Mia isn’t getting any younger or richer as depicted in the show titled “Spent”, broadcasted on BBC Two on Monday evening at 11.05 pm. Mia’s reckless spending resulted in losing a substantial amount, around $36,500, leaving her on the verge of bankruptcy. Consequently, she decided to return to London from New York after spending 20 years and plans on resuming her supermodel career.
Although it might seem that ordinary viewers can’t connect to the complications of a former runway model’s life, the dark yet clever humour in Michelle de Swarte’s comedy show addresses various issues of midlife crisis and the ease with which one can descend into the abyss if not cautious.
The show, despite its gloomy undertone, balances it out by injecting dry humour throughout. De Swarte’s character, Mia, manages to evoke empathy despite her selfish and oblivious nature. Unbeknownst to her, entering the 40’s turns life challenging, especially for a supermodel—it’s considered old age in the modelling industry and several other sectors for that matter.
The comedy elements aren’t nuanced. As an instance, Mia, who faces a monetary crunch, stumbles upon an event where people partake in unusual activities with strangers due to her inability to afford cab fare. Later, a modelling gig that her agent promised culminates in a dog-sitting job. Her swift transformation from a fashion influencer to a dog-sitter exemplifies her steep fall, with further deterioration to come.
The comedy narrative springs from De Swarte’s realism and her personal encounters as a model, one of them being an unfortunate incident with Jeffrey Epstein. She also illustrates family dynamics well, notably when Mia eventually seeks her mother’s support (played by Juliet Cowan), and refuses the offer to live with her as it appears too embarrassing.
The show, Spent, touches upon myriad subjects like the modelling industry’s bias towards minorities, the exertion of men’s dominance in the business, and varied responses to mental illness across different generations. Yet, it maintains its engaging tone and sporadic humour throughout, without deviating from exploring these serious issues. In summary, this well-thought-out comedy with de Swarte’s unmatched comedic timing is to be acknowledged as a tentpole of the genre.