There's no one on TV quite like I Love That for You's Patricia Cochran.
Underneath the Special Value Network CEO's rock hard exterior lies a vulnerable, Rolo-loving woman in search of genuine companionship. Though we catch glimpses of Patricia's (Jennifer Lewis) internal struggle and desperate desire to open up in the first half of Season 1, it's clear she still has a long way to go before she's ready to form a strong, healthy relationship — platonic or romantic.
Sure, Patricia invites the occasional man (or nosy employee) into her bedroom, but two hilariously unexpected words let us know she has serious commitment issues: Fuck basket.
What's a fuck basket? Well, it's a gorgeous, luxurious, pre-made gift basket of goodies that one of Patricia's assistants presents to guests whom she no longer wants in her house. It's her way of saying "We're done here," "I'm rich," and "Please enjoy this free swag" all at once, and honestly? It's a flex and a freaking half.
We first lay eyes on one of Patricia's generous offerings in Episode 3. After she has dinner with Tyra Banks (casual), Patricia brings home a restaurant employee with a "Climate Warrior" bracelet, rocks his world, and leaves him in her bed so she can enjoy a nice bath while fielding thirst DMs from Mark Cuban. As the man lies in Patricia's bed, likely expecting her to return, the door opens, her assistant appears — gift basket in hand — and says, "Patricia thanks you for your time. Please enjoy this basket."
In Episode 4, Patricia's assistant is seen standing outside her door, basket in hand, painfully awaiting her and her new man to finish having sex so he can present the parting gift. And in Episode 5, after Joanna (Vanessa Bayer) unexpectedly spends the night at Patricia's house, the assistant tries to give her a basket, too. After Joanna questions the offering, he shouts, "It's a fuck basket!" Beautiful.
What's in Patricia's fuck baskets?
After we chatted about Patricia's Rolo obsession, Jeremy Beiler, the show's co-creator and executive producer, shared the inspiration behind Patricia's fuck basket.
While it's difficult to make out the specifics of the fuck basket, which is tastefully accented with ribbon curls, it's clear there are a few snacks inside, along with several beverage containers. (A mug, a water bottle, and a thermos? Patricia said, "Stay hydrated.") Beiler compared the gift baskets to the free swag that people receive at film festivals. As far as I know they were not inspired by the rumor that Derek Jeter gives his dates gift baskets full of autographed Yankees swag. Though I'm sure if he ever watched this show, Jeter would stan Patricia.
"There also used to be a line that we cut where the guy that Patricia just hooked up with looks inside of the basket. And then he's like, 'Oh, a Leatherman. That's nice.'" Beiler laughed. "So at one point there was like a little multi-tool. And then I think a water bottle. We talked about probably a visor, and pencils, and all that kind of stuff."
Beiler said the team talked a lot about the gift basket. At one point, he explained, there was even a scene where Joanna goes upstairs looking for Patricia, opens a door thinking it's Patricia's bedroom, and stumbles upon a closet filled with dozens of gift baskets lined up in rows. "We didn't have time to shoot it," Beiler said. "But maybe someday." Please!
As for what inspired the fuck baskets, Beiler shared that they "felt like a fun overlap of Patricia's lionizing of products and the way just she loves stuff and understands that people love receiving stuff."
"Also the fact that [Patricia] likes to put her brand out in the world and likes to put things that say 'SVN' out there...so she can just spread the word about her brand," he added. "And then also there was something funny, at least to me, that there's the idea of a very well known person who doesn't really form real connections with people kind of like weaponizing gift giving. You know? Like there's something about giving a gift that is for you and yet says, 'Get out of my house.'"
On working with Jennifer Lewis, Molly Shannon, and Vanessa Bayer
Lewis, who plays Patricia, isn't the only star of the show. She acts alongside The Other Two's Molly Shannon, who plays longtime SVN host Jackie. And Beiler had nothing but lovely things to say about the comedic duo.
"[Jennifer] and Molly are both just such incredible people as people. And it was so fun to get to know them on set," Beiler explained. "They're just so alive and so interesting. They're so unexpected and so unique and so themselves — each of them in their own way. It has just been amazing to get to know them and to see them work and do their thing...ugh. God, they're amazing."
And of course, the show would be nothing without Bayer, who co-created it alongside Beiler and stars as newbie SVN host Joanna.
"She's unbelievable," Beiler said. "And she can really sell anything. Like I'm not just talking in the sense of SVN. She carries the show in this really significant way. And not just on camera, but off."
"[This show] has been one of the most exciting, rewarding, fun things I've ever done in my life," Beiler explained. "Vanessa is such a dream. I've always loved her. We really got along so well at SNL, and a lot of my favorite stuff that I did at SNL was with her, and we met up and found the idea for this show together like five years ago."
What's in store for I Love That for You Season 1
As you may have guessed, Beiler is sworn to SVN secrecy. While he wasn't able to spoil anything major in Season 1, he was able to give us some Rolo-sized spoilers to hold us over.
"I will say there are some really fun things coming up. We get to go to Jackie's house. That's going to be exciting," he said. "There are many, many twists and turns coming [and] a big fun broadcast [with] a lot of SVN stuff and some fun guests. It's gonna be good. Buckle up."
I Love That for You is now streaming on Showtime. New episodes air on Sundays.
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