"What/If" is a Delicious Guilty Pleasure

Remember the ABC television series Revenge, a modern take on The Count of Monte Cristo, which told the story of a mysterious woman who comes to the Hamptons to take, well, revenge, on the people who destroyed her family? That show’s delightfully over the top combination of thriller, soap opera and murder mystery practically re-defined the term “guilty pleasure.” The creator of that series, Mike Kelley, has returned with an equally addictive Netflix drama entitled What/If. The show is a stylish mix of sex, money, obsession and murder. What/If is inspired by (and an homage to) 80s/90s era thrillers such as Indecent Exposure, Fatal Attraction, Malice and Wall Street.

Renee Zellweger 

The story centers on Lisa Ruiz-Donovan (Jane Levy) and her husband Sean (Blake Jenner), a happily married couple with a strong bond to their circle of friends. Lisa is badly in need of funding for her bio-tech startup, which has developed a genetic mapping technique that could revolutionize the healthcare industry. Into their lives steps Anne Montgomery, a hard-edged, extremely successful venture capitalist. Anne has an offer for Lisa: she’ll fund Lisa’s company, in exchange for one night alone with Sean. The catch is that the agreement specifies that Sean cannot discuss what occurs on this evening with Lisa. After discussing the offer, Lisa and Sean agree to Anne's terms; after all it’s only one night, right? Sean wants to help Lisa achieve her dream.

But the devilish Anne has a hidden agenda, and it’s not really about a one-night stand. The results of accepting Anne’s offer will reveal secrets about Sean and Lisa’s pasts, and bring their relationship to the breaking point. Meanwhile, their friends and family are going through their own challenges. Sean’s co-worker Todd and his wife Angela are dealing with the repercussions of Angela’s affair with an egotistical doctor, and Lisa’s adopted brother Marco is being haunted by a terrible secret. Who is the manipulative Anne Montgomery, and what is her true plan? Will Sean and Lisa’s marriage be torn about by all these terrible secrets? Will Lisa’s company survive? You’ll have to watch all ten episodes to find out!

Blake Jenner and Jane Levy do a nice job as Sean and Lisa, and Dave Annable is quite good as the creepy doctor. Gabriel Mann (who was so good as Nolan Ross in Revenge) pops up as a shady financier who may or may not be in league with Anne. But the VIP of What/If is Renee Zellweger, who not only chews the scenery, she devours it, stealing every single scene that features her. Zellweger clearly has a grand time playing Anne; she gives the character enough depth and shading to make the portrayal a gloriously well-rounded study in villainy. If you thought Madeline Stowe was amazing as the conniving family matriarch in Revenge, (and she was) wait until you see Zellweger tear through her role with obvious relish.

Creator/producer Mike Kelley has fashioned another juicy, twist-laden tale of secrets, lies, sex and murder. If you liked Revenge, then you’ll likely enjoy What/If as well. This isn’t a series that you examine in the same way you’d look at, let’s say, Breaking Bad, or Mad Men. It’s the viewing equivalent of reading a suspenseful, page-turning “beach-read” novel. On that level, it works extremely well. Be warned: once you start, you just might find yourself binge watching the whole thing. The series is being promoted as an anthology, much like American Horror Story, which means that a different story will be featured each season. Here’s the trailer for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREDQ8H2OA4.