“Big Mood” is a big success, showcasing bipolar disorder with nuance and comedy.

The show, starring Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West, showcases the complexities of navigating life with bipolar disorder.

Written by Camilla Whitehill and streaming on Tubi, it follows best friends Maggie and Eddie as Maggie navigates the treatment of her bipolar disorder and Eddie faces financial woes.

Starting strong in episode one, we see Maggie reconnect with an old high school teacher and have sex with him on his desk before his wife walks in with their children. 

Eddie then asks her if the behavior change is from mania, which Maggie vehemently denies.

While we see the obvious signs of mania throughout the first episode through Maggie’s rash decisions, it is confirmed in the final scene of the pilot when we find that Maggie has now transitioned from mania to depression.

It is later revealed that Maggie quit taking her medication in an attempt to “A Beautiful Mind” (2001) her way out of her bipolar disorder. 

Maggie realizes later that she can’t emulate the movie to think her way out of her bipolar disorder, as John Nash was a genius in it, and she is just an average playwright, so she reluctantly begins retaking her prescription.

During this time, Eddie’s brother approaches her about selling the bar they own, which belonged to their father before his passing.

As the season moves on, we see the effects of Maggie’s bipolar disorder on her and Eddie’s relationship.

Eddie faces the loss of her bar but finds little support from Maggie.

This is amplified when Eddie reconnects with an ex, Jonah, whom Maggie does not like, in an attempt to get the money to save her bar and falls pregnant.

Jonah approaches Eddie when she is vulnerable, and according to Maggie, he has a pattern of doing so.

He is also controlling towards Eddie and isolates her from her friends under the guise of commitment.

During this time, Maggie is dealing with an inaccurate prescription that causes hallucinations and time loss.

Overall, the show takes care to try to portray an accurate description of bipolar disorder and the symptoms that come with it, creating a cliffhanger of sorts.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but empathize with both Maggie and Eddie, who obviously love and care for one another.

Whitehill did a wonderful job of delicately exploring the effects of bipolar disorder on loved ones and how that can greatly affect the individual struggling, no doubt drawing from her own experience with bipolar disorder.

One common mistake in portraying bipolar disorder is making the diagnosed character change moods on a whim and become violent at the drop of a pen.

In reality, bipolar disorder is like that for very few people, and the stigmatization of bipolar disorder through movies and shows only adds to society’s negative attitude towards mood disorders.

“Big Mood” avoids presenting Maggie as violent and angry, instead focusing on showing how she is feeling and that she truly doesn’t want to hurt Eddie.

While the show is considered a dark comedy, its themes of conflict, both in friendships and within one’s self, make it seem more of a drama.

I really enjoyed this series and crave the resolution, or at least closure, of Eddie and Maggie’s relationship in season two, which has not yet been announced.

“Big Mood” definitely brought on big feelings, making me cry and laugh, along with Eddie and Maggie.

“Big Mood” was released March 28 and is available to stream on Tubi.