Dying for Sex Series-Finale Recap: A Little Death

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In a span of over four and a half hours, it was clear that the series Dying for Sex would culminate in an emotional climax. I wish I had been better prepared – at least having some tissues readily available during the final episodes would have been helpful. I hope you managed to do so because I certainly didn’t. Thankfully, my couch is quite absorbent.

In a deeply touching two-part storyline, Molly’s life gradually concludes, focusing on the profound appreciation of human physique. Unlike many contemporary shows, Dying for Sex uniquely emphasizes the beauty of the body in various stages. Consequently, it is fitting that Molly encounters her initial shared, climactic experience just before her passing.

The term “La petite mort” is a French phrase that signifies the state following an orgasm. Figuratively speaking, it’s like experiencing a brief death or loss of self, as the intense sensation can make one feel detached from reality. In the context of the story, “La petite mort” also symbolizes Molly’s emotional struggles and transformations.

As her body nears its final moments, Molly has confronted the first “little death” – the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, which affected her ability to connect intimately with others. Her journey towards healing is marked by another “little death”: achieving her wish of experiencing an orgasm with someone else before she dies.

These two “deaths” symbolize Molly’s initial disconnection from her body and then a victorious reclamation of it, which not everyone gets to experience prior to passing away.

Nikki serves as the medium for all the transformative healing that occurs. Everyone could benefit from having someone like Nikki in their lives. In the last episode, Molly’s lung collapsed upon seeing her neighbor, whom I call “Guy,” on the street. He took her to the hospital, and now she requires a breathing tube due to intubation. Nikki swiftly appears by Molly’s side to offer comfort. Even though Molly can’t speak, they maintain communication using a notepad, hand gestures, and facial expressions. Nikki performs scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and later from Clueless, followed by sketching numerous vulvas adorned with fancy hats for Molly (since they’re attending the Royal Wedding, of course).

As a movie critic, I find myself in a poignant scene where the character Molly, visibly uneasy, petitions for the removal of her breathing tube. It’s Nikki who faces this challenging decision, aware of the potential risks – Molly might forget how to breathe and risk her life. However, respecting Molly’s wishes, Nikki gives the go-ahead, and the doctor obliges. To my surprise, Molly recovers and finds herself nestled in Nikki’s embrace, cradling her favorite emotional-support toy, a boob, no less. In this tender moment, it strikes Molly that she yearns to reconnect with Guy once more. And true to form, Nikki orchestrates their reunion.

In her attempt to arrange everything, she finds herself in a series of unexpected hurdles. As she heads to collect Guy and Molly’s belongings from the apartment building, her car gets towed. Just when things couldn’t get more chaotic, her ex-boyfriend Noah phones, leading Nikki to seek his assistance. The novel, “Dying for Sex,” masterfully incorporates male characters into the quest for Molly’s climax. Upon arriving at the hospital, Noah presents a bag brimming with various types of vibrators designed for clitoral stimulation, along with a unique gift – a rose, symbolizing a butt hole, for added measure. To show some care towards Nikki amidst her hectic life as a carer, he also brings a pot of soup. They spend some time together in the lobby while Molly and Guy connect in her hospital room.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve got to say that Molly’s journey is something everyone seems to be following closely now. In our next scene, the kind-hearted Dr. Jerry Pankowitz gently informs Molly about arranging a spinal tap test for her in the morning, checking if her cancer has reached her spine lining. He then mentions she’ll need some time to recover after that. With an embarrassed smile, he adds, “I’m aware of your aspirations.” Overjoyed, Molly queries if he’s concerned about her ability to continue intimacy, and in a bit of awkwardness, he replies, “I’m not exactly marble.” Honestly, I wish all doctors were like Jerry. And let me just say, David Rasche is doing an outstanding job on this series. Every time he appears onscreen, I can’t help but feel like giving him a warm hug.

In a slightly different wording: Night nurse Ernie initially holds a stricter viewpoint about Molly’s personal matters, but he ultimately becomes smitten by his patient and softens his stance while still adhering to his professional duties. As Molly and Guy begin to engage in intimate activities, the atmosphere intensifies; however, Ernie must attend to his nursing tasks. When Guy is attending to Molly, Ernie enters the room to monitor her vital signs and administer vitamin E. The sight of Molly’s covered head and Guy’s hairy legs hanging off the side of the bed provides a humorous image. Ernie then quips, “Your blood pressure is high, and your leg seems injured,” to which Molly humorously replies, “You’re driving me crazy, Ernie!” This sequence, filled with laughter, takes place within a hospital setting and might be one of the funniest ever filmed in a medical environment.

In this episode, there’s a lot of laughter before the emotions turn serious. As Guy and Molly spend quality time together, it’s clear they share a strong connection. Initially, Guy gives Molly taco socks, which she playfully scolds him for. Later, they find themselves laughing hysterically as they apply lubricant to each other’s hair. However, the primary emphasis of their interaction is Molly’s pleasure. Guy appears determined to help Molly reach her goal, even if it means teasing her a bit. Whenever he gets close to making her climax, he suddenly engages in another activity, like playing Wordle. But also, whenever Molly’s thoughts drift towards her anonymous abuser, Guy gently brings her back to the present moment.

In time with the sunrise, Guy manages to guide Molly towards a peak experience. The scene is predominantly quiet, save for Molly’s breath, which echoes through the air. The camera zooms in on her face and then her parted lips as she breathes in rapture, discarding her mental barriers and giving over control to her body. It’s a pivotal moment of release and emotional relief, not only for Molly but also for the series.

