‘Deeply moving’: Netflix’s posthumous celebrity interview series is a marvel | television

eExactly one day after actor Eric Dane’s death, a new show has hit Netflix. Titled “Famous Last Words”, it consisted of an interview with Eric Dane himself. While the timing of the journalist’s release may at first appear coincidental at best and exploitative at worst, the reality of the interview was something else entirely.

It turns out that Dane recorded the interview knowing full well that he was dying. Moreover, he did so on the understanding that it would only be issued in the event of his death. Because that’s the vanity behind his famous last words. It exists as a living obituary, as an opportunity to record one last time to contextualize their lives in a way of their choosing.

So it’s clear that sitting through it is emotional. In a room with host Brad Falchuk (and no one else, the cameras are all drones and fixed in place), Dane begins to describe how he deals with late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, noting that his battles with drugs and alcohol have made him accustomed to the feeling that his insides don’t match his outsides. He discussed the remorse he felt, and the struggle to forgive himself for his past mistakes. Then, with seven minutes to go, Falchuk left the room.

What followed was undeniably powerful. Looking directly into the camera, Dane addressed his two teenage daughters, urging them to stay in the present and fight through adversity. He concluded his speech by saying: “You are my heart.” “You are everything to me. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words.”

This was the second episode of Famous Last Words. The first episode aired last October, two days after Jane Goodall’s death. In that episode, which was similarly recorded before her death with the knowledge that it would be released afterward, she urged viewers not to lose hope, reminding them that individuals can make a difference. Presumably more episodes will come in time.

Based on the Danish format Det Sidste Ord, Famous Last Words has the potential to become a jewel in Netflix’s crown. You will never get huge ratings. People are less likely to absentmindedly play it in the background while they’re scrolling through TikTok on their phone. It’s an idea that requires your full attention and, quite frankly, a little warm-up. There is something unambiguously confronting about watching people contemplate their lives in the context of their impending death. It won’t be for everyone.

But it is important. There is a similarity here to what Marc Maron was doing at WTF, where he was re-releasing interviews with people after they had died. But this is more serious and tender. At the time of their recording, Maron’s interviews were merely interviews recorded while the subjects were alive and well. Any elegiac heaviness you may have felt, you had to infer for yourself.

The famous last words are much more straightforward than that. All participants know that the topic has reached its final stage, and watching them try to pass on the knowledge and wisdom they have gathered while they still can, is very moving.

This will become more impactful as the library grows. She wonders whether Famous Last Words, as its reputation continues to flourish, will become something more and more people agree with. Having the opportunity to set the record straight, and remind everyone of who you really were before your legacy was tarnished by other voices, must be very tempting.

As the library grows, we may find ourselves with a better understanding of how humans deal with the end of their lives. In just two episodes we’ve seen a difference in who people choose to eat; Goodall’s wide-ranging God’s-eye view of humanity, and Dane’s laser focus on his daughters.

More will come. I remember a bit about last year’s documentary Pee-wee himself. Unknown to the crew, Paul Reubens was dying of cancer during filming. Although he was often out of touch during on-camera interviews, he sent the director a voicemail the day before his death, in which he spoke about his 2002 arrest, during which artworks that police classified as child sexual abuse images were confiscated. His injury from the accident was evident. “More than anything else, the reason I wanted to make a documentary was to let people know who I really was and how painful and difficult it was to be labeled something I wasn’t… a pedophile,” he said. “I wanted people to somehow understand that my entire career, everything I did and wrote, was based on love.”

So there will inevitably be episodes of Famous Last Words where people try to correct the historical record, or will still try to settle old scores. Some themes will be fearful, others angry, and many performative. However, whatever their reaction, what an honor it is to be allowed to see them in this way. Two decades from now, Famous Last Words will be one of the most wonderful resources we will have. What is this thing?