Situated at the intersection of sexual liberation and colonialism, “Little Birds” is a reimagining of Anaïs Nin’s 1979 erotic story collection of the same name. The Starz miniseries, which aired on the U.K.’s Sky Atlantic last summer, is set in Tangier in 1955 — a year before Morocco became independent. Created and written by Sophia Al-Maria and directed by “Concussion’s” Stacie Passon, the soapy drama is about a world that’s changing very quickly. Some of the series’ characters embrace it, others refuse to acknowledge it, and several are just plain conflicted about it.
The two protagonists of “Little Birds” are young American expat Lucy Savage (Juno Temple) and Moroccan sex worker Cherifa Lamour (Yumna Marwan). The former is newly arrived in Tangier to marry closeted British aristocrat Hugo Cavendish-Smyth (Hugh Skinner), is horny as hell, and is oblivious to her adopted home’s political turmoil. Cherifa is defiant and increasingly fed up with the “French piggies” who occupy her country — she channels her frustrations into her dominatrix work, but feels pretty powerless outside the boudoir. From what I’ve seen of the series, Lucy and Cherifa have only interacted a couple times, but it seems that their stories are bound to collide.
Lucy is drawn to the hedonism and decadence of Tangier’s colonial set and increasingly craves something her husband can’t give her. She wants sex, passion, adventure, and — although “Little Birds” doesn’t explicitly use the term — maybe even polyamory. There are hints her sexuality is something she’s been punished for in the past; perhaps Tangier is the place where she will be able to truly find herself.
Yet Cherifa’s side of the story pushes back on this idea. While it’s likely she’ll factor into Lucy’s sexual awakening at some point, Cherifa and her arc remind us that Tangier isn’t just some magical land where nonconformist white people can let their freak flags fly. It’s a place with a people, history, and culture. It’s Cherifa’s home — and it’s been stolen from her. So, as much as we may root for Lucy’s sexual empowerment, we can’t ignore that her newfound freedom is a result of Cherifa’s (and her compatriots’) oppression.
Featuring a vibrant, saturated color palette and very sexy subject matter, “Little Birds” can come off as a guilty pleasure — and sometimes it is. It’s definitely comfortable with camp and titillation. The show could have been another frothy summer title, but it challenges itself to be more, and deserves credit for that. Yes, we are watching beautiful people frolic in paradise in “Little Birds”; but at the same time, we’re also watching a nation actively resist its colonizers. With this series, you can come for the sex and stay for the social commentary.
The first episode of “Little Birds” is now available on the Starz app. New episodes premiere Sundays.
