Russian Doll
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10 Entertainment February 2019 theCharger “Russian Doll” is new, improved “Groundhog Day” with grotesque twist dia that I haven’t truly seen in many other char- eyes she was one of the most real characters I’ve By Livvy Cohen acters in other shows or movies. Yes, Nadia has seen on television in ages. editor-in-chief smoked enough packs of cigarettes to have the Not only did Nadia make this short series Matryoshka Dolls, or more known as Rus- lungs of an 80-year-old man, she repeatedly re- easy to watch, but the soundtrack made it even sian dolls, seem to never stop. Countless wooden turns to a toxic, expired relationship and her only better. With Harry Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up” re- dolls buried deep inside one another, just like true love is the cat she shares with the local bo- peating every time Nadia returns to her birthday the story of Nadia Vulvokov’s (Natasha Lyonne) dega, but she’s hard not to love. Her thick New party after the newest form of death, it adds a repetitive death scenes in Netf- strangely monotonous and com- lix’s new confusing, overwhelm- forting party feel to the scene, ing and downright emotional bringing viewers back to why eight-episode series. they’re watching—a freakish, This short new series em- lavish New York life traumatized bodies everything New York— by mortality. Paired with the un- both good and bad. The eclec- deniably beautiful scenes of the tic parties consumed by drug city at night, the soundtrack to culture and classic music, late- and cinemetography of nightlife, night trips to the neighborhood partying and—weirdly enough— bodega, confusing romantic death, create an interestingly relations, Jewish culture, and struggling beautiful show overall. to find one’s place in the city. With “Russian Now, I won’t spoil the ending, but what I can Doll,” it’s never ending. Literally. Viewers sud- say is that I was tearful and instantly aching for denly find themselves trapped in a “Groundhog a second season. Viewers gain insight on Nadia’s Day” style plot line, with Nadia dying over and character development rapidly, along with her over and over…and over…and over again on the friends, ex-lovers and stand-in mother, creat- night of her 36th birthday. Getting hit by a car, ing a bond between the characters and people falling down the stairs (three or four times at at home. that), a heart attack, crashing in an elevator—you Yorker accent, progression of coping with her “Russian Doll,” created by an all-woman name it, and Nadia more than likely died from it. dead mother—who was emotionally abusive to team composed of Natasha Lyonne from Netflix’s Due to this repetitive plot line, it’s only an her as a child—, and coming to terms with “right- “Orange Is the New Black,” Amy Poehler and Les- easy show to watch if you aren’t nauseated by ing her wrongs” through this endlessly repeating lye Headland, is bound to be Netflix’s newfound Nadia’s self-destructive, careless personality. I cycle of death on her birthday, combine to create success. With one free night, one can be instantly wasn’t, which made this show easy to binge in the dream protagonist. One can easily become transported into an exciting, chaotic trip with one weekend. I found a certain emotion in Na- extremely tired of Nadia’s persona, but in my Nadia and her never ending deaths. .