What I’m Watching: Modern Love

Modern Love: Season 2, Episode 2 “The Night Girl Finds a Day Boy” (B+)

One of the key factors that affects whether an episode of this show is good or not is the cast involved. Zoe Chao is an actress I greatly enjoyed on “Love Life,” a series that’s also an anthology about finding love, though one that stays focused on the same characters for the course of an entire season rather than just one episode. Her character here wasn’t the same but had different reasons for not wanting to commit, namely not being able to stay awake during the hours that her would-be partner actually wanted to spend time with her. Gbenga Akinnagbe, best known for the HBO series “The Wire” and “The Deuce,” as well as a memorable turn in a great movie called “Egg,” was a good foil for Chao, not quite as chatty or energetic but far more capable of being that way during the day. It was nice to see the romance blossom as they almost immediately clicked, starting with him wanting to date her even though he didn’t know anything about her and then seeing how they sent each other sweet messages for the hours that they wouldn’t spend together. It was only when necessary compromises came up that problems began to arise, and I’m glad that Jordan owned up to the fact that he tried to say something hurtful because he was angry and that he didn’t actually think that Zoe was making up her condition. The resolution was unexpected and heartwarming, and while it may not ultimately work, it’s fun to leave this couple off on a wonderful and endearing note.