4 January 2018
50 worst dates: Casual S1-S3 now on Showmax
Grown-up siblings Alex and Valerie are about to star in a whole lot of people’s terrible dating stories. Seasons 1 -3 are now on Showmax. Watch now »
Alex (Tommy Dewey), the co-founder of online dating site Snooger, and his therapist sister Valerie (Michaela Watkins) might look like they have all the answers when it comes to love. And it certainly pays well – Alex has 80 pairs of socks that he’s never even worn, along with a piano he claims not to play. But their professional success is a thin veneer hiding the emotional disaster area behind the scenes.
The series starts with Valerie and her 16-year-old daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr) moving in with Alex after Valerie splits from her husband. And in episode after episode of Casual (2015-current), they come across as the kind of people that anyone in the dating game should swipe left on – immediately. Unless, of course, you’re looking for something Casual…
Plenty of horses
In romantic comedies, one of the most enjoyable scenes is the montage of failed dates with unbelievably awful people. Alex and Valerie are those people! They come home to one another after each date, and their shared insights into what went right and wrong on the date form one of the most enjoyably awful pieces of the show. Then the siblings’ answer to mucking up a date is not to get back on the same horse, it’s get a new horse, a whole stable full of horses, even. With Snooger and similar services, there are plenty of horses in the sea. And as the site founder, Alex has the inside scoop on how to tailor a dating profile to round up the women of his one-night dreams: lying.
The lying game
In season 1 episode 4, Alex reveals that he has two profiles – his real one, with every question about himself and what he’s looking for answered honestly, and a fake one that he has tweaked to attract as many attractive women as possible. The real one has brought in exactly zero matches in the past two years (drama awaits when it gets its first-ever match in season 1 episode 6). The fake one got 2 640 the same day that it went live. “Fake Alex” is a gentleman “with edge” who likes “good sex, dancing, hiking, pizza and The Shawshank Redemption – ‘It is an Oscar nominee, shows that I have sophisticated but accessible taste’,” he explains. His profile photo is also him posing with another woman, but not just any old hag. “A Solid 9½. It’s intriguing. Girls want to know how I did it. They want to find out for themselves,” he smirks. Michaela observes, “Dating is already scary but I feel like with online dating, now there are so many choices. You can just swipe left or right. That you can click a box that snuffs out an entire age group is crazy to me.”
Commitment, schmomitment
During all the dates it’s clear that both Alex and Valerie have massive commitment and relationship issues. And the finger of blame is pointed squarely at their flaky parents’ open marriage and their mom Dawn’s (Frances Conroy) relative lack of interest in raising them. The first time we see Dawn in season 1 episode 5, she “comforts” Alex by telling him, “Just because no one has loved you doesn’t mean you’re unlovable.” Ouch! So perhaps Laura (Tara Lynne Barr) hits on what Alex and Valerie are really looking for in season 2 episode 7 when her schoolmate Spencer reveals that he’s dying of cancer and compiling a bucket list. It isn’t long before Laura has hearts in her eyes and she’s agreeing to a threesome with Spencer. What could shove the prickly issue of commitment into the background better than certain death?
Watch Casual S1-S2 now »
Fun fact: How to create the perfect online dating profile
Want the perfect formula for an “attractive” online dating profile? Wired.com painstakingly researched the topic and posted the results in 25 infographics (hint: learn to surf and don’t ever mention your love of NCIS). View all the tips here »
Don’t have Showmax yet?
Original African stories by local talent
Empini S1
Stream the Showmax Original drama series Empini from 23 May 2024.
Original Sin: My Son The Killer
Original Sin: My Son The Killer follows the murder of Andrea Venter by Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren, who then went on the run from South Africa to Brazil.
Tracking Thabo Bester
From the makers of Devilsdorp and the director of Convict Conman comes the true-crime documentary South Africa has been waiting for. All the episodes are streaming on Showmax.
The Illuminated
The Showmax Original docuseries The Illuminated explores different religious movements in South Africa. Stream now, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Koek S1
The crime comedy Koek, starring Cindy Swanepoel, now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes every Thursday.
Ekhaya Backpackers S1
Stream the Showmax Original comedy series Ekhaya Backpackers. All the episodes are now streaming.
Cheta M
Cheta M explores the love story between Adanna and Nnanna, young lovers who battle the spiritual and political forces in their way. Stream now, with new episodes Wednesday to Friday.
Youngins S1
Stream Tshedza Pictures’s first teen drama, Showmax Original Youngins, with three new episodes every week.
The Roast of Minnie Dlamini: The roast everyone's been waiting on
Empini, coming soon
More Mzansi gold
Youngins Season 1 Episodes 34-36: The heist
After Khaya reveals that he saw underaged photos in the principal’s messages, he and his friends plot revenge in episodes 34-36 of Showmax Original Youngins.
Laugh Africa Presents: The Showmax Roast of Minnie Dlamini
The Showmax Roast of Minnie Dlamini unleashes the wrath on the media personality, which sees a star-studded line-up with comedy heavyweights Tumi Morake and Jason Goliath as Roast Masters.
The Mommy Club Season 2 Episode 10 recap: Getting to the bottom of it
In episode 10 of The Mommy Club S2, Hermajesty and Mrs Sande go head-to-head and Nozipho confides in Mrs Mops. New episodes land every Monday on Showmax.
The Real Housewives of Durban S4: Nonku and Slee’s friendship is dead and buried
In the finale episode of The Real Housewives of Durban S4, all is laid on the table at the ladies’ dinner. All episodes are now streaming on Showmax.