Watching the story unfold, it felt incredibly poignant that Rob Delaney was cast as Guy, given his own heart-wrenching experience with loss. With an intimate grasp of what it means to say goodbye to a loved one, he portrays Guy’s compassion and tenderness in a way that resonates deeply. From attending to Molly in her hospital bed, to the subtle ways he shows love before she embarks on her final journey, Delaney’s performance is nothing short of remarkable. On screen, he always brings joy, but here, he elevates it to another level of brilliance. I can’t help but wish I could offer comfort to his character, and perhaps even everyone else in this captivating series.

Molly’s cancer has progressed, affecting her spinal fluid and brain, and it seems she must now enter hospice care.

In the closing stages of Molly’s life, she stays with Nikki and her mother. Gail remains at the hospital, ready to assist if needed. The instant Molly asks to see Gail is when I begin to cry and can’t seem to stop. Nurse Amy (played by Paula Pell) is also present, providing support. When Amy discusses the dying process with Molly, Nikki, and Gail, she emphasizes that death is a natural occurrence. “Your body knows how to die,” she notes, finding parallels in giving birth or experiencing an orgasm. Molly’s imminent passing, her final moment with Guy, precedes her ultimate departure. And her body will guide her through it.

In her final days, Gail and Nikki stay by Molly’s side, solving numerous puzzles and taking turns sleeping. Molly decides to color her hair a vibrant pink. A remarkable event follows, a rally where Molly experiences a sudden surge of energy and dances exuberantly with the two individuals she cherishes most. However, Molly also starts to drift away from reality, experiencing hallucinations of inanimate objects floating and her surroundings spinning. The cast of everyone she’s ever encountered seems to rotate around her. An amusing scene unfolds when Molly, in her altered state, envisions the finance broker from episode four. In this dreamlike state, he is nude, and his distinctive unicorn phallus detaches from his body and soars into the sky. Such are the fascinating mysteries of human physiology.

As time marches on, Gail and Nikki find themselves in a waiting game. Amy shares with Gail a suspicion about Molly: she might be clinging to life due to concern for one of her loved ones. It dawns on Gail that Molly is worried about Nikki being alone, so Gail, in an unscrupulous move, accesses Nikki’s phone using Face ID while she’s asleep and calls Noah. Some may view Gail as underhanded. However, her plan succeeds, and Noah arrives at the hospital.

First, Molly expresses remorse to Noah, admitting that she shouldn’t have asked him to do this when Nikki and his girlfriend were building a new life together. Yet, Noah doesn’t feel regretful since he understands that Nikki cherishes him deeply. (A tear-jerker moment!) Molly then reveals her dying wish: for him to end the relationship and haunt him if he doesn’t. But, fortunately, Noah is now single, so she doesn’t have to resort to such measures. With the hope that Nikki and Noah can reconcile, Molly can finally find peace.

Toward the end of the episode, Molly makes up her mind that she’s prepared to pass away. She’s experienced as much life as she could for as long as she could, and now it’s time for her journey to end. “My body served me well,” she tells Nikki. Gail and Nikki are ready to bid farewell too. Despite the show preparing us for this emotional moment, each line tugs at our heartstrings. As Molly gathers what little energy remains, she tries to communicate something to her mother, and Gail responds, “I understand.” Sissy Spacek’s performance in this scene is incredibly vulnerable, which enables Gail to offer her daughter the gift of empathy. Despite their troubled past, their bond is undeniably unique, and they find solace in the moments that truly matter.

Molly prepares to rest for the final time, with Amy standing by offering a calming medication. As Molly looks at her mother with a profound expression brimming with love and meaning – an emotion that speaks volumes beyond mere words – she turns to Nikki to express her heartfelt farewell: “You are my most cherished person in this vast universe.” From above, the camera captures Molly lying in bed, with Nikki tenderly holding her hand on one side and a 7-year-old version of herself spooning on the other. In her last breaths, she has found peace by resolving the complicated emotions she harbored toward her younger self. (Taking a moment to shed some tears. I’m tearing up just writing this. Aren’t you? We’re all in tears now, aren’t we?)

Following Molly’s final moment, it was Nikki who ensured Molly’s mouth was closed in accordance with her promise not to let her dearest friend depart with an open mouth. Since Molly’s jaw wouldn’t close naturally, Nikki gently wedged her jacket beneath Molly’s jaw to elevate her chin. The scene was both amusing, touching, and somewhat macabre – a perfect reflection of the peculiar charm of this series.

Indeed, the final scenes of “Dying for Sex” hold one more poignant moment. In the closing minutes, we observe Nikki carrying on with her daily life. She’s involved in a stage production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream“, and she’s reunited with Noah. As Nikki encounters Noah and his daughter, she notices two older women engaged in a heartfelt conversation and laughter. Jenny Slate has been exceptional throughout this series, but the expression she portrays at this moment captures the essence of the series’ love story. The realization that Nikki will never age alongside her best friend is heart-wrenching. For a brief instant, tears fill Nikki’s eyes as she gazes at the women, but then a soft smile spreads across her face. True to her words during Molly’s cancer battle, Nikki avoids any regrets. Instead, she treasures memories of her dear friend that will endure for a lifetime.

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2025-04-07 23:55