The series was originally planned for YouTubeâs slate of original content and is instead airing on Showtime (it premieres this Sunday night), although right now you can check out the first two episodes on YouTube for free. It was also at one point going to be directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Lobster), and my god, wouldnât that have been something. Maybe that coulda-been gives you an idea of what sort of dark, quirky comedy weâre talking about with On Becoming a God, although itâs marginally less confrontational and significantly nicer than Lanthimosâ work tends to be.
On Becoming a God is set in the early â90s near Orlandoâin the shadow of Disney Worldâand stars Kirsten Dunst as Krystal, a former pageant winner and current waterpark employee whose wardrobe largely consists of bedazzled denim. Although sheâs what many people think of as âwhite trash,â the show never punches down on her in any wayâone of its strong suits. Krystal is a strong, fully realized character who contains multitudes; sheâs sunny and smiling when she needs to be, and tough when things donât go her way. Your personal mileage may have varied with Dunstâs past performances, but I donât think anyone could argue that sheâs pretty terrific here.
The supporting cast is incredibly strong (with one exception that Iâll get to in a minute). The great Mel Rodriguez plays Ernie, Krystal and Travisâ neighbor (and Krystalâs co-worker); heâs a depressed family man who initially resists Travisâ overtures but eventually succumbs to the FAM way of life. This turn is never fully explained, and in the back half of the season, Ernie becomes more and more of a puzzle, even as Rodriguez does excellent work to keep the character grounded. Ernieâs wife Bets is played by Gossip singer (and former Portlander) Beth Ditto, and boy, sheâs good. One hopes this is the beginning of a long string of acting credits for Ditto, whoâs got huge potential for a dramatic career in film and television. And the immortal Ted Levine plays Obie Garbeau, the head of the FAM community who isnât that far-off from being a bizarro cult leader. Levinâs weird, fully committed performance is one of the showâs unique strengths.
I had other frustrations with On Becoming a God in Central Florida, and the show has a way of surprising you without exactly wowing you. Most of the episodes have surreal digressions of strangeness that are unlike anything youâve seen on TV outside of maybe Twin Peaks, but theyâre accompanied by a lot of busy-work plotting that contains almost no sense of escalation or character development. Still, that Dunst performance is really something, and the show never turns outright badâand the oddball flourishes really stick with you, like the FAM heavy who skulks around barefoot, or the bathtub full of clear plastic balls thatâs meant to replicate being in the womb. I couldnât fully commit to On Becoming a God, but maybeâlike any other pyramid schemeâmy lack of commitment was why I didnât reap its full benefits. Youâre bound to find something you like in it, and with the first two episodes available for free without a Showtime subscription, thereâs little risk in trying it out. After all, itâs not Amway.
On Becoming a God in Central Florida premieres Sunday, August 25 on Showtime, but you can check out the first two episodesâhere and hereâfor free on YouTube right now.