Physical – Episode 1, Let’s Do This Thing

Meet Sheila, Rose Byrne (“I Am Mother”, “Peter Rabbit”), a housewife in 1980’s San Diego. She lives in a large house with her husband Danny, Rory Scovel (“Robbie (TV)”, “Harley Quinn (TV)”), and daughter.

Danny is a lecturer though has aspirations of running for office and gets his chance when he loses his job.

Sheila, meanwhile, does the cooking, taking their daughter to school, ballet, eating healthily and supporting her husband at every opportunity. On the outside, the perfect 1980’s wife.

But we hear Sheila’s inner monologue. It’s this that makes Physical stand-out from the crowd as Sheila, inside at least, really says what she means.

The other mother who collars her each morning who she is always nice to, Sheila’s inner monologue says what she really thinks of her. The friends that come round for dinner, a successful author and his wife, Sheila tells it like it is.

Then there’s Sheila’s other dirty little secret. Her $50 a pop dirty habit that sees visit the bank, the local drive-thru burger joint and the local motel where she devours these burgers, naked, before telling herself, from tomorrow, she will eat healthily, this is the final time (it isn’t).

Physical is the latest TV foray from Apple TV+, or whichever way round that is, and is from producer Annie Weisman who brought us “Desperate Housewives” and the “About A Boy” series.

Directorial duties go to Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya”, “Lars And The Real Girl”), Liza Johnson (who also produces) and Stephanie Laing (“I’m Sorry (TV)”, “Made For Love (TV)”).

The first episode is very good, very funny, darkly so it has to be said, and Byrne is brilliant as Sheila, portraying so much with subtle hints and gestures.