I went into MINX told that it was a show about a feminist magazine. That’s technically accurate, but I didn’t realize the feminist magazine in question is a feminist pornographic magazine. And although I didn’t know the entire premise going into the show, it turned out my naiveté was reflected in the actual plot of the series.
On the one hand, MINX is a show about a publication and shares a couple of essential elements with SPOTLIGHT, THE FRENCH DISPATCH, and even NIGHTCRAWLER. Because of the 70s setting, I even got a bit of MAD MEN vibes, but only on a surface level and general plot points – MINX is almost an anti-MAD MEN given the former’s emphasis on inclusivity.
On the other, MINX is unlike anything I’ve seen – and not only because of the reason you might think. The titular magazine is a pornographic magazine made for women. There’s so much male full-frontal nudity in this show, which caught me off guard – and that’s the point. Showing uncensored penises works as a device to have viewers at home realize how characters in the show are reacting when shown the same thing. But aside from that, MINX is a subversive show with excellently written characters. It’s a show about genuinely good (albeit morally complex) people in an industry that their society likes to sweep under the rug.
And if boasting a compelling story wasn’t enough, the cast, costumes, and setting are perfect. The show is funny and seems to be marketed as a comedy, but works best as a dramedy. I, for one, am looking forward to season 2.
MINX is now streaming on HBO Max.
