Dash and Lily

So, what have I been binge-watching of late? What did I speed through like one eats a loaf of white bread? What have I been using to numb the pain, if not for a short time? What did I use to distract me from my thoughts?

You get the point, I like to occasionally use watching TV as a coping mechanism. If I’m overwhelmingly busy at work with little time to rest, I spend my small amount of rest time watching a show. If I’m at the brink of a truly anxious mood, I watch a show. To kill the boredom, I watch a show.

The shows that I speed through aren’t your garden variety “great show that everyone likes and you should like.” I have failed to watch all of Breaking Bad (2008) but I had no trouble watching most of the US Office (2005) in a month. Schitt’s Creek (2015) took me a smattering of weeks to finish. If it’s a feel-good, funny show, it really takes the cake.

Recently, Emily in Paris (2020) dominated my weekend. And the same is true of Netflix's latest output this weekend. I watched one episode of the new Netflix show Dash and Lily (2020) just to try it, like nibbling on the side of a disgusting piece of fruit cake to remember why you hate it. Turns out, Dash and Lily is your mum’s pavlova, and just like a Christmas pav, I destroyed it.

Dash and Lily has that perfect balance of cosy and sincere, yet not unbearably cringe. I would compare it to All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018), for its sense of insular cosiness. Like To All the Boys, Dash and Lily has a sweet love story, with a cute gimmick, to keep you invested. It’s not without its seasonal cheeriness. I think the show is much more on the side of Lily, the Christmas fanatic, rather than the jaded Dash. If you can’t get behind a “Christmas is the most wonderful time of year”, narrative, then dash away from this one.

We follow two young people in the most overused TV setting of all time, New York. I did enjoy this show’s dedication to showcasing the city’s spirit, it’s points of interest, and it’s diversity. Much like in Emily in Paris did with its setting, we are treated to a virtual tour of Manhattan in Dash and Lily, which I’m sure is a city worth the hype.

Lily is a 17-year-old with a penchant for all things old fashioned, including sewing her own clothes and playing board games with her elderly relatives. It seems that Lily has no friends of her own age to speak of because she’s just too quirky to be appreciated by her peers.

Dash is a young man with a dark and stormy demeanour, which quirky girls love I guess. He’s butthurt because he has emotional baggage related to the holidays, and also his girlfriend, the amazing and international Sofia, left him this time last year.

What brings them together is a mysterious notebook left on the shelves at their mutual favourite book store. Lily has ostensibly penned the contents, encouraging the reader (hopefully a cute boy), to figure out puzzles and to take on dares. Dash is immediately sucked into this plan and the notebook brings him into consistent communication with Lily, as they continue to challenge each other in the lead up to Christmas. A connection grows, but both parties are reluctant to meet. Dash has Lily on a pedestal and seems to want to maintain his fantasy of her. Lily is afraid to reveal herself and scare Dash away.

I did toy with the idea that if we learned of Lily’s identity along with Dash, that would make for a compelling narrative. But then I realised that would pave the way for the manic pixie dream girl trope. Lily is more realised as a character because we get to know about her discomfort in her identity.

By the end of the story, I was really taken with Lily, her fireplace full of books may have looked contrived, but she didn’t. I genuinely bought into her quirky costumes and unique past times. At one point, she dresses up like a Christmas tree, with working Christmas lights. My grinch heart grew three sizes while watching Lily. She’s played well by Midori Francis.

It’s not the most profound show and it has a simple message. Be yourself and you will find your people. Challenge yourself and you just might find love. But it’s a comforting show. And you bitches know how I love a comforting show. I also totally forgot to mention the subtle inclusion of Japanese culture, Lily is apparently half Japanese, although it's not said outright. Lily also has a fun queer brother who adds to her half of the narrative. Just as Dash’s nerdy friend Boomer does for his side of the story. 

Also, there's a Jewish punk group who has underground gigs. They are called the "Challah Back Boys," and they are just as delightful as they sound. 

The story is occasionally clunky, as these stories tend to be. The miscommunication between our leads seems a little far fetched, and of course, there are a couple of impassioned speeches. But overall, Dash and Lily is well worth the watch. Unlike me, you may be able to savour this show like a tin full of tasty Christmas cookies. I, on the other hand, was quickly reaching for crumbs. Let that be a credit to my enjoyment of Dash and Lily.

Dash and Lily is on Netflix, I’m sure you’ve seen the ads. I hope you enjoy the show! Merry almost Christmas.