RECAP: “Single, Out” Season 3, Episode 1
It was a little over a year ago that I found myself in a dearth of new programming and was looking for a new show to occupy me. I wasn’t looking for anything like Game of Thrones that needed my undivided attention. I wanted light, fun, and, let's be honest, super gay. Finding nothing, I began a doom scroll on YouTube. If you’re not a total fry, it’s just what you do. Then, thanks to Big Brother’s watchful eyes on my browser history, in conjunction with the Al-Gore-rhythm, I was served up the first episode of what appeared to be a delightfully queer series Single, Out, which has just launched it third season in the US on HereTV. The YouTube thumbnail, featuring an undeniably cute, young star, was all it took. I clicked play faster than you can say twink. YouTube, bless its heart, came through again.
Here’s the trailer for the new third season; scroll down for my recap of S3 Episode 1.
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While unfamiliar at the time with Single, Out, I recognized the streamer, HereTV, known for its dedication to showcasing queer content from independent creators. In the past, I had enjoyed their productions, including Dante's Cove, its spin-off The Lair, and The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green. While Here’s programming often lacks the budget of big studio-backed projects, it is always entertaining and clearly made with love and passion for its audience. Also, HereTV shows usually feature a dick or two, or three, or sometimes more! But that certainly isn’t why I tune in. I’m serious! Don’t judge me! All that said, Single, Out maintains that HereTV feel, compensating for its modest budget with compelling performances, genuine portrayals of queer experiences, and most importantly, steamy intimate scenes. Yes, I was sweating more than a few times.
Before I get into my thoughts and recap of the Season 3 premiere, let me give you the baseline premise of the show. Or go watch seasons 1 and 2 on the HereTV app and come back. We’re happy to wait, nothing would thrill us more.
Single, Out is an Australian queer comedy-drama that follows Adam, played by the captivating Will Hutchins, as he navigates the complexities of coming-of-age and self-discovery. The series blends humor and heartfelt moments as it explores Adam's everyday life, balancing his job, artistic pursuits, and social interactions, all while authentically portraying the challenges and joys of queer relationships and the search for acceptance. Additionally, the show has a delightful, diverse and always hilarious ensemble cast of characters who never fail to slap sense into Adam during his frequent selfish and self-centered moments. It’s not all about you, Adam! He is a messy bitch, but we love him.
At the end of Season 2 we left Adam in a good spot. Following a rocky season marked by relationship disasters, career stumbles, and a sobering sexual-health scare, he managed to pull himself together. He repaired his friendship with Gabe, played by Jake Hyde, and delivered a pivotal cover photo for Single, Out magazine, leaving him in a much more stable place.
As Season 3 starts, we hear the familiar theme song “Superhuman” by Clean (a total banger) over what appears to be Adam engaged in a steamy fantasy sequence. Seated at a picnic table in a sports field, Adam is eating a freeze pop (apparently called “zooper doopers” Down Under) while watching an athlete remove his shirt and begin lathering his chest with some sort of lotion. Suntan lotion, maybe? Doesn’t matter, he’s smooth, muscly, and hot! The lust in Adam’s expression is the quintessential thirsty Adam we have come to rely on. As he works the stiff freeze pop, the fantasy devolves into Adam imagining himself lathering the athlete to an ultimate climax where he realizes the refreshing frozen treat has leaked all over his shirt. Oops! Adam is sobered up from his fantasy and stands, only to realize his own stiffness. A sticky situation all around. Yes, show! Give us what we want! While a fun interlude, the fantasy is ultimately served up for the comedy and doesn’t apply much to the episode. However it does remind us of why we love Will Hutchins in the role of Adam, as he plays the comedy and lust of the scene to perfection.
After the opening, it cuts to a scene at a club. Adam is dancing while his brother Clay, played by Steven Christou, looks on. We quickly learn that time has passed and Adam is visiting home from somewhere. I don’t recall if we knew Adam was leaving town at the end of Season 2, but it’s clear that it’s been a while between the seasons. After establishing that he is back in town, the scene ends as Clay is tired and not in the mood to party. That's all we get of Clay for the episode, so maybe we will get an update on him in subsequent episodes. He seemed in a good place in Season 2 as well.
After a quick stop at Adam’s mothers house, we are told that Adam’s father has asked to meet him for breakfast with some sort of news. Cutting to that scene we observe an awkward exchange between him and his father. We learn that Adam is now at the Sydney office of the magazine and is home to support the local office in the short term. This scene is exposition, but does establish the distant relationship between father and son. When they finally get to the “news,” his father drops a request on Adam to help his 20-year-old half-brother Ethan find work experience with him at the magazine as a writer. Adam is shocked by the request, having last met his little brother when he was only 6 years old. I had completely forgotten about comments in Season 1 about his father’s “other family,” so I was equally as shocked at Ethan’s introduction. Anyway, Adam is reluctant but his father ambushes him and forces the issue by having Ethan pop up at the breakfast meeting. If you have watched the previous seasons of this show, you have to know this went SUPER well. Adam was elated. Yes, I’m joking. Needless to say, Adam’s enthusiasm is...nonexistent.
Begrudgingly, Adam takes Ethan to the Single, Out office, where they meet staff members Ange and Dennis. Nothing of note comes from this exchange except an inappropriate office comment Adam makes about the inches between his legs. God, I love him, but don’t get fired Adam! Ethan is next introduced to Adam’s boss (I think), Anthony, who immediately hires him as a staff writer without reading a single word he’s written. Is it this easy to get jobs Down Under? It’s after this where Ethan asks what kind of publication Single, Out is, and Adam informs him that it is a queer publication. Again, after hire? We’re doing it all wrong here in the states, I'm telling you.
This scene does clue us in that we are not yet sure about Ethan’s sexuality. However, this is swiftly resolved when he meets another Single, Out staffer, Oliver, initiating a bold flirtation by wiping and eating chocolate off Oliver’s face. Ethan declares, “I love chocolate.” I love this show's affinity for directness.
A few quick scenes fly by featuring some other regular characters including Theo, played by Jack Brophy, who is acting in another film with Spike. In the small amount of screen time he is given, he delivers all the comedy and shirtlessness we expect from our muscle god, Theo. We also see Spike, urgently on the phone with a drag queen named Memphis, who's at the Single, Out offices for a photo shoot, about his concerns over his film’s finances. Memphis promises to work her magic to help before ending the call for the shoot. After briefly pleading with Ange about giving Spike some online ad space for his film, Memphis is needed on set with Adam for the photo shoot where they deliver a hilarious scene reminiscent of an Austin Powers bit. Yeah, baby, yeah!
Once the shoot is done, Memphis steps away for a wardrobe change and Adam excuses himself from the office to make a phone call after he encounters Ethan and Oliver in another flirtation. Adam quickly phones another familiar face, Dylan, and then heads back inside to find where Ethan has disappeared to. Whispering his annoyance under his breath as he is searching the office for his brother, he eventually opens a dressing room door to find Memphis and Ethan in a hot and sloppy make out sesh. The three share a moment of stunned silence, marking the episode’s end. Australian workplaces are wild, y’all!
Although most of this 18-minute episode felt like set up for the season, I loved it just the same, and it was great to see these characters on screen again. It made sense that with the end of Season 2 being neatly resolved, this time would be spent establishing new conflicts and dynamics to move the show forward. I love the idea of dropping Adam’s estranged brother into the mix and making him queer, too. It creates a rift in Adam’s world and we know how well that has historically gone for our boy. I’m certain this is something that will spin Adam out, and that’s the best kind of Adam.
I should also commend Joel Nankervis, the actor playing Ethan. Aside from being cute as a button, he’s playing this flirty 20-year-old perfectly. We didn’t get too much from our supporting cast, but I am confident we will get more from them in the coming weeks. It feels like there is drama brewing for everyone and I’m looking forward to more. Bring it.
