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The Subtle Core of Little Fires Everywhere

In an episode centered on the genius portrayal of two very different women, we see the remarkable layers of how exquisitely written, cast, acted and directed is the Hulu Original show Little Fires Everywhere. Episode 106, titled "The Uncanny," is explosive-- the big reveals, the dancing nuances, the subtle and dynamic nature in which every scene and every glance artfully pull back layers and unearth a striking new clarity about each character - we're holding our collective breaths, and getting everything we hoped for and more.


Little Fires Everywhere is decadent in all the right ways. Like a glass of good bourbon-- strong and smooth, we feel and taste the seismic magnitude of each performance, our palettes pleasantly get the taste of Tiffany Boone, who gives us a performance so stirring-- she has us in awe, second guessing our eyes,  and our ears, hypnotizing us with a persona so dazzling we question the space-time continuum where Tiffany Boone's Mia ends and Kerry Washington's Mia begins. We're drunk in love by the electric introduction of Professor Pauline (Anika Noni Rose)-- and the chemistry that Rose and  Boone share onscreen.

By the time Nicole Beharie's character comes on screen, we are wonderstruck by everything that could possibly go right in a TV series.  AnnaSophia Robb and Tiffany Boone give us the best cast younger versions of any characters in  recent TV history. We simultaneously want more screen time of the past and the present in Little Fires Everywhere, this show is that good!

To get to the heart, and "Subtle Core" of the show's dazzling display-- It is hugely worth noting that this episode was expertly written by Shannon M. Houston, and directed by Nzingha Stewart, two black women creatives who I'm sure will be on everyone's must-watch list after this episode. The shot where the camera hovers above Mia and Pauline in the tub will go down in television history as one the best black queer women scenes of all-time. It was spell-binding, doing exactly what it needed to do: make us fall deeper in love with the artistry of Little Fires Everywhere.

Ans lastly, kudos go to the the showrunner, Liz Tigelaar, who put together an incredible cast, crew and adaptation of Celeste Ng's novel. Tigelaar is great at weaving together ensemble casts and content that tugs at your heart-strings. Life, Unexpected was one of my faves.

You can watch new episodes of Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu, released on Wednesdays.