Imported from the UK (Channel 4), Hulu brings The Bisexual to the small screen in mid-November. The Bisexual is a dramedy that will present a look at the life of an American living abroad who is coming to terms with her two sexual desires.
The series is co-written and directed by the lead actor, Desiree Akhavan (The Miseducation of Cameron Post) and Cecilia Frugiuele.
What is The Bisexual about?
The series follows the life of New Yorker Leila (Desiree Akhavan), living in London and now in post-breakup mode trying to sort her life out.
“When I hear bisexual I think lame slut…” Leila laments to her new Irish male roommate. “It’s tacky, it’s gauche, it makes you seem disingenuous if your genitals have no allegiance. It’s not a cool thing to be and it makes my f***ing skin crawl.”
All of us want love, and labels often times are used in a destructive way. Leila too wants to love and her sexual attraction and resulting behavior have alienated the ones she loves the most.
Are her relations with men just a fad, a place to park until she is at ease with being called a lesbian? All of the trappings of what bisexual people face from hetero and gays alike are explored in this six-part series.
Who stars in The Bisexual?
Taking the win at the Grand Jury prize at Sundance, Desiree Akhavan stars in, directs and co-writes (along with Cecilia Frugiuele) The Bisexual, a six-part dramedy about all the misconceptions surrounding that sexuality.
Her character is New Yorker Leila, living and working in London after studying abroad.
The drama comes as Leila (Akhavan) goes on a ‘break’ from her girlfriend and business partner Sadie (BAFTA-nominated Maxine Peake) after ten years together.
She leaves their apartment but is still forced to see her ex every day at work in their jointly owned tech company.
Leila rents a room from awkward novelist Gabe (Brian Gleeson), described as a “neurotic 30-something dwarfed by the success of his debut novel.”
What happens to Leila?
In a free fall from leaving her monogamous relationship with Sadie, Leila finds herself attracted to and sleeping with men but struggles to reveal she is a bisexual to Sadie and her other gay friends.
Gabe bonds with her platonically and he helps her “navigate a new life dating men and women.”
Leila takes on all the bisexual stereotypes and explores the differences between dating men and women from the perspective of someone who is in that boat, and not sure of her footing.
The cast of The Bisexual includes Desiree Akhavan, Maxine Peake, Brian Gleeson, Eva Birthistle, Naomi Ackie, Niamh Algar with newcomers Saskia Chana and Michelle Guillot.
Episode list for The Bisexual
101 – New Yorker Leila lives in London with her lovely girlfriend and business partner, Sadie. But Leila’s bisexuality is in play and she’s tormented a bit by it. Living a lie, Leila makes a big move.
102 – Leila and Sadie are trying to navigate work post-breakup. Leila’s roomie Gabe takes Leila out to forget her troubles and causes more confusion.
103 – The double life woes as Leila is struggling to come out. Meanwhile, Sadie considers something big while Gabe is sorting his love life and a “weird night in” leads to “uncomfortable truths and an explosive revelation.”
104 – The secret is out: Leila’s bisexuality has made Sadie feel betrayed. With no hope of reconciliation with Sadie, Leila solidifies her friendship with Gabe who does his best to help Leila adjust to dating men.
105 – Back in 2005. London. A younger, Lily-Allen loving, Leila is studying while Gabe is trying to get his book Test(icular) published. An unexpected turn and some familiar faces take them both on life-altering journeys neither could have predicted.
106 – Sadie tells Leila something that makes her questioning everything. Gabe continues to be a support as Leila and Sadie navigate their new rules of the relationship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxzPBVPoiZ8
The Bisexual premieres in its entirety on Friday, November 16, only on Hulu.