Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (Apple TV) 

By: Rachel Brodeur

Audiences in search of a summer thriller will find their desires met in Apple TV’s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed. At the start of the  ten episode series, divorced mom Paula, played by Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) is lonely. Audiences watch her as she indulges in private online adult entertainment. It’s clear that she frequents the site enough to where she has developed an attachment to the man she knows as Trevor, almost a relationship in her mind. However, while interacting with Trevor, she witnesses a horrible crime. Trevor is attacked and she may be the only one who has the information to help him. 

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is fast paced. Each episode is about a half hour long but packed with action. Paula is not a passive protagonist. Maslany gives Paula a relatable determination that keeps the audience invested, even when her choices become increasingly reckless. She isn't portrayed as an action hero with all the answers, but as an ordinary woman whose persistence often matters more than her competence. She doesn’t always make the smart decision, or the moral decision, but she definitely tries to take her future into her own hands. Any moral or social failings she may have are quickly forgiven as the people in her world are far worse. Paula’s ex-husband is played by Jake Johnson who is known for acting as the good guy in the wholesome comedy New Girl, acts against type and comes across as arrogant, condescending and judgemental, making Paula even more sympathetic. 

Despite the title centering on sexual content, sexuality is not the central focus of the series. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is not about romance as its thrills come in the form of violence and suspense. Audiences will want to yell at Paula as she makes one wrong decision after another, but also cheer for her when she gets it right. The series draws its strength from an unpredictable and layered plot with many mysteries, but it remains light in that it doesn’t ask too much of its audience. Rather than dwelling on the emotional consequences of every revelation, the series keeps its momentum moving forward. The emphasis remains on escalating danger, clever twists, and the satisfaction of watching Paula improvise her way through increasingly impossible situations. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed  doesn't pose deep questions, it simply asks viewers to enjoy the ride.   

Rachel’s Rating: 7/10

Apple TV’s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed turns an ordinary woman's online obsession into a high-stakes chase after she becomes entangled in a violent crime. Violent twists and a fast-paced plot make this a suspenseful and bingeable thriller.