The Atlantic

<em>Catastrophe</em> and the Comedy of the Self-Aware Marriage

Season 3 of Amazon’s show is funnier than ever as it portrays a couple negotiating serious issues with a smirk.
Source: Ed Miller / Amazon Prime Video

Toward the end of the first episode of Catastrophe’s third season, Sharon sits down on a couch next to her husband Rob after confessing that she’s betrayed his trust. She asks a question: “What now?”

Rob re-etches his magnificent block of a face, and what had been stoic rage at his wife’s betrayal becomes resignation. “I don’t know,” he says. “I guess over time I’ll have to learn to forgive you.”

“Right,” Sharon says, her brows knotting and her lip twitching, a picture of worry and shame. “Over how much time?”

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic5 min read
The Strangest Job in the World
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. The role of first lady couldn’t be stranger. You attain the position almost by accident, simply by virtue of being married to the president
The Atlantic5 min readAmerican Government
What Nikki Haley Is Trying to Prove
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Nikki Haley faces terrible odds in her home state of
The Atlantic3 min read
The Coen Brothers’ Split Is Working Out Fine
It’s still a mystery why the Coen brothers stopped working together. The pair made 18 movies as a duo, from 1984’s Blood Simple to 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, setting a new standard for black comedy in American cinema. None of those movies w

Related Books & Audiobooks