Finally Satiated

Last summer, Netflix aired “Insatiable,” one of its most controversial shows after accusations of being fatphobic and homophobic. The show follows Patty Bladell (Debby Ryan) as she struggles with bullying for being fat. But after being punched by a homeless man and having her jaw wired shut for three months, Patty loses a ton of weight, leaving her thin and “beautiful.”

While meant to be funny, the show’s first season stirred up controversy as thousands of fans were left offended by lines like “I was at home, stuffing another hole,” “I just figured everyone would think I’m a slut. Now they think I’m a lesbian and that’s way worse,” and “Bisexuals don’t actually exist.” In addition, the use of a fat suit to depict Patty and the insulting portrayal of her obsession with food enraged viewers. Despite all the controversy, if Netflix was looking for a way to redeem itself after “Insatiable”’s first season, they definitely found it with season two.

This season follows Patty as she tries her best to win pageants, fight her food addiction, and not go to jail for homicide. Season two picks up right after season one, with Patty and her pageant coach, Bob Armstrong (Dallas Roberts), attempting to dispose of the body of a major character in season one, whom Patty murdered. This is the first time viewers get to see the extent of Patty’s issues; prior to this moment, Patty mainly dealt with her body image and eating disorders. Patty’s first murder sets the stage for season two, as Patty finds herself being accused of crimes she did not commit, and desperately trying to cover up the ones she did.

As Patty competes in pageants as a way of coping with her first murder, she continues to struggle with food. Though originally in denial about actually having an eating disorder, Patty listens to her best friend Nonnie (Kimmy Shields) and attends Overeaters Anonymous meetings, where she discovers her depression causes her obsession with food. The way in which the show tackled eating disorders in season two was much more developed than their approach in season one. In the latter, Patty’s issues were merely established. Depicted as constantly binge eating and blaming all her problems on being fat, Patty’s character had upset many viewers. This season, writers established several important points such as how eating disorders—or any disorders—aren’t the same for everyone. Dee Marshall (Ashley D. Kelley), Patty’s sponsor in OA, is the first person to explain to Patty that her issues are valid regardless of the way that they present themselves. She tells Patty that she doesn’t have to be incredibly skinny or throw up everything she eats to have an eating disorder. This information goes against what Patty has believed in: she feels as though her obsession with food can’t be a problem since it doesn’t fit the traditional ways in which people define eating disorders.

Writers also prioritized the discussion of mental health through the OA meetings and Patty’s reflection on her actions and how they influence her eating habits. By being honest with herself, Patty is able to make some progress when she’s with her sponsor. Instead of starving and punishing herself like she used to, she starts to understand why she does these things and stops doing so. She realizes the difference between eating because of hunger and eating because of emotional stress. These moments of progress, however, clash with moments that force Patty to fall back to square one: Every time she loses a pageant, upsets someone, or gets stressed out, Patty turns to food, throwing her progress out the window.

While the show mainly focuses on eating disorders, it also touches on topics like the struggles of biraciality in America, overcoming anxiety, and gender nonconformity. One of my favorite scenes was when Magnolia Barnard (Erinn Westbrook), who is half black and half white, lashes out at two other black girls after they made her feel like she was never accepted in black or white communities due to her being biracial. Even though she had a black mother, growing up with a white father meant she was never actually accepted by other black kids for not being “black enough.” As the demographics of biracial Americans continue to grow, more people can relate to the feeling a detachment to one’s identity. Watching that frustration finally be expressed on TV resonated with me and was refreshing.

What makes the show especially interesting is how well it balances its dark aspects with bits of comedy. While Patty might’ve killed many people by the end of season two, several subplots are born to lighten the mood. For example, Coralee Huggens-Armstrong (Alyssa Milano), Bob Armstrong’s wife, starting a tampon company called “Tampazzle,” whose tampon products are attached with tassels so that tampons can be found, distracts from the fact that pageant girls are dying left and right. Dixie Sinclair (Irene Choi) finding out that her mother, Regina Sinclair (Arden Myrin), actually kidnapped her from a mall takes the spotlight off of a character who was thought to be dead but suddenly reappears in the show. These side stories, though somewhat ridiculous and crazy, are crazy enough to keep things funny, especially as Patty begins to deal with a mysterious pageant killer who seems to be killing anyone who beats Patty in competitions.

At first, Netflix’s “Insatiable” seemed like it would never be liked among audiences for its insensitive comments on weight and sexuality. However, by balancing out its funny and dark aspects, representing characters of different ethnicities and sexualities, and tackling various societal issues in positive ways, the second season of “Insatiable” seems to have been the perfect form of redemption for the show’s ignorance in season one.