Dad's New Girlfriend review

The setup

Episode 1 is almost a silent film. A man orders at a coffee counter, the barista asks one question about milk, and the only real event is his attempt to leave a tip so large the card reader refuses to process it. There is a brief flicker of hope that the machine will allow it, and then it does not. That is the whole minute: a lot of lingering looks, very little dialogue, and a setup that only makes sense once the next episode starts explaining who everyone is.

Episode 2

Episode 2 fills in the blanks fast. The barista shuts down his request for her number, and a friend explains that counter flirting is a tip strategy. Then Colette's car appears: she is his dad's girlfriend, joking about shaking off a stalker. He admits he would follow her too if she were single, and she waves him into the passenger seat with his father gone for hours.

Who's who

• Colette: his father's girlfriend, quick with a joke and in no hurry to drive off
• The son: overtips baristas, misreads service smiles, then says exactly the wrong thing at the curb
• The barista: polite for exactly as long as the transaction lasts, then firmly off duty

Verdict: 5.7 out of 10

The title promises one specific temptation, and the free episodes take their time getting there. Episode 1 is atmosphere with a payment terminal for a plot. Episode 2 is far better: the friend's warning about tip flirts is a sharp joke, and Colette arrives with real comic timing, turning a compliment into an invitation in a few lines. The opening is weak, the ending is strong, and that car door is a decent reason to keep going.

Episode guide