Hulu’s “How to Die Alone,” created by and starring Natasha Rothwell, is a witty and thoughtful dramedy about loneliness, accountability and the courage to get out of one’s own way, especially when life hasn’t exactly gone as planned. “How to Die Alone” opens with an unseen interviewer asking real-life New Yorkers why people die alone, and these questions and the thoughtful responses are a theme throughout the series. As the title card fades, the audience meets Mel (a flawless Rothwell). She works at John F. Kennedy International Airport as a transport assistant for passengers who need extra help. Chatty and cheerful, Mel seems content, but viewers quickly learn that this is a facade.
It’s Mel’s 35th birthday, but she is not in a celebratory mood. When her best friend Rory (Conrad Ricamora) bails on their plans, this causes her to confront the disappointments of her life. Though Mel’s worked at the airport for four years, her finances are in shambles. She has a strained relationship with her mother, Beverly (Ellen Cleghorne), and older brother, Brian (Bashir Salahuddin), and she’s terrified of flying. Also, aside from Rory, her friend circle is basically nonexistent. But Mel’s world begins to shift when an accident on the eve of her birthday lands her in the hospital.
Fans will recognize Rothwell from her roles on HBO’s “Insecure” and “The White Lotus” (the latter will also feature her character in the upcoming third season), but her work as a writer is highlighted here. She previously wrote for the Issa Rae-created “Insecure” and for “Saturday Night Live,” and her work on those series earned her production company, Big Hattie Productions, a development deal with ABC Signature. “How to Die Alone,” her first solo effort as a creator, is skillfully crafted, anchoring important themes and conversations in comedic musings. The humor in the show is almost shockingly authentic. Mel says ugly things to herself and others, but these jabs are woven impeccably into hilarious one-liners.
While “How to Die Alone” has many funny moments — including Mel’s long-brewing rivalry with her Karen-esque co-worker Patti (Michelle McLeod) and the constant antics of her baggage-handler friends DeShawn (Chris “CP” Powell), Shaun (Arkie Kandola) and Terrance (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) — the series is also beautifully relatable and introspective.
In the superb Episode 3, “Burn Bridges,” Mel reflects on her years at JFK and her friendship with Rory. This storyline leads the audience to consider, as Mel does, the positions we hold in the lives of others. In the standout Episode 5, “Trust No One,” Mel visits Brian’s home for Thanksgiving. The tension between the siblings, the interjection of their critical mother and tough conversations give the state of Mel’s life more context. Mel is frustratingly human, and Rothwell depicts her as both protagonist and antagonist of her own story.
Frequent flyers will delight in the peek into the complex inner workings of an airport. “How to Die Alone” realistically showcases all the moving parts needed to make air travel possible at such a massive scale. From the treasure-filled confiscation room to the chaos that spreads through the terminals during the holidays, the show infuses these brilliant, nuanced segments into a perfectly paced season.
Ours is a highly individualistic society, but as “How to Die Alone” suggests, there is a significant difference between being alone and loneliness. As Mel struggles, with startling honesty, to reimagine her life, she wrestles with the role she’s had in stifling her own dreams. After all, you can’t expect to lean on anyone else if you can’t depend on yourself.
The first four episodes of “How to Die Alone” premiere Sept. 13 on Hulu, with new episodes dropping weekly on Fridays.
