5 reasons we’re all watching ‘Sex/Life’ on Netflix

Since Sex/Life dropped on Netflix on June 25, it seems like everyone has been talking about it. The TikTok reactions, the memes, the tweets—it’s inescapable. And like anyone with a chronic case of FOMO, I decided to check it out. Because if everyone is talking about something, I have to watch/read that something.

I finished all eight episodes in two days.

(I have a full-time job and two children under five with no childcare, so that’s quite a feat if I do say so myself.)

If you, like me and many other parents, stay up later than the rest of your family to unwind, re-charge, and watch things that aren’t Cocomelon—well, Sex/Life is perfect for that. Why, you ask?

*cracks knuckles and begins to type à la Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail*

Sex/Life is the story of Billie Connelly (Sarah Shahi), a suburban stay-at-home mom who begins fantasizing about her old life (specifically her old sex life) with her ex-boyfriend, Brad (Adam Demos). When she unexpectedly runs into him, her world begins to completely unravel.

Here’s why everyone is talking about Sex/Life on Netflix. (Warning: spoilers ahead!)

1. Escapism. There is almost nothing relatable to real life in this show. Sure, the main character Billie is a new mom and her engorged boobs are valid supporting characters, but 99.9% of this show is pure fantasy. That’s not to say parents don’t know how to get freaky-deeky (we are whole, fully-formed adults with fully-formed desires, and classifying entertainment like this as “mommy porn” is demeaning and misogynist). Sure, we all reminisce about our independence and freedoms prior to parenthood. But the soap opera-esque plot, the sex scenes that occur approximately every 2.5 minutes, the opulent lifestyle of everyone in the show, and most importantly, the 24/7, round-the-clock availability of Olga the nanny? Pure fiction.

2. Episode 3, 20-minute mark. There’s no shame in watching this scene if for no other reason than to fully understand the amazing reactions to this particular moment/scene on TikTok. It’s a totally vanilla shower scene that features both male leads and uh…another supporting character. And that’s all I’ll say.

3. Brad and Billie. Cooper (Mike Vogel), Billie’s husband, is a great, handsome guy who is maybe the only fully sympathetic character on the show (though he’s certainly not without his own faults, *cough* TRINA *cough*). But it’s Brad and Billie who bring the “zsa zsa zsu” (as Carrie Bradshaw would say) to the table. Their chemistry is undeniable and literally increases the temperature of the room you’re watching them in. Also? The actors who play them are together in real life! It’s hard not to ship them, toxic as they are together on-screen.

4. There is no discernable plot, just sex and bad decisions. And you know what? That’s okay! We didn’t read the 50 Shades franchise because it was comprised of brilliant, thought-provoking writing. You will ask yourself “Why am I watching this?” at least once per episode while also staying up until 1 a.m. to binge as many episodes as possible before tearing yourself away to get a measly five hours of sleep. (No? Just me?)

5. It will make you feel better about your own life. When you finally shut it off and go to bed, you’ll be grateful that you don’t have to deal with a fraction of the emotional trauma these characters inflict on themselves and everyone around them, day in and day out.

Here’s the full trailer to pique your interest: