By Jen Bonardi
I hope that at the time of publication, you’re reading this as you luxuriate in a far-off land. Or perhaps you’re perusing this while at a friend’s home, or even your office downtown—anywhere but still trapped inside your house under the pall of the pandemic. But if you are still under COVID’s thumb, you’ll need more TV to binge. Luckily, Amazon Prime is serving Avocado Toast.
Avocado Toast is about 30-something Molly who comes out to herself, and now others, as bisexual upon falling in love in England and returning home to the States. It’s also about her relationship with work-hard-play-hard friend and roommate, Elle, and the trouble they face in understanding their respective parents’ sex lives.
I’m happy to report that this show delivers the bisexual goods: they repeatedly say the word “bisexual,” demonstrating a boldness heretofore only seen on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The viewer gets to enjoy satisfying bi moments like Molly championing bisexuality to a sex ed class and her aversion to sexual identity words that force her to say “sexual” in front of her parents. Her feelings surrounding her burgeoning bi identity and the reactions of her loved ones all come across as authentic. From beginning to end, the show depicts how bisexuality weaves into Molly’s life in unexpected ways.
The journey of Molly and Elle’s friendship is enjoyable in its complexity. Elle knows that she’s extra and doesn’t know how to have friends; her growing vulnerability surrounding close relationships is satisfying to watch. The two get real toward the end and while I don’t love the acting (save for Andrew Moodie as Roger), the reckoning feels sincere. Avocado Toast also tries to make a point about judging the sexuality of the over-50 set but it gets lost in the distraction of questionable morals.
In recent years, audiences have been spoiled with unprecedented hyper-real TV series on friendships between young adult women, warts and all. This one isn’t quite there, so don’t expect Girls or Broad City. Avocado Toast occasionally devolves into Millennial cliché, whether it’s getting stuck with weird guys from online dating sites or the series title. The parts that resonate so well with bi+ folks, however, make up for any scenes that don’t ring 100 percent true.
Avocado Toast makes a solid showing for its first season and the second is already in production. I’m looking forward to the growth of various relationships and the development of characters like bartender Jake and administrative assistant Jordan. With ten episodes at a bite-sized 10 to 15 minutes each, the series is eminently watchable. And considering its unique bi material and excellent soundtrack, you can’t afford not to add it to your menu.
Jen Bonardi served on the Bisexual Resource Center (BRC) board for 5 years and created bisexual character extraordinaire, Tiggy Upland.