Y’all I caved. I decided to give up on whatever little of my sanity is still remaining in this lockdown and watch season 2 of Four More Shots Please! I have a vague memory of sitting through the first three episodes of season one when it released. It wasn’t...great and I couldn’t tolerate it beyond that scene where the four main characters sit at Marine Drive and scream “vaginaaaaa” like it’s some kind of modern feminist anthem.
Anyway, I decided to keep the tradition going and watch *at least* three episodes of season 2 and then take a call.
Spoiler alert: I’m not going to be watching anymore.
1. This show feels like a peak South Bombay girls meme
Damini (Sayani Gupta), Maanvi Gagroo (Siddhi), Anjana (Kirti Kulhari) and Umang (Bani J) literally took an impromptu trip to Istanbul to do what? Have a patch up sesh while eating Turkish icecream and bitching about their bois? Come on.
2. I, as a journalist myself, would like to know which journalist gets paid the way Sayani Gupta’s character does.
That house? Those outfits? That unemployment lifestyle? I WANT.
3. Did they just talk about slam books and make a friendship pact in Istanbul? How old are they? 8?!
4. *Incoming cliche group hug* Obviously
5. Wow, if Simone de Beauvoir could hear Damini referencing her in Four More Shots Please!, the French feminist philosopher would be rolling in her grave right now.
6. Anjana’s boyfriend Arjun, while doing the dishes, actually says “Hum iss sink mein bhi sync mein hai.”
I can’t believe this. He also follows it up with “Even when we’re doing the dishes, it’s like we’re making love.” WHO wrote the dialogues for this show and what were they thinking?!
(Also, read the room Arjun. She doesn’t want you to be her new baby daddy)
7. Is Lisa Ray okay??
That episode where Lisa Ray’s character Samara has a breakdown... is it supposed to make me feel bad for her? Because I’m LAUGHING. Guys, her acting is...so bad. Did they even make her audition? Or is this comic relief planned?
But like, Umang can step on my neck. Ma’am, please??
8. Halfway through episode two and I am convinced that if all these women just sought therapy individually, we would not have to sit through this mess.
9. I am also deeply uncomfortable with how Maanvi Gagroo’s character is being shamed for never having used a tampon. Yeh hai tumhara feminism?
10. I know it’s wrong to hate on a child actor but that little girl (Anjana’s daughter) is getting on my nerves.
She says the most obnoxious things ever AND it always looks like she’s reading off a teleprompter or something.
11. Actual footage of me trying to keep up with their bar visits and how many drinks they have every time they go out because it definitely ain’t just four.
I’m just surprised that none of them ever end up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning.
Also - someone should tell the writers that they need not drop the title card of the show in every episode. The girls are really into alcohol shots, it’s fine, we get it. As the gorgeous Jeh would say..
12. Obviously, the only doctor in the show, Milind Soman’s character, has the most cliche back story ever.
But I must say... I’m enjoying watching male characters be reduced to mere plot points.
*MRAs triggered*
13. The words ‘BFF’ and ‘Sapiosexual’ are being used unironically. I am officially done.
14. Trust a man to ruin a perfectly good moment with “Baby you don’t know how hard it was for me to keep dating all those women. I still jerked off thinking about you after the divorce.”
I just...can’t. I want to smack Varun (Anjana’s ex husband) and also all the other men in the show.
15. Three episodes later, I am fuming thanks to the men in the show and cringing hard, courtesy the women.
But gotta give it up for Siddhi’s mom firing shots left, right and centre during that breakfast table fight. And also, Anjana hitting back at that misogynist boss of hers. I know Four More Shots Please! lacks nuance, is cringy as HELL but it seems like it could have its moments. Maybe? No?
Side note, Prateik Babbar is being wasted here. Somebody get him out.
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