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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
HBO Max’s Made for Love Season One comes to a conclusion this week with the last of two new episodes. The dark comedy television series’ eighth episode is titled, “Let’s Meet,” and is directed by Stephanie Laing. Novel author Alissa Nutting, and series co-creators/executive producers Patrick Somerville and Christina Lee serve as the finale’s writers. Stay vigilant, as this article may go a little in-depth on some spoilers.
Plot Summary
Continuing from the penultimate episode of the season, Hazel Green-Gogol (Cristin Milioti) meets her husband Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen) at a diner to discuss their prospective divorce. In a public place without interruption from the press, Gogol tries to reason with Hazel. He intends to take her back with him to The Hub.
Meanwhile, Herbert Green (Ray Romano) and Judiff (Kym Whitley) listen in on the conversation to prevent Hazel from falling into another trap.
Discussion
The majority of the episode takes place at the Sunrise Diner, where Hazel gauges Gogol’s normalcy. Having been reliant on his digital technology for so long, he deviates from what is seen as usual. The writers provide some examples. The character doesn’t know how to know things about people by physically conversing with them, nor does he know how to properly order food. Hazel tells him she flew a plane and asks what it feels like to know something about her without the Made for Love chip. When a waitress (Hope Banks) takes his order, Gogol doesn’t understand the concept of side dishes. He also gets scared when a busboy (Mikey Kampmann) places a bottle of ketchup on the table counter.
As was stated in the previous episode, Gogol claims he has become a “whole new person” — Hazel’s words — by disconnecting from his tech. He tells her, “I grew to fear the world.” Although he says this, he asserts that “life is better in The Hub” and that people in the real world don’t really have freedom. This is the polar opposite of what philosophers Maurizio Lazzarato, Guy Debord, or Roberto Simanowski stand for. Gogol beliefs that the real machine isn’t technology but rather life itself. He tells his wife, “These people are prisoners to life’s variables. […] I’m talking about things you can’t control that make life less pleasant.”
Hazel’s Issues with Gogol
Many things that Hazel doesn’t like about Gogol are addressed in previous episodes of the season. However, in this finale, she also elaborates on a few others that weren’t yet acknowledged. She dislikes that he censors the films she watches and the books she reads, and she hates the alarms that notify her when to wake up or perform certain tasks.
The woman admits she is also bothered by Gogol’s “performance celibacy” because sexual intercourse would cause “emotional flooding”. She tells him, “I had to give you all my vulnerability, and you wouldn’t give me any of yours. That system was built for you.” This is one of my favorite lines from this season and perhaps one of the best things Hazel has said in the series so far.
The Terms and Conditions — Hazel’s Desires
Hazel also dives into her needs, such as music of all genres played at any time, or a dog to keep her company. She also asks for a cellphone and to enter and exit The Hub as she pleases. Most importantly, she asks Gogol to remove the chip from her head. Gogol tries to defend and justify the need for the chip, which she finds to be bullshit. In his rhetoric to get her to return to The Hub, he promises “the element of choice”. The digital tech billionaire tells Hazel, “I don’t wanna control you. I want to give up control […] ready to be vulnerable.”
The Revelation
Gogol re-introduces himself as “Greg Benson,” his name before his data was changed. He tells Hazel about his life before becoming a billionaire, but I don’t think I can believe this myself. When Hazel asks more about his personal background, i.e. his fears and excitements, he says she truly turns him on. He orgasms at their table, which is a great callback to the infamous scene in Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally…
Gogol also tells his wife about her father’s pancreatic cancer and that his company could help with his health. She tells him she would rather let Herbert die than be part of The Hub. Her father and Judiff stop listening in on the conversation, understanding her reasons for making this decision. Unbeknownst to the latter two, Hazel makes a deal with Gogol to treat her father at The Hub without his knowledge of being transferred there.
Ultimately, this change in her decision adds a layer to her character development. While she doesn’t want to be under the control of Gogol, she doesn’t want to lose her father. Such a decision reminds me of Mae Holland’s decision in Dave Eggers’s The Circle. (In this novel, the literary protagonist is faced with letting the tech company infiltrate her parents’ home with their devices. As a result, Holland’s father will have his multiple sclerosis treated by their advanced technology.)
Final Thoughts
In this finale, Hazel makes a risky move, especially knowing Gogol’s deceptive nature. We’ve seen him put some of his employees in the pasture cube, so it’s safe to say we don’t know what tricks he has up his sleeves. Milioti performs at her best once again, and I cannot wait to see what more she brings to the table — figuratively.
On the comedic end, I love Herbert and Judiff’s development — and their dynamic thereof — over the past few episodes. Some of my favorite scenes were watching sex doll Diane read the morning paper with Herbert, as well as Judiff planting a secret microphone in the ketchup bottle. When a customer (Harry Fowler) asks Gogol for the ketchup, the bottle moves from one table to the next. Consequently, Herbert and Judiff are left listening to the customer’s conversation with his pregnant wife (Hannah Telle), who addresses the “elephant in the room.”
Overall, I believe Made for Love has a great start in its first season. Milioti continues to perform perfectly alongside other outstanding actors. I also appreciate her dynamic with the character Diane, who serves as a juxtaposition with Gogol’s digital technology.
What are your thoughts on this series? Do you like the story so far? Are you looking forward to more stories from this show? Let us know! For more HBO Max, comedy, and science-fiction-related news and reviews, follow The Cinema Spot on Twitter (@TheCinemaSpot) and Instagram (@thecinemaspot_). Also, you can now find us on Facebook (TheCinemaSpotFB)!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
