Michael calms him down and arranges a nice dinner for just the two of them. Michael is a successful real estate agent, while Colin is a hedge fund manager. Colin has been secretly planning to surprise Michael with a party of his own- but he has no idea that Michael has something planned for him too! ..

Michael is informed by his colleague Suzanne Prentiss that Tyler Hawkins, a younger agent, has taken one of their clients. They are ready to host new clients when Michael gets a phone call that his apartment has been robbed. But interestingly, only some everyday items are “missing”: Hermes towels, some clothes, bottles of wine. Michael is confused but carries on with the showing. ..

It is time for the party and Colin arrives. He has a solemn look on his face and readies himself to give Michael the big news. He is leaving him. As he delivers the news, Michael inadvertently reveals the surprise party that Colin will have to attend. It is not as awkward as we thought it would be. Michael’s friends, Billy, Stanley, and the Jonathans all congratulate him on the 17th year of his relationship with Colin.

Michael is in shock after learning that Colin planned the party without him knowing. He goes along with it, but breaks down in tears afterwards. The two finally have a moment to process the big revelation and Michael is visibly angry. Colin is distraught, feeling guilty for organizing the party when he asked for something low-key. He takes a cab home and spends the night alone. ..

Michal receives a message from Colin that he has booked them an appointment with a couples counselor for the next day. Michael tells his friends about the appointment and they warn him that he must not let go of Colin. The calmness is reassuring. ..

At the dinner party, Stanley seated Michael next to Claire Lewis (Marcia Gay Harden), a wealthy art collector going through a divorce. She might have a listing that Michael can get his hands on and earn a fat commission and called him to see the flat. The next morning, Michael went to Claire’s home but not before getting an eye roll from the lobby man for shouting in the lobby. Claire’s luxurious 5000 sq ft apartment is truly gorgeous. ..

Claire explains her situation and Michael gradually realizes that it is the same for him as well. She is livid with her husband and thinks she will not find anyone at her age. She shouts profanities and curses as Suzanne walks in, late. The two eventually leave, unsure whether they will get the listing. They are heartbroken when they see Tyler going up the list to Claire’s house. He also lets them know she is a friend of his mother’s and that he will get the listing. ..

Michael and Colin attend the counselor’s session. The latter is still not forthcoming and is reluctant to confront the former’s accusations. Although they book the next appointment, Colin forgets to take Michael’s present. They had initially planned to go together to the party but Colin says he will come separately. But at the Jonathans’ party, Colin messages Michael that “they have nothing more to work on” and he isn’t coming. Michael prepares to drink away the night at his apartment but gets a phone call from Suzanne. She knows where Colin is - and who he is living with. ..

The Episode Review

Darren Starr and Jeffrey Richman have created a reboot of Sex and the City that features a gay lead character. This is an important effort because it shows that LGBTQ+ characters can be portrayed in a positive light without resorting to stereotypes or tropes. ..

Episode 1 of Uncoupled is a strong start to the show. The tone and feel of the show is carried over from Starr and Richman’s previous show, which was well-known on Netflix. However, I have some reservations about some of the small things in the episode. For example, Michael’s move to a new house throws us for a loop and it feels like they took away too much of the comedic potential of their previous show. Additionally, there are some very serious plot points that are revealed in this episode but are not really developed further than what we see in other episodes. Overall, I am very impressed with Uncoupled so far and look forward to more exciting developments in the series.

We are hopeful that Uncoupled does not simply become a one-dimensional show with biased priorities. The characters we meet seem meaty enough to flesh out full-blown people with interesting stories to tell. Episode 1 is a very good start for the show that seems just heavy enough to tick the seriousness touchpoints in the dramatic fabric of the storytelling. Neil Patrick Harris seems like an able lead and the character surely feels something where he can rediscover his form.