‘Baby’ Review: That Boy Is a Monster. No, literally.

The adult reality star of the show is British model, comedian, and reality-TV actress Michelle de Swarte (“I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Now!”). She plays Natasha, 38, the first time we see her snipped when a friend’s baby interferes with her poker night rituals. Natasha has issues with babies, we learn partly from her desire to live her life the way she wants, and partly from her relationship with her mother. One of the show’s many pranks is that the strong-willed and ultimately heroic Natasha is just as immature as the baby she finds herself caring for.

That baby literally falls from the sky just after the death of an adult and just before the death of several people and falls into Natasha’s arms, the real joke is that people who come into contact with the nameless and unbearably cute baby tend to have dire endings – Natasha, who doesn’t want him but can’t get rid of him not including. When she tells her friends and family members that the baby is not theirs, they ignore her; baby apparently can convince them that he’s always around.

Trying to lighten her burden, Natasha first tries to drop the baby off at a police station, and if that doesn’t work, she moves on to more convoluted and violent solutions, the show constantly pointing to the realities and realities of motherhood. Although Natasha doesn’t want the baby, she immediately dominates her life, causing her to alienate her friends in exactly the same way they alienated her. He’s also just one small step away from making himself look like a serial killer – a real monster. Watching the baby’s bloody progress, a mysterious woman tells Natasha: “It will destroy your life, it will destroy your relationships, and when it takes you completely to itself, it will destroy you. That’s what it’s doing.” Sounds right.

In addition to being a dark, satirical comedy, “Baby” is a mystery by the genre and needs of episodic drama. This side of the show, where Natasha looks at the life of the woman responsible for the baby just before her, is haphazardly hilarious. But in another genre-specific move – think of it as the “Get Out” syndrome – the show takes an unfortunate turn at a certain point, when it feels the need to pick up themes, subtly subtle and making them obvious and grinding. real. This includes some lengthy flashbacks to less enlightened times and can be seen as an extension of the show’s point of view to a more serious story about women controlling their bodies. But it works against everything that makes the show appealing.

I won’t spoil it when the changes start, but I should point out that HBO has made six out of eight episodes available for review. So things can turn around. And regardless, there’s delight in de Swarte’s portrayal of the stubborn, unbending Natasha, and newcomer Amber Grappy’s sweetly stunned performance as Natasha’s younger sister. And here’s the baby. Whatever else it kills.