Imagine a woman given only three months to live, opting out of romance and instead choosing to explore dying with a passion. That’s the essence of FX’s Dying for Sex, a daring series that debuted on Hulu on April 4th, 2025. Starring Michelle Williams as Molly, the character does not pursue the typical love stories where the woman gets married. Rather, she sets out to liberate herself through unabashedly wild sex. It’s a take on her life that is already making waves, and for good reason.
Considering a Deep Topic from a Different Angle
The show features a true story adapted from a Wondery podcast of the same name, Dying for Sex, which turns the conventional cancer story 180 degrees. Molly’s goal isn’t to meet her husband for a heartfelt reunion or patch things up with husband, Steve (Jay Duplass). Instead, she receives the horrific news that her breast cancer is now stage four and decides to wander out of couples therapy—marking the end of her marriage. Instead of a soothing tissue box, she heads out with a cheap soda and a pack of cigarettes. It’s a radical setting: for romance in the orthodox interpretations, this story is galore. Rather, this is about Molly empowering herself through the desires she has always wished to eliminate. Williams mixes fragility with fire to personify Molly. One moment she’s on the verge of death; the next moment, she’s swiping on dating apps and engaging in kinks that she previously wouldn’t dare to. Critics are saying that this is her best work to date, and considering her resumé includes Brokeback Mountain and The Fabelmans, that’s quite the feat. Nick Schager for The Daily Beast describes her as “so great that she elevates everyone around her,” and his praise reflects the balance of humor and heartbreak Williams balanced effortlessly.
Why Love Takes a Backseat
What makes this role stand out is how it avoids the classic Hollywood storyline of love being the ultimate redemptive force. Molly has no intention of waiting for a knight in shining armor. Rather, she’s focused on figuring out what ticks for her, whether that is a neighbor Rob Delaney who is into BDSM or meeting a guy who gets off on being clasped in bed. Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether, the show’s creators, highlight these moments with all their surreal absurdness and joy while weaving in the stark reality of Molly’s debilitating illness.
Consider a moment when one of Molly’s best friends, Nikki (played by Jenny Slate), has to balance caretaking duties while Molly is off in search of orgasms. It’s a bit chaotic and messy, yet it is humorous and genuine, like life itself. Slate’s high-strung antics perfectly match William’s calm intensity, grounding their friendship as the emotional epicenter of the series. There is love, sure, but it is fierce, unfiltered, and purely platonic.
Strike A Chord And Perform
For as long as I can remember, Williams nails characters who portray relatable emotions—Molly being no different. “She’s not a saint or a martyr. She’s just a pissed-off, turned-on, out of time woman.” In one episode, she goes off on a young physician sporting a Harry Potter-themed cap with, “Does he have a permission slip to be here?” That is a brilliant line and it works thanks to Williams’ delivery, rife with sass and palpable fatigue.
Her preparation seemed laborious, and rightfully so. The actress read Molly Kochan’s memoir, Screw Cancer: Becoming Whole, and would listen to the corresponding podcast until she was, to use her words, “a puddle on the floor.” That infusion of emotion brