specialty). Notaro and John Rothman have fantastic chemistry as two people who have never understood each other, and the episode previews a dynamic between them with layers to explore in future episodes. Given how closely the show’s plot hews to Notaro’s own experience, It would be easy to take her performance for granted, but she is truly wonderful here. During the eulogy, Tig’s real pain finally cracks through her veneer of disbelief, and it is heartbreaking to behold. We’ve seen Notaro deliver great work before, but this cathartic moment has Director Nicole Holofcener’s sensitive touch. It's thrilling to see them working together.
Episode Grade: A
Episode MVP: Composer Marcelo Zarvos whose delightful score keeps the episode on its toes
Funniest Moment: Tig and Brooke, in bed
Brooke: Where do you think your boobs are?
Tig: What?
Brooke: Like, where did the doctors put them when they took ‘em off? Did they just throw them in a trash can?
Tig: I hope so, recycling was out of the question.
Brooke: Isn’t it weird to think about though, picturing your tits in a dumpster in some back alley in hollywood?
Tig: Could you please stop flirting with me right now?
Next Up: Tig receives a satisfaction survey from the hospital where her mother died; and wonders why Bill carries a stun-gun flashlight.