Lifestyle
Hilariously caustic ‘Big Mistakes’ drags Dan Levy into organized crime
Dan Levy as Nicky in Big Mistakes.
Spencer Pazer/Netflix
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Spencer Pazer/Netflix
Big Mistakes, the new Netflix comedy co-created by Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek) and Rachel Sennott (I Love LA), opens with Laurie Metcalf yelling at a dying old lady. Episode one, scene one. It’s the proverbial jump, and Laurie Metcalf is already screaming her fool head off.
“Welp,” this critic wrote in his notebook, “I’m in.”
It may help to know that the tank in which I have long found myself, when it comes to the great Laurie Metcalf portraying a woman feeling her feelings, is miles wide and fathoms deep.
When we meet her, Metcalf’s character Linda is tending to her dying mother, whom she’s convinced is hard of hearing, despite the poor woman’s repeated insistence that she’s not. Linda is in take-charge mode, lovingly(?) hectoring two of her offspring, Nicky (Levy) and Morgan (Taylor Ortega) while heaping praise on her perfect golden child daughter Natalie (Abby Quinn).
In the handful of seconds it takes for this scene to unspool, years of family history reveal themselves in murmured asides and silent glares and frustrated grunts. We quickly learn that Linda is running for mayor of her tiny New Jersey town, and she’s worried about her chances. We learn that she’s disappointed in both Nicky and Morgan, albeit for very different reasons, and that she’s the kind of woman who manages to convince herself that her family is happy and perfect, despite decades of evidence to the contrary.
Nicky, for example, is an uptight pastor who feels compelled to hide his boyfriend (Jacob Gutierrez) from his congregation. Morgan tried to make a go of it as an actor in New York before fizzling out and retreating to her hometown, where she joylessly toils as an elementary school teacher while getting lovebombed by her pathetic lovesick puppy of a high school boyfriend (Jack Innanen).
Taylor Ortega as Morgan and Dan Levy as Nicky.
Spencer Pazer/Netflix
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Spencer Pazer/Netflix
Nicky and Morgan are wildly unhappy, so when an improbable set of circumstances drags them into the world of organized crime, you’ll be forgiven for wondering if they’re not better off. That’s the sandbox that Big Mistakes sets out to play in, and it works, mostly.
Co-creators Levy and Sennott have made a risky calculation, however. They’re betting that viewers will find the characters of Nicky and Morgan, who bicker ceaselessly throughout the season, caustically funny and recognizably fallible.
And there’s certainly precedent — Levy’s previous extended tenure as creator/star was on Schitt’s Creek, where he also played the uptight queer brother to an irresponsible party-girl sister with whom he frequently clashed. But between Schitt’s Creek‘s first and second seasons, the writers strove to sand down its characters’ edges. From then on, David and Alexis Rose might argue, but they always had each other’s backs. It became a TV relationship that you knew could only ever end in a hug.
Not so Nicky and Morgan. Big Mistakes establishes that there is real gulf stretching between the two characters, one filled with resentment and long-nurtured grudges. I was grateful for that, because it meant that the show was forced to honor it and repeatedly account for it — decades of bitterness couldn’t get waved away by a single act of kindness here or a thoughtful word there, a la Schitt’s Creek, because that’s not how families work. (Later in the season, that yawning gulf does get bridged, but it does so only with the aid of illicit substances, in a hilariously artificial and fleeting way.)
As a result, whenever Nicky and Morgan find themselves in extreme circumstances — which, given the show’s crime-centered narrative, is relatively often — their bickering grows venal, spiteful, petty and mean. Me, I find that funny. But I suspect fans looking to this show for some echoes of Schitt’s Creek‘s doggedly determined warmth and cuddlesomeness will be left cold, possibly even angry.
(The black-hearted villains among you might wonder if, perhaps, Levy witnessed the fandom that metastasized around Schitt’s Creek, which became so much larger than the show he made — remember all that squeeing over Patrick and David? — and thought to himself: Yeah, not that. Let’s make sure not to do that again.) (No? Just me?)
While we’re busting out perfectly unfair comparisons to Schitt’s Creek, let’s close with a biggie. The Laurie Metcalf aspect.
There is a tendency, if you’ve been watching her for decades, to see that Laurie Metcalf’s in a given project and think to yourself, “Well, I mean, it’s Laurie Metcalf. Just wind her up and let her go, and whatever happens will be fun to watch.”
And while that’s true to a certain extent, Metcalf is an actor like any other. She needs to be written for.
Laurie Metcalf as Linda.
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I’d argue that what Levy, Sennott and their team of writers are doing for Metcalf on this show is akin to what Levy and co. did for Catherine O’Hara on Schitt’s Creek: They know the actor, they know what she’s capable of delivering, and they’re writing to that capability by giving her the room she needs to absolutely kill it.
In the case of Linda, they give her an outer hardness to play, which is very funny. But they also outfit her with something she desperately wants — to become the mayor — and throw countless circumstances at her to frustrate that want. And while that’s all played for laughs, they also take pains to ground it with a brief, late-season monologue about why she’s seeking an elected office, which only makes it resonate even more.
Metcalf’s already earned four golden Emmy statuettes; she doesn’t need yet another. But that doesn’t change the fact that the work she’s putting in on every episode of Big Mistakes is pure comedy gold.
Sometimes, when the mood strikes or the outfit is right, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez’s mother will offer to loan her a very special diamond-encrusted peace sign necklace.
Rodriguez, who stars in the new Broadway revival of “The Rocky Horror Show,” wore the necklace when she found out she was nominated for an Emmy in 2021 for her role in “Pose.” (Rodriguez was the first openly trans woman to be nominated for a lead acting category; in 2022, she became the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe.)
In an interview that has been edited and condensed, Rodriguez dives deeper into the hand-me-down-and-around peace sign and talks about her loved ones who have imbued it with their magic.
Tell me about your necklace.
It’s this peace sign that my mother lends to me. She always wants her pieces back, but she lets me wear them a good amount.
I’m not married yet, but you know that tradition of something old, something new? That’s what I feel when I get it. It just feels like she’s handing over, crazy enough, a legacy and a lineage. The people that gave it to her were people that were really monumental in her life. My Aunt Nita, she was this rambunctious, spirited energy. God bless her, she passed away from cancer, but she still kept her juice. And my uncle, I had such a close relationship with him. He was a Capricorn, which makes it all the better because we’re Capricorns together.
What kind of events might prompt your mom to loan you the necklace?
When I’m going out for a show, or when I’m going for a big event, or when we’re traveling. She usually gives it to me for monumental moments in my life.
Is the necklace always with you, even if you’re not wearing it?
I don’t leave it alone. Usually it’s with me, and I’m always just checking it. Touch, for me, is a big thing. It’s a very spiritual and magical thing for me. Feeling it makes me know that there is some strength there. But if it’s gone, I feel like there’s kind of a separation. The only way I feel better is if it’s in my mom’s hands or if it’s in her possession again, honestly, because I know that it’s in a safe space and that energy is being harnessed in the right way.
Are there other people it’s connected to in your life?
I think my grandmother, more than anything, because my grandmother passed away in Covid, and my mom always wore it in that time. My Aunt Kim because she had it in the time when we were doing “Pose,” and my Aunt Kim passed away. My Aunt Debbie, too, who passed away from cancer.
Those are the people who are imbued in it, latched onto it, or a piece of their spirit.
Do you think about passing the peace sign necklace down someday?
Well, one, I feel like it would have to be a coming-of-age gift. I’d have to watch them grow and say, “You’ve gotten your stripes of growth, you’ve done a great job, and this is a really important piece to a lot of us.” If I had a daughter or a son, I’d probably give it to one of them, and more likely my daughter because, you know: mama, daughter, little baby girl. Or one of my nieces, and I have one in my mind already. I would probably give it to her, and I would just let her know that this is a piece of jewelry that has been handed down by very powerful women, and women who have instilled a lot of strength in me.
Designers Jeanine Hattas Wilson and Julie Kennedy’s magical transformation of a 4-foot-by-4-foot storage closet at this year’s Pasadena Showcase House of Design almost feels like a metaphor for design showcases themselves: not quite real, but pure fantasy.
“It was inspired by our dad, who used to read to us in Woodstock, Ill.,” Wilson says of their immersive storybook escape, which features a delightful hand-painted mural on the walls and tiny lanterns that, when touched, offer a narrated fairy tale. “We wanted to create a special, intimate space for kids.”
61st Pasadena Showcase House of Design
Where: Baldwin Oaks Estate, Arcadia
When: Through May 17
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday-Sunday; 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $38-$75
Parking and shuttle location: Santa Anita Park, Huntington Gate 3, Lot C
Information, including shops and special events: pasadenashowcase.org
Showhouses are always extravagant, and this year’s event takes place inside the 8,000-square-foot former home of Clara Baldwin Stocker, daughter of land investor and racehorse breeder Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin. Like her father, Stocker was known for her colorful personality and love of lavish things, including parties that lasted for days. (Baldwin Stocker’s 1929 obituary noted that out of her $10-million estate, about $1.5 million was jewelry, “the collection and wearing of which was her hobby.”)
Many of the 30 revamped interior and exterior spaces in the 1907 shingle-style home include details Baldwin Stocker would have loved. The Midnight Garden Dining Room by the House of Pontovi, for example, has an Italian Murano glass chandelier, feminine Art Deco-style swivel chairs with flapper-style fringe and a gold-leaf ceiling that has replaced Calico Corners fabric. The Entertainment Room by Studio Joshua features statement lighting by Los Angeles designer Jason Koharik, an 11 Ravens custom billiards table and a Champagne cooler built into the marble bar.
And the Bloom Lounge by the Art of Room Design is so large that it can accommodate several different seating areas, a game table and a hidden liquor cabinet — another nod to Baldwin Stocker, who was also known as “the Diamond Princess.”
It’s hard to decide what stands out more at the Baldwin Oaks Estate in Arcadia: the layered interiors that look ready for a shelter magazine, or the smaller spaces, like the closets, mudroom and hidden powder rooms that have been transformed into something special.
Here are a few examples of what to expect at the event, which supports youth music programs throughout Los Angeles County.
The Enchanted Room by Hattas Studios
Identical twins Hattas Wilson and Kennedy of Hattas Studios transformed a small 4-by-4-foot storage closet into a magical forest with their hand-painted mural depicting characters from stories like “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid” and “The Frog Prince.” A young Clara Baldwin appears with her dog, Lucky. You can touch the tiny lanterns to hear a story in each scene or simply curl up in the soft green fuzzy chair, close the velvet curtains and let your imagination wander.
Laundry and Craft Room by Arterberry Cooke Architecture
Architect Barrett Cooke turned laundry into a pleasure in this beautiful room, which doubles as a craft room outfitted with new rose-colored cabinets, playful circular Fireclay Tile, quartzite countertops and stunning views of the San Gabriel Mountains. “I straddled making it utilitarian with how beautiful it can be,” Cooke said of the local artists represented, including ceramics by Jen King, stained glass by Molly Miller, oil paintings by Lareina Holsopple and a print by local artist and Jungalow designer Justina Blakeney. “The art ties it all together.”
The vault in the Family Parlor Room by Jamie Loren Home
The family room is the only space with a television, but with a mah-jongg table, the TV hardly seems necessary. “We wanted to create a room where the family can congregate,” said designer Jamie Loren, describing the cozy parlor painted in the color Viridian Odyssey by Dunn-Edwards Paints. She also turned what used to be a gun closet into a “vault” filled with family heirlooms, including a typewriter, perfume, photos, jewelry and a flask. “This is an ode to Clara,” she said.
Powder Room by Rebecca J. Hansen Design Studio
Details make all the difference in the small powder room by Rebecca J. Hansen, who explains that both the room and the nearby vestibule are focused on mixing patterns while keeping a consistent color palette. Hansen chose patterned terra-cotta tile from Foothill Tile & Stone Co. in Pasadena for the walls, and just outside, she used wallpaper from House of Hackney with mythical animals. Brass hardware from Corston Architectural Detail, chalk pastels and bold wood trim painted a marigold color brought everything together. “It feels like I’m in a castle in England,” she said.
The second floor landing by Blue Brick Design
Designer Lara Hovanessian has transformed the foyer walls of both the first and second floors into a striking display for local artists Blakeney, Susanna Speirs Ali and Lareina Holsopple. The spaces feature the newly released Huntington Collection wall covering by Morris & Co. in the iconic Strawberry Thief motif, pink ceilings and Alberto Giacometti-style lighting from Visual Comfort.
The Mudroom by Gex Designs
Inspired by the shingles of the 1907 home, Noelle Gex Djokovich, known for last year’s playful flower-cutting room, has reimagined this space with custom cabinets, patterned floors and charming details such as a dog bed, a Lewis & Wood fabric skirt and a rag rug from Nickey Kehoe. “Adding layers to a small room makes you feel good when you come home,” she said.
The Magnolia Room by Cordrey Collection
Designer Steven Cordrey says the Magnolia wallpaper reflects his Southern roots and the Phillip Jeffries grasscloth on the walls is practical (“It’s easy to clean,” Cordrey says). He also likes to bring the outdoors in, pointing to the views of the estate’s grand oaks and pool from the second-floor bedroom. There’s a hidden touch too: Rock Zehler’s stylish dressing room, inspired by Art Deco and the 1970s, has a secret closet tucked behind a pocket door.
My beloved niece is graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy next month. She has invited me to attend her graduation ceremony. Typically, the president, the vice president or one of the president’s cabinet officials addresses the midshipmen and their families as the commencement speaker. But listening to a self-serving speech by any of these individuals would be nauseating for me given our current geopolitical situation. So, I’m inclined to skip the graduation ceremony and to attend the family party afterward. But that means I would miss watching my niece collect her diploma and make her first salute as a commissioned officer. Will she think I chose politics over honoring her achievement?
AUNT
Short answer: yes. Your niece will probably believe that you are prioritizing politics over her graduation if you skip the ceremony and attend the party a little later — because that is precisely what you will be doing. And that may be necessary for you. I am not here to judge your political or moral beliefs. But let me remind you that there is no Republican Navy or Democratic Navy. The armed forces protect all Americans.
Now, I don’t mean to minimize the tremendous influence that a sitting president wields on military matters while in office. And you may object fiercely to the current president’s military choices. But elected officials come and go, and it would be wrong to conflate politicians with the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to defending our country in the armed services. The president may be commander in chief, but only until the next one is sworn into office.
Still, I understand your ambivalence about attending a ceremony that features a speaker with whom you may disagree strongly. So, how about excusing yourself for that portion of the ceremony (provided that the actual speaker this year is objectionable to you)? If attending is still impossible, make sure to explain your absence to your niece in a way that distinguishes politics from the greater cause to which she is dedicating her young life.
Sometimes a Stop Isn’t Just to Smell the Roses
I was walking my dog on a leash recently when he stopped to sniff some flowers at the edge of a neighbor’s yard. My dog was standing on the public sidewalk. My neighbor asked me to stop my dog from doing that. She said it attracted other dogs. I figured she couldn’t see that my dog wasn’t peeing, so I said, “Oh, he’s just sniffing.” My neighbor replied, “This is not a dog park,” and turned away. This same neighbor has spoken to me harshly about my dog before. What is the best way to respond?
DOG MOM
Over decades of walking a string of much-loved dogs, I have observed that sniffing — flowers, sticks, bird poop on the sidewalk — can turn to peeing in a split second. And dog urine can kill flowers. So, despite your sound argument that your dog was not trespassing and your dislike of your neighbor’s snippy tone, focus on being a good neighbor: Keep your dog moving briskly past this neighbor’s yard.
Responsible dog owners are sometimes forced to pay for the sins of irresponsible ones. Your neighbor seems to dislike dogs, and it’s unlikely that you will convince her to make an exception for yours.
Commiseration Addict? Cut Off His Supply.
I need help with a co-worker. He is very effective in his position, but he complains nonstop — particularly about his workload. But the reason he has so much work is that he volunteered to take on additional duties. I’ve told him to speak with our supervisor. She is supportive and would reassign some of his work. How do I tell my co-worker to stop complaining? I’ve tried to be compassionate, but my patience is wearing thin.
CO-WORKER
In my experience, chronic complainers thrive on sympathy, and they often prefer the martyrdom of complaint to an actual solution to their problems. I have found a gentle clapback to be effective here. Say: “I’ve already told you how to fix this problem. Have you spoken to our supervisor yet?” (Spoiler: He probably hasn’t.) And he may not stop complaining entirely, but he will stop complaining to you.
Count Your Blessings, This Isn’t About You
Last week, we saw paramedics and then the police and then a hearse at our neighbors’ townhouse. I texted the couple to ask if they were OK and to offer our help. We are casually friendly with them. (We’ve had dinner in each other’s homes.) I have seen lots of family at the house this week, but we still don’t know who died: husband or wife. There has been no obituary online. Should I back off and let it go that they don’t want our family informed?
NEIGHBOR
I may be misreading your letter, but you seem to be more curious about what happened next door than broken up over the death of a neighbor. Your last line suggests that you are taking the situation personally, but the death has nothing to do with you! The grieving survivor has more on his or her mind right now than informing everyone who ever dined with them of the loss. Back off, and wait until you see an obituary or the surviving spouse to express your condolences.
For help with your awkward situation, send a question to SocialQ@nytimes.com, Philip Galanes on Facebook or @SocialQPhilip on X.
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