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Girlfriends Unite in Hulu’s Dollface!

Looking for your next fun comedy show? One that makes you feel like you’ve been on wacky romps with besties even though you’re actually sitting on your couch wearing yoga pants and drinking a glass of white wine? Then Dollface on Hulu might just be for you!

Dollface is about Jules (played by Kat Dennings), whose five-year-long relationship with her boyfriend ends in the first episode. In fact, the title of the show is based on a pet name that Jeremy has for Jules that she absolutely hates.

When confronted with the fact that her entire life over the last several years has revolved around Jeremy, Jules has to rebuild her social circle with the girlfriends she left behind. This means calling up old friends and taking risks by spending more time socializing with coworkers.

How do you know if Dollface is your next big binge watch? Here are some of its top qualities:

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Passing The Bechdel Test With A Dash Of Whimsy

While lots of episodes involve talking about relationships with men, there are still tons and tons of moments in this show that pass The Bechdel Test—lots of named women are interacting with one another, talking about topics that don’t revolve around men!

And if that isn’t already enough of a draw, maybe the constant whimsy and weird storytelling devices will draw you in. For example, in the first episode a bus picks up Jules after her breakup. It’s full of other women who are getting off at different stations post-breakup. There’s the rebound station, the “guy’s girl” station, and so on. Oh, and did I mention that this bus is driven by a human-sized cat voiced by character actress Beth Grant?

The cat comes back each episode for a recurring bit, but there are tons of other funny visual gags and framing devices: from a table of unapproachable women that keeps moving farther and farther away the more Jules tries to approach it to a car dealership that actually peddles guys to casually hook up with!

Dollface features seemingly endless whimsical and surreal cutaways that make it different from your average hangout comedy!

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It’s Honest About How Hard It Is To Make And Keep Friends As An Adult

Some of us are more #blessed in the friend department than others, but I think we can all agree: making new friends and maintaining old relationships gets harder and harder as you head into your 30’s. Maybe it’s because a relationship became the center of your world, like Jules. Maybe it’s because it’s always tough getting to know new coworkers and seeing if they could be buddies outside the office. Or maybe the daily hustle and bustle made it harder over the years to keep up with your regularly scheduled calls with your bestie from college.

Dollface totally gets this dilemma. It starts out with the position that it was wrong for Jules to neglect her former friendships in favor of throwing herself into a relationship. As a result, the show becomes about the actual fabric of the friendships women have with one another. Sometimes being a good friend means going to an event you’re not excited about that will make your friend sooooo happy. Other times, friendships rely on honesty and emotional vulnerability. And there is always the nebulous yet rigid girl code to navigate!

At the end of the day, though, the show recognizes that all the work women put into their friendships is totally worthwhile.

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It Gorgeously Skewers Corporate Feminism and Wellness Culture

One of my favorite weird things about Dollface is that Jules and a couple of her friends work for a woman-owned company called “Woom.” And yes, it’s pronounced like, ‘womb.”

The office set is such a treat, with pastel walls, a “conversation pit” built into the floor and glass-walled conference rooms. In workplace-related plots, it’s typical to hear brainstorming sessions with bizarre PR catchphrases. The corporate retreat includes goat yoga and tents with giant crystals to hold onto!

There’s a lot here that’s especially LA-specific (I assume, as a non-LA resident. My Frolic contemporaries in the main office can fill me in on the truth of this claim). In general, though, the Woom offices and special events that the main characters go to poke fun at wellness culture, pink collar jobs, and the commoditization of feminism by people who sell products to solve cosmetic problems that they themselves created.

If you’re feeling a bit snarky and cynical about these kinds of things, I bet you’d enjoy this aspect of Dollface!

If you want to check out this comedy, its entire first season is on Hulu. Already seen it? Tell us what you think!

Erin Phelps

Erin Phelps is a lover of swoony romance novels, superb television and movies, and splendid comedic podcasts! In addition to writing for Frolic, Erin works at a fun customer service-oriented job at a salon. Sometimes, she can even be found teaching Women’s and Gender Studies at her local college! Her love language is well-constructed pop culture references and her favorite treat is a caramel latte.