Truthfulness and honesty are pillars of being a good person. Although from truth comes comedy. In the recently canceled comedy series, Call Me Kat, comedy is found between many serious subjects. The series’ main theme is grieving. Nearly every character is confronting the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or a breakup. Kat is grieving her father who passed away, and opens a cat café instead of staying at her university faculty position. Her mother, Sheila, is grieving her lost husband and growing older alone. Best friends Max, Phil, and Carter are grieving breakups of an engagement and two marriages. Randi is the only person who isn’t grieving any loss.
Despite the losses, each person in Kat’s life is finding their way toward the sunshine. On this journey, revelations and hard truths regarding friendships, love, and careers. Kat, Max, and Sheila struggle with their careers and finding purpose while being single. Randi and Carter learn that vulnerability in love can be fulfilling, even if it’s difficult. Kat and Carter both struggle with hiring family out of obligation, though one has an easier time than the other. Phil faces the loss of a long-term relationship, but the more he heals, the bigger risks he takes. Call Me Kat tackles plenty of serious moments in real ways while finding humor in them at appropriate moments.
The Frailty of Putting People on Pedestals
For most of Call Me Kat's first season, Kat (played by Mayim Bialik) has her best friend Max on a pedestal as the perfect man. This caused some problems in her relationship with Oscar, though they were mostly one-sided as Oscar was smitten with Kat. Once Kat and Max got together, as happy as they were, Max’s true colors came forth which wasn’t sexy. This left Kat in a position of losing her great love and her best friend.
Dating Your Best Friend Can Be the Worst
Plenty of movies and shows have the best friend-to-romantic partners trope. Typically, the relationship is all bliss and hints at the notion that women and men can’t be friends due to sexual tension by being in proximity to one another. Call Me Kat beautifully illustrates a more realistic version of this trope. While Kat and Max have a vibrant connection, the trials of romance complicate this connection.
Vengeance Isn’t Always the Answer
Max blamed Kat for compromising his career which led to their break-up. In the aftermath, Kat gave Max distance despite missing him as a friend. Max’s ex-fiancé came to visit and out of spite, Max almost spent the night with her. Carter reminded Max that taking vengeance on Kat would complicate the men’s friendships as well as any chances of reconciliation with Kat.
Grieving Your Husband Can Make Letting Go Much Harder
Losing a loved one can cause people to react in different ways. Some live in denial, others become angry, and others cling to whatever memory of their loved one. Sheila is in the final category. When she has to sell her house, she tells her daughter that the house is the only thing she has left of her husband. By letting go of the house, she feels as if she’s letting go of her memories with her husband.
Being a Parent Isn’t About Building a Friendship
Plenty of people today claim their parents are their best friends or vice versa. But Psychology Today argues that parents being friends with their kids can compromise their kids’ safety. Randi learns this the hard way when she tries to be her future stepson’s best friend. Her fiancé Carter reminds her that as much as they both want their son to be happy, they have a responsibility to keep him safe.
Loving Yourself When in Love
Randi is a mixture of hip-hop legend Lizzo and house revivalist performer Beyoncé. She loves herself fiercely and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. By putting herself first, she doesn’t rely on her romantic partners for validation.
Hiring Family Is a Loaded Decision
In December 2022, Vulture released an article about nepotism babies in Hollywood, criticizing the way children of celebrities can acquire any job just through their parents' names. Yet people like Carter and Kat, who have to budget or file bankruptcy, are asked to hire a family member. Carter has an easier time employing his cousin than Kat, who hires her overly critical mother.
It’s Okay to be Lost in Your 40s
Max has spent much of his adult life pursuing a career in music. Although he had yet to make it big, he would coast from job to job without much thought. When he moves back to Louisville, he slowly accepts that he’s been lost for most of his life. Ironically, upon admitting this, music producers begin to recognize his talent and offer him opportunities to write songs for well-known musicians.
Admitting You Need Help Is Normal
Humans are social creatures who thrive in a community. Though it’s easy to fall into a hyper-independent spiral when life doesn’t turn out as you planned. When Sheila discovers that she needs more help than she’s comfortable asking for, she lies on the guilt when Max reveals Kat is overwhelmed.
Flirt, Have Fun, and Be Courteous
Phil was the resident baker and ray of sunshine at the café. He was out of a relationship and learning how to kindle flames as a single man. He would flirt with customers and drag queens. Phil (played by Leslie Jordan) was also the friend you could count on to have fun with, even if he wanted to be in bed by a certain house. Above all, Phil was courteous and gracious in the face of unkind people.
Being a Caregiver Isn’t a Cake Walk
After Sheila is diagnosed with partial blindness that would eventually leave her completely blind, she begins relying on Kat to get around. Even though Kat is willing to help, she quickly becomes overwhelmed by her mother’s active social calendar. Her time as a caregiver is short-lived, but the series offers a glimpse of the trials of caring for someone who needs more than you can give.
Sometimes We Want Something But the Time isn’t Right
Randi is quite independent and with the help of Carter and Kat, she learned to be vulnerable and accept help. After she and Carter become engaged, they spend most of their planning time arguing over their wedding. Carter offers that they get married at the court. But when Randi sees a couple who asked their family to be their witnesses, she realizes that she wants everyone she loves to be witnesses to her marrying the love of her life.
In a Relationship, You Need Your Own Space
When Randi needs a place to live, Kat offers to share her space. They quickly learn they need their own places to keep the peace. Randi then moves in with Max and begins dating Carter. Upon their engagement, the couple buys a house together. As much as Randi loves Carter, she realizes she needs her own room in the house. Even though she secretly makes a room for herself, it becomes a place for her and Carter to relax without putting too much pressure on one another.
Being Confident Doesn’t Equate to Being Any Less Anxious
In an interview with Yahoo, Kyla Pratt, who portrays Randi, revealed that working on Call Me Kat gave her the splendid opportunity to work with fun people she can learn from. Unintentionally, this is Randi’s arc in the series. She starts off as a confident and all-knowing person who speaks her mind. While these values are part of Randi’s foundation, her confidence was a cover-up for being anxious and needing to control her environment.
Spur of the Moment Decisions Can be Fulfilling
When Kat’s father passes away, she leaves her university position as a mathematics professor to pursue a creative venture. Every decision Kat made up to that point was planned and calculated. She had a steady path but in realizing how fragile life is, she took a risk.
Disability Can Happen at Any Moment
The World Health Organization reports that one in six people across the globe are disabled, with more people becoming disabled due to aging and non-communicable diseases. Essentially, disability can happen to anyone at any time regardless of their health. Call Me Kat’s Sheila faces a sudden diagnosis where she’s disabled. The problems she faces are relying on her daughter and eventually living in a retirement community due to her diagnosis advancing quickly.
