Name: My Stepmom Mia Malkova Needs a Date review
Rating: 6.2

The setup

Friday night, and Mia Malkova is dressed for a date with her husband that is not happening, because he is stuck at work again. Her stepson nearly calls her Mom, corrects himself, and fails to finish a compliment. His private problem: his father married the woman from his wall posters, and he narrates every second of the crisis. He gushes about her on the phone to a friend, too loudly. Mia overhears, remarks on the acoustics, and decides the dress should not go to waste. Episode 1 ends with her offering him a good long look and calling him inside.

Episode 2

Inside, Mia raises the phone call she overheard, and the stepson tries to walk it back, swearing he meant it differently and reminding her who she is to him. She shushes him with one question: was he lying about finding her hot? He was not. Next she wants help with her bra, plus a jab about his staring. His fear of Dad walking in gets dismissed, since Dad has no say tonight, and she seals it as their secret.

Who's who

Mia Malkova: the stepmom, stood up by her husband and unwilling to let a good dress go unseen
The stepson: starstruck, stammering, and terrible at keeping phone calls private

Verdict: 6.2 out of 10

The appeal is obvious and the show does not fight it. Mia plays the stepmom with lazy confidence, and the overheard phone call is a neat device: the stepson's crush stops being a secret without anyone having to confess. He is pure nerves, which suits the setup. The writing is thin, but it does its job. Fans of the star will want the paid episodes; everyone else gets a competent version of a familiar fantasy.