The Big C is one of those shows destined for TV greatness. Packed with a stellar cast (including Oscar nominees Laura Linney and Gabourey Sidibe, and the lovable Oliver Platt) and a controversial premise that will surely intrigue audiences, it’s this fall’s golden child.
If the idea of a schoolteacher getting terminal cancer sounds a little familiar, that’s because it’s been done before in AMC’s Breaking Bad. But if Bryan Cranston’s character is a little too intense for you, you’ll absolutely adore The Big C.
Linney (who can do no wrong in my eyes — You Can Count On Me is one of my favourite movies) couldn’t be more sublime in this role as the uptight Cathy who discovered in last night’s premiere that she has stage IV melanoma and not very long to live. Rather than pulling on the audience’s heartstrings with a devastating sob story, the mood immediately got upbeat with Cathy taking charge of her death sentence. If a different actress was playing this role, the character could have come across as unsympathetic (as she decided to not tell her family about the cancer) but since it’s the poignant Linney, we could see in every scene how she struggled with the decision as much as we, the viewers, struggled to find our reactions. But after being introduced to her doofus husband, Paul (Pratt), and bratty teenage son, Adam (Gabriel Basso), I wouldn’t tell them either.
Did anyone else find Adam agonizingly annoying? When he pretended to cut off his finger and scared his mother in the dark, I almost wanted her to tell him she had cancer just to make him feel bad. Awful, I know. But these are the kind of thoughts and questions audiences are going to have with the show. Can cancer be a laughing matter? Some people surely won’t agree with the character’s decision to keep her illness a secret and forego treatment, while others may be totally on Team Cathy — and live her last days to the fullest instead of lying in a hospital bed. It raises the question — if you found out you had terminal cancer today, what would you do?
Sidibe, who was astounding in the movie Precious, is probably relieved in her new role as an average high school student whom Cathy took under her wing to help lose weight. Why? I don’t know. Can we not have a larger person on TV without making a comment about fatness? Can’t she be the way she is? I’m hoping they utilize Sidibe’s talents much more in episodes to come because despite her cringeworthy hosting duties on SNL this year, this could be a perfect role for her.
Lastly, there’s my man Platt. How much can one love Oliver Platt? A lot. I adored him in the underrated Huff and more recently in his guest role on Bored to Death. Here we get Platt at his finest — the bumbling, immature but lovable husband whom Cathy has kicked out of the house.
The debut was purely a set-up for what’s to come. It didn’t wow me but it left a lasting impression and I’m eager to see how they will tackle her cancer as it gets worse. The bigger question is how long can this series last for if the main character only has a year or so to live? Breaking Bad solved this dilemma when Walter unexpectedly went into remission. Maybe the same will happen here. I’m just hoping this show doesn’t turn into a Bucket List, checking off things to do before you die.
Thoughts? jessica.russell@tvguide.ca or comment below.
The Big C airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Super Channel.
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