There’s always something appealing about the ’80s. It’s an era where everything is changing — from women’s roles and technology to politics and styles, all things are shifting and affecting one another. For Sheila (Rose Byrne), the antiheroine of Annie Weisman‘s new AppleTV+ dark comedy Physical, all these changes force her to think about also changing herself and her life situation. But change isn’t something that’s easy to do for someone like Sheila. Not only is she a woman who has no agency (or job and money), Sheila’s also battling a loud voice inside herself — a voice that judges her whenever she eats too much or sleeps too long. That her husband Danny (Rory Scovel) is a self-centered jerk certainly doesn’t help either.
This Is Rose Byrne’s World
We first meet Sheila as she’s about to get ready to hit the stage to perform some aerobic moves. In her pink leotard and with big, permed hair, she stares at herself in front of the mirror. First looking confident, but then followed after by an inner voice that informs so many doubts and self-hatred. “You’re nothing. You’re a ghost, a fat ghost.” The fire inside her eyes is getting smaller, her confidence shattered. And before long, we realize that this might just be Sheila’s fantasy or perhaps a future she hasn’t had yet — though it’s not like her reality is much different than her imagination, as her inner voice is always assessing her every move.
Sheila copes with her insecurity and self-critiquing behavior by making negative remarks about other people. Greta (Dierdre Friel), the wife of the wealthiest man in the area, whom Sheila meets at her daughter’s school, is one of her targets. Inside her head, Sheila says stuff like how overweight or dumb Greta is. But she never has the courage to really say all of those in front of her face directly. And this makes Sheila so hard to root for at the beginning, as it’s easier to find her very unlikeable instead of complicated. But as the show goes on, more layers about Sheila are revealed: her past, her beliefs, her dreams, her childhood trauma. And every bit of that detail allows us to see things from Sheila’s perspective, which eventually results in her being a complex and sympathetic antihero.
Both the show and Byrne’s performance shine the brightest when the story zooms in on Sheila’s attempt at finding empowerment through aerobic and videotape business. Though it takes a little while before Physical really puts its entire focus on that storyline, as most of what happens in the first half of the season follows Danny as he’s campaigning for the State Assembly, the journey proves to be rewarding. And parts of it happen not just because of the sharp writing, but also because of the wonderful performances that drive the story.
As Sheila, Byrne offers a performance that’s difficult to pull off. She has to be believable when Sheila is being judgmental and unlikeable, but not unlikeable enough that it will put us off. Then at the same time, she also has to land all the jokes while never making Sheila too cartoon-ish. The balance that Byrne has to accomplish throughout the season is not an easy task, but nevertheless, she does it with perfection. Scovel is also excellent as Danny, while Friel adds an additional emotional depth to the story.
The Power of the ’80s and Aerobic
Physical has also done a great job of making the ’80s not just for the visual — though yes, it adds a unique texture to the show’s aesthetic — but also an integral part of the storyline. The rising of capitalism, the Reagan administration, and global modernization serve an important role in Sheila’s attempt of building her videotape empire with her fellow aerobic sister Bunny (Della Saba) and her pornographer boyfriend Tyler (Lou Taylor Pucci).
Sheila finds aerobic to be a place where she can have freedom; where she can get rid of all the toxicities that her husband and her life have given her; where she can just focus on her body and emotions without needing to self-critique or judge other people. Whenever Sheila wears her leotard and moves her hips in aerobic moves, Physical is at its most powerful and cathartic. In that regard, aerobic is not just a plot device that is interchangeable with other things, but rather, a specific touch in the plot and for the characters.
Physical, at its core, tells the story of a woman’s journey of trying to liberate herself from all the limitations and pressures that society has put on her shoulders. But throughout all ten episodes, the show keeps shifting and evolving into more than what it looks like at first. While sometimes it can be off-putting because it has lots of sour insults, Physical never loses sight of what it does best: exploring Sheila’s inner journey in a way that is both entertaining and compelling.
What do you think of the premiere? Let us know in the comments below!
The first three episodes of Physical drop 18 June on AppleTV+.
Watch Physical
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