A sex comedy Avocado Toast the series following the story of two millennial friends, Molly and Elle, who are forced to learn about their parents’ new sexcapades after coming out and divorce.
After a lifetime of dating men, 31-year-old teacher Molly (Heidi Lynch), surprises herself when she falls in love with a woman for the first time. When she finds the courage to come out as bisexual to her suburban parents, they empathetically reveal their own admission – they’re swingers and throw sex parties. When Molly gets dumped, she reluctantly heeds dating advice from her sexually blossoming parents and clumsily embarks onto the bisexual dating scene while navigating her broken heart.
Meanwhile, 33-year old creative director Elle (Perrie Voss), is reeling after learning her parents are divorcing and her mother, who also happens to be her boss, had an affair with a dude young enough to be Elle’s brother. To avoid the wrenching pain of her exploded family unit, Elle wages revenge in an eye-for-an-eye corporate takeover against her mother.
As life as they knew it crumbles away and their love lives, and careers become precarious, it’s their codependent friendship that takes all the heat. Finally, when the pressure cooker blows, they are shocked to realize that the nuts haven’t fallen so far from the tree.
“We are so excited to finally share Avocado Toast the series with the rest of the world. This is the show I desperately needed at a time in my life when I didn’t see bisexual representation anywhere.” says Heidi Lynch. “I had never seen a bisexual coming out story. My parents are some of my best friends, but I still got so caught up in the fact that coming out to them would be hard. In the end they were extremely accepting. I wanted to create representation for how coming out as bi was confusing and challenging and also representation for accepting, modern, baby boomer parents.”
“Avocado Toast the series takes assumptions and flips them on their head. Who our protagonists think they are, and they think they know is challenged at every turn in this series. I think we’ve created something that will open dialogue between generations, communities, and female friendships.” says Perrie Voss. “It’s hilarious, heartbreaking and relatable. Yes, it’s a comedy, but there’s a lot of heart and truth within it. I have always been amazed at how tears and laughter can be so closely related in times of grief, growth and change. This is that show!”
Avocado Toast the series was created by screenwriters and stars Heidi Lynch and Perrie Voss and directed by Sam Coyle (Hazy Little Thing, Darkside, The Definites). The principal cast features Faye Marsay (Game of Thrones), Kristian Bruun (Orphan Black), Nelu Handa (Workin’ Moms), Scott Cavalheiro (Good Witch) and Mag Ruffman (Alias Grace).
The 10 x 15-minute sex comedy series is produced by Charlie David, Heidi Lynch and Perrie Voss. Executive producers are Jefferson Mappin along with Brad Danks and Philip Webb from OUTtvGO. Avocado Toast the series is funded with the participation of the Independent Production Fund (IPF), the Bell Fund and Ontario Create IDM Production Fund.
We chat to Heidi and Perrie:
Tell us about Avocado Toast the series. What can audiences expect?
Heidi Lynch: Avocado Toast the series explores all of the awkward, funny and touching moments that arise from millennials being forced to talk about sex with their baby boomer parents. Lots of laughs, queer storylines, sexy women over the age of 50, incredible music, so much heart.
Perrie Voss: This is a no-holds-barred-female-driven narrative. Audiences can expect the unexpected- if that were even possible. Our show is based on real-life events – but huge events which blew our lives open and ultimately made us stronger and ultimately find who we are. The two protagonists are women who are life-long best friends and who love each other unconditionally, and somewhat co-dependently – but have to deal with very real situations happening in their individual lives. There’s a lot of ridiculous hilarious moments, but it’s all based on truth and some heartbreak.
Why was it important for you to create a series that not only focuses on intergenerational sex but bi-sexual representation on screen?
HL: I desperately needed some guidance at a time in my life when I didn’t see bisexual representation anywhere. I had never seen a bisexual coming out story. We wanted to be that for other people.
PV: Because both of those things are largely underrepresented. We have looked for bisexual content shown in a way that made us feel supported and we often came up empty. When we first created an online presence we were getting a lot of messages from people having strong reactions to bi-erasure and really wanting to make sure that we had a strong voice about that – because it’s also content that we wanted!
We also feel like there is a lot of sexual ageism in the media and especially such a double standard when it comes to older women vs. older men. We know some pretty dang sexy baby boomer women and we featured two of them prominently in our show. The old trope of female actors are starlets, vixens and then after 50 they’re cookie-baking grandmothers is just not going to cut it for us. Women are strong, intelligent and sexy all the way into old age. Sure grandma can bake cookies – but she can also do it naked, with a whip if she wants.
What do you hope the audience will take away from the show?
HL: I hope Avocado Toast the series will make people dealing with coming out at an older age than usual or dealing with parental divorce at an older age than usual, feel less alone, feel seen and represented. I hope the show reminds them how to laugh while they are figure things out.x
PV: I hope that our viewers feel seen. Both of our storylines are ones that I haven’t seen before in full, or realistically. Sexuality and divorce have been talked about or mentioned in shows I’ve seen, but the actual experience of going through and discovering those things can be extremely painful and ultimately life-changing. Both of us would have needed this show when we were in the trenches of these experiences and I’m hoping that our viewers feel like we’re connecting with them through telling this truth. But we also really want to make people laugh.
We do ridiculous things when we’re in pain and we show that. We hope you laugh too.
Where can people watch the show?
Visit our website for all the details and links!
www.avocadotoastseries.com