The iconic real-life fat actress and comedian Aidy Bryant along with co-stars Lolly Adefope, Ian Owens, and the rest of the cast are back for one final season of Shrill, a Hulu Original series that follows Annie Easton, a new journalist grappling with newfound adulthood responsibilities and a fat-phobic society determined to convince her she is not enough.
Ian Owens, Luka Jones, Aidy Bryant, John Cameron Mitchell, and Lolly Adefope at the premiere of Huluโs โShrillโ
โShrillโ Season 3 premiers May 7, on Hulu!
In โShrillโ season one,
Annieโs self confidence fluctuates, as she works to assert herself. Throughout season one she often dresses in muted frocks, short dresses with high collars, long sleeves and lots of frills. As we move into season two, Annieโs wardrobe picks up with bolder patterns, colors and she begins to take risks in showing off her body in ways that make her feel confident, and reflect the transformation happening both inside and out.
Something โShrillโ does exceptionally well is highlighting the experience of fat women and sex, we see Annie navigating various levels of comfort with her body while having sex, and we see her comfortably โon topโ and bra-less, something Annie struggled with immensely early on.
Annie writes boldfaced, spontaneous articles about living as a fat person in a society that refuses to acknowledge or respect her, including an article about the effectiveness of the โPlan Bโ or the โmorning afterโ pill on fat people โ something that wowed and blew the minds of many viewers in season one.
She finds support in her roommate, a proud Black lesbian, Fran, portrayed by Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Miracle Workers), who is navigating dating and societal fatphobia. Fran and Annieโs roommate-ship shows the power of solidarity and community among fat women, and their relationship continues to grow and deepen in seasons one and two.
Franโs own wardrobe in seasons one and two is everything we love to see โ bright and bold jumpsuits, a rocking three-piece suit for a wedding as well as form-fitting tops and wide legged pants in bold colors. Franโs wardrobe is less about hiding or distracting from her fatness, but closer to a celebration of her gender and sexuality.
โShrillโ Season 3 premieres on Hulu, Friday, May 7th with two brand new episodes!
Season 3โs trailer leaves more than a few Easter eggs that have our anticipation building as the premiere date looms closer. You can watch the trailer here:
In the trailer we see a bold, newly single Annie embarking on a new frontier she has tip-toed around in past seasons: dating. We can expect with more going out and meeting new folks, that Annie will most likely be showing up in new outfits showcasing her new found security and confidence.
The season is also set to make more important statements as it has in the past, in the trailer we see Annie experience fatphobia in a medical setting, something inherently triggering to all fat folks alike, from a doctor that merely views her as a problem needing to be solved, rather than a human being. The word โgastric bypassโ is mentioned, and overall this scene is set to make an impact with viewers.
Weโre particularly curious about the subplot of Annie going to profile and interview โthe separatist, racist whackjobsโ โ as is disclosed in the trailer. We wonder if Annieโs boss Gabeโs intent will be to give alt-right a platform to avoid getting โcancelledโ for censoring the media, or how Annieโs voice will be interpreted.
It seems some form of hell will break loose, considering there is a screenshot of what appears to be Annie getting cancelled over the article she writes โ which may or may not be related to the piece on the racist separatist family, including a headline reading โWhite Writer Buddies up to White Supremacistsโ.
Shrill has remained marginally passive in confronting the racism itโs main characters are experiencing, seemingly focusing on fat issues, dating, and respect โ but for main character Fran, racism is ultimately at an intersection with the day-to-day fatphobia and homophobia she experiences as an out Black lesbian.
We hope to see season 3 Shrill be more vocal on this issue, and that they wonโt miss an opportunity to call out bigotry.
Some other easter eggs: it looks like Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) may have a cameo as a drummer in Gabeโs new band, possibly as their first official gig! The long-term comedianโs presence is sure to bring about some hilarious comedy, going hand-in-hand with the actorโs previous work Portlandia.
And perhaps most of all, we are SO EXCITED for Fran and Emily, portrayed by E.R. Fightmaster, (Work in Progress, Pathetic Woman) and their newfound relationship, falling-in-love and seeing the couple navigate important milestones like meeting the parents!
Franโs settling down with Em begs us to wonder if โShrillโ season 3 will include the ending of this iconic roommate-ship as the roommates branch out and into these new chapters of their lives. At the end of the day, we are sure to get an iconic fat fierce femme fatale moment of our favorites out at the club, in many ways reminiscent of the incredible pool party scene from season one.
Beyond that, what other โKeep Portland Weirdโ will the producers and writers have whipped up for their audience?
Some past highlights definitely included the nude cyclistsโ group, who Annie covered for the calendar at the Thorn and looking ahead at the trailer, could โskirt-string-biterโ be one of our new weirdos?
Shrill has become legend in the way it confronts fatphobes to their faces, and shows fat people existing, first and foremost as humans. The show has garnered national attention for its depictions of fat folks struggles in finding clothes that fit or fit them the way they feel most comfortable, and it has been an amazing two years of cheering Annie, Fran, Amadi and their friends on.
โShrillโ season 3 premieres on Friday, May 7 on Hulu!
Season three will bring a bittersweet end to a groundbreaking television show that for so many fat viewers has given an authentic platform for their real-life experiences that has set the bar for shows to come.
Additional Shrill News? Read how Aidy Bryant launched her own plus size collection here.
