Netflix Has Defended New Series ‘Insatiable’ After "Fat Shaming" Backlash

30 July 2018, 12:47

By Katie Louise Smith

"Fat-shaming itself, that criticism, is embedded in the DNA of the show."

Netflix has defended its new series Insatiable after recent intense backlash and despite over 200,000 people signing a change.org petition to get the show cancelled, the release will go ahead as planned.

In case you haven't been following the backlash surrounding the new Netflix series, allow us to fill you in real quick. Insatiable is a dark-comedy series starring former Disney Channel actress Debby Ryan. Ryan stars as Patty, an overweight girl who is constantly bullied for her size. She gets her jaw wired shut following a punch in the face and suddenly finds herself thin. She then becomes a beauty queen and seeks revenge on everyone who bullied her for her weight.

When the trailer dropped, many people called the show out for 'fat-shaming' and promoting the dangerous idea that being 'thin and gorgeous' is much more desirable and acceptable within society than being overweight. Many pointed out the toxic body image stereotypes that came attached to the project (whether they were intended to or not) and demanded that the show be cancelled to avoid any further damage to the already impressionable young teenage audience.

Now, speaking at the 2018 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, it's been confirmed by Netflix VP Original Series Cindy Holland that Netflix will be taking no action in regards to the backlash and will be going ahead with the release as planned.

“The creator [Lauren Gussis] felt very strongly about exploring these issues based on her own experiences, but satirically, in a very over the top way,” Holland told reporters at TCA.

“Ultimately, the message of the show is that what is most important is that you feel comfortable in your own self. Fat-shaming itself, that criticism, is embedded in the DNA of the show.” Holland was not directly involved in the production of the show, but believes that the perception of the show will change once audiences watch it.

On July 21, creator Gussis posted a statement on Twitter explaining how her own experiences shaped the narrative for the series: “When I was 13, I was suicidal. My best friends dumped me, and I wanted revenge. I thought if I looked pretty on the outside, I’d feel like I was enough. Instead, I developed an eating disorder…and the kind of rage that makes you want to do dark things."

Insatiable drops on Netflix on August 10.