Behind every romantic-comedy protagonist is their trusty sidekick.
The rom-com formula has long relied on this archetypal character to guide its leading lady along the road to true love. They often provide funny anecdotes, inspirational advice, and a shoulder to cry on, but for the most part, they don't exist outside of this supportive role—even when their relationship with the main character is by far the strongest of the entire film.
Insert Everything I Know About Love, Peacock's new series that takes this blueprint and flips it on its head. Following the arc of a deep friendship as a traditional rom-com might, the show—inspired by Dolly Alderton's memoir of the same name—chronicles the formation and enduring existence of two 20-somethings' platonic relationship.
On one end is the practical Birdy (Bel Powley), and on the other is wild-child Maggie (Emma Appleton), the latter of which told E! News she was thrilled to take on the refreshing project. "I've never done something where the main love story is a friendship," Emma said. "I think they always get the backseat treatment for a romantic relationship being front and center, but I think it makes you realize that there is so much romance in friendships and especially being in your early 20s, your longest relationships have been with your friends and so it's so nice to just pay attention to that and pay respect to it."
But like any relationship, Maggie and Birdy's is not immune to conflict. So, when the perpetually-single Birdy gets her first boyfriend and quickly becomes swept up in the romance, Maggie is forced to navigate much of her post-grad life without her longtime BFF as they slowly grow apart.
"I do think it was difficult," Emma said of portraying the subtle yet painful experience. "I was trying to find the right gauge of where she is in each episode, and what I had to get into my head as well, is that you see one side of Maggie, which is the slightly performative, how she wants everyone to see her, and then the audience also gets to see what's going on in her head."
On the one hand, Maggie's trying to pretend like everything's okay and that she's "happy for her friend," Emma continued, but she's also "starting to feel lost and sad."
Will Maggie and Birdy's friendship be able to endure everything that comes their way? Stream Everything I Know About Love on Peacock, beginning Thursday, Aug. 25, to see for yourself.
(E! and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)