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I never thought I’d find a Tatiana Maslany role I enjoyed as much as Orphan Black, yet here we are. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is Apple TV’s latest thriller, following on from recent huge releases like Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Widow’s Bay, and it’s another fantastic release from the streaming service.
Here, Maslany plays newly divorced mother Paula, who has been spending time with Trevor (Brandon Flynn), a camboy. Since Paula’s ex-husband has main custody of their daughter, she spends lonely nights talking with him, which inevitably leads to more.
Unfortunately for Paula, her private life doesn’t stay that way for very long. During a session with Trevor, a masked man bursts into his apartment and starts beating him up. Paula films the attack, only to be told it’s “not a real crime” when she tries reporting it.
Things take a darker turn from this moment on when Trevor calls her, begging for a $50,000 ransom, otherwise he’ll be killed. She can’t pay this, of course, and is spooked when she gets a call from Trevor and an accomplice on her work number. Considering she never shared that information, it’s clear she’s in trouble, and Trevor demands the money; otherwise, he says he’ll ruin her life.
Trevor also coldly reveals that he’ll publish their secretly recorded interactions and ruin Paula’s chance at maintaining custody, a threat that’s not to be taken lightly.
It’s good old-fashioned blackmail, and that’s the catalyst for the rest of the ten-part series. Paula must balance her complicated divorce from Karl (Jake Johnson) alongside the stress of being blackmailed, with plenty of twists along the way.
Maslany is perfectly cast as she works to keep her job, be a good mother to her daughter, while trying to unravel who is blackmailing her. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed does center on how mothers, and women in general, can be so harshly judged by those around them to the point where evidence that Paula did connect with a camboy could ruin her life, just as the mysterious accomplice told her.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is one of those shows I wish had been released all at once. It’s moreish and binge-worthy, so waiting a week between episodes might feel annoying. Even if it doesn’t always balance the tonal shifts from humor to seriously shocking moments, I was largely impressed by the twists and turns throughout; it did keep me guessing.
As Paula falls deeper into this rabbit hole, we meet a great supporting cast of the various people in her life. Nobody here feels miscast; everyone does a great job at bringing the totally wild story to life, even if it’s Maslany that shines throughout.
There’s enough to help it stand out among the abundance of thriller shows across the best streaming services, and it’s well worth hanging on to your Apple TV subscription so you can enjoy a new episode each week.
It really does feel like we’re spoiled for choice there at the moment, with many of my current favorite shows having a home on Apple TV.
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