Watercooler Pick
How to With John Wilson
- Series
- Where to Find It: Max
- Release Date: July 28, 2023
- Seasons: 3
- Episodes : 8
- Length: 30 minutes
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Documentarian John Wilson travels across New York and the larger United States in an attempt to answer seemingly simple questions such as “How to Put Up Scaffolding” or to “How to Improve Your Memory,” interviewing experts, everyday New Yorkers, and other unique folks he meets along the way. The twist is that each episode turns into a much bigger question.
In the third and final season, Wilson takes a more introspective approach, focusing on how each of these experiences impacts him. While the filmmaker can be awkward, filling his narration with plenty of coughs and uhhs, he also approaches his subjects more confidently, and he’s always up for adventure.
Nathan Fielder (Nathan for You, The Rehearsal) is the Executive Producer.
Unlike any other show currently streaming, “How To” is often hilarious, always unpredictable, and ultimately fascinating – a fresh twist on the docuseries that surprises as it explores some of the more complicated questions of the day, from our relationship to electronics to toxic masculinity to America’s current political landscape.
The series’ magic stems from its serendipity: one minute Wilson is trying to find public restrooms in New York, the next he’s on an RV headed to Burning Man. The strange occurrences run rampant throughout the series: Wilson ends up at a Mandela Effect conference, Spring Break in Cancun, and with a man unabashed about his nudity.
It’s impossible to know what direction each episode will take. And in between each interview and adventure are random shots of New York, from a woman surrounded by pigeons to a man dancing on top of a subway car. Each shot is designed to illustrate something said in Wilson’s narration, and the result is always comical.
While many of these encounters are fun, the series’ real brilliance lies in the questions each episode generates about society. The Mandela Effect conference episode interrogates the ambiguous nature of memory and why we choose to remember what we do. A piece on scaffolding muses on how it can serve as a metaphor for things that, at first intended to be temporary, grow to be a vital part of our lives.
If you watch just one episode of the show, make it the Season 1 finale, “How to Cook the Perfect Risotto.” It’s one of the most poignant and compelling video essays made about Covid.
Interestingly, Wilson himself is rarely seen on camera. For the most part, he remains behind it. But as the series goes on, we start to see a little bit more of Wilson (emphasis on just a little bit) and learn more about his personal life. He eventually begins to reflect on his own life, turning the camera inward. In the final season, this becomes a bit more urgent, as he considers where his own life is going and the show’s relationship to truth.
A surprisingly profound, unique, and often mesmerizing look at the human experience that also doubles as a love letter to New York City.
Due to some of the more mature subject matter, How to With John Wilson may not be ideal for children. However, it’s a great watch for those who love documentaries and oddball comedies. Watch it with your friend who loves cringe humor.
The show actually happened by chance. Nathan Fielder had remembered a short film of Wilson’s. So when the two met in a restaurant, Fielder recognized him, the two hit it off, and history was made!
Where to stream it: Max
- Moods: find me fun, make me laugh, stretch my mind
- Interests: documentary, fresh perspectives, true stories
Sarah Mina Osman
