Here at Autostraddle, we’ve been big fans of Elise Bauman since her lead role in the cult hit web series Carmilla. Since that series, we’ve excitedly followed her career from TV guest spots to recurring characters on some of our favorite tv shows, to leading the first gay Lifetime Christmas movie. Well, now she’s back on our screens in a role she was born to play.
One More Time, a new series on CBC, is about a used sporting goods store run by D.J. (played by show creator D.J. Demers) and his colorful crew of employees. Bauman plays Jen Hauser, a wannabe Olympian javelin thrower who brings 100% of her competitive spirit and tomboy charm to her less glamorous day job.
We’re used to watching our queer faves in mediocre shows — that is not the case here. One More Time is good. It’s funny and charming with the heart of Parks and Recreation and the surreal touches of Community. Actually good sitcoms are not very common these days and this stands out as a very notable exception.
So far the best episodes of the show lean into the comedic surrealism. Episodes about bed bugs and curses allow Bauman and the ensemble to go big as the show finds a tone and a humor entirely its own.
It’s so exciting to see a performer with Bauman’s comedic skills get a character that allows her to really play. Whether learning sign language to impress her boss or flirting with a journalist writing a story about the shop, Bauman is hilarious, finding the balance between broad humor and grounded character moments.
But what makes this performance so special is the way Bauman gets us to feel for Jen. The episode where she finds out she’s going to the Olympics may center around a misguided attempt to eat a “spleen-only diet” inspired by someone named “The Spleen Queen,” but then in the moment when she receives the news, Bauman’s eyes glisten with hope and determination. It’s moments like these that separate a great comedy from a great show period and Bauman again and again elevates the series to the latter.
Watching One More Time, you get the feeling that this is the kind of role Elise Bauman has been hungry for since Carmilla. It allows her to be her full queer self, but it isn’t entirely focused on queerness. In fact, except for the one episode with the journalist, her love life takes a backseat to her career aspirations, her workplace rivalries, and even some daddy issues.
At a time when good sitcoms are few and far between, One More Time is must-watch TV. And Elise Bauman is a big reason why.
New episodes of One More Time air on CBC every Tuesday at 9pm and stream on CBC Gem.
