Episode Guide
Pilot – Miami is a great city to live in, with plenty of things to do and see. The people are friendly and the city is always buzzing with energy. The only downside is that the city can be a bit hot in summertime. Review Score – 3/5
‘Loot’ Season 1 Review
Apple TV’s new comedy series, Loot, follows Maya Rudolph’s character Molly Wells Novak as she adjusts to life after her husband John Novak cheats on her with a younger woman. When Molly’s 80 billion dollar divorce settlement runs out, she turns to her own non-profit foundation for comfort. ..
Molly has never been involved in the community before, but she is interested in helping. Her involvement with the Wells Foundation might make things worse for the foundation and its director, Molly thinks.
Sofia Salinas is the executive director of the Wells Foundation, which provides financial support to Molly’s journey to self-realization. Sofia is a strong voice of reason throughout Molly’s journey, and her moral compass helps balance out Molly’s superficiality.
In one scene, a ridesharing service takes Sofia to a charity event through an area heavily-populated by homeless people. The driver remarks that “those people need to get off their asses and get a job,” leading Sofia to stop the car and walk the rest of the way. “I have a lifelong policy that if someone says ‘those people,’ I end the conversation,” she says. “So, thank you. You have a nice day.”
Sofia is likable and has a no-nonsense quality, but her innate goodness is ultimately a poor attempt to give Loot its moral heart. For all the show’s posturing on behalf of those less privileged, Loot still has its feet firmly planted in the world of the one percent.
In the first half of season one, the working class characters from the Wells Foundation are depicted as little more than caricatures- especially next to Molly’s lively persona and fleshed out problems. And the perspectives of those living in poverty feature even less prominently. ..
In one episode, concerned LA citizens speak against Molly. They rightly don’t want a billionaire making decisions for their neighborhood. But their concerns are brushed aside, and they are portrayed as hateful, spiteful agitators rather than commentators with intelligent criticisms. ..
Loot is a satirizing of the self-proclaimed “heroic” status of the world’s billionaires. However, while Molly may have been a tongue-in-cheek object lesson in “how to billionaire,” that doesn’t necessarily make her journey a worthwhile one to follow.
Molly’s character arc is twofold. On the one hand, she undergoes a journey of self-actualization and healing after her husband betrays her. On the other hand, she becomes more aware of ways she can help others after learning about charity. Despite Rudolph’s immense charisma and talent, it is difficult to invest oneself in Molly’s story arc throughout the season. ..
Loot is a show that is designed to take down billionaires and champion the working class. There are certainly better ways to do so than center a billionaire protagonist.
The comedy could have gotten the same message across more effectively by following a character like Sofia, or Molly’s assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster)–people (with more relatable obstacles) who have a foot in both worlds. Throughout the majority of season 1, however, Molly Wells Novak is part of one world only–and it’s not the one Loot is supposedly championing.
Apple TV Plus will be the only way to watch Loot’s first three episodes. ..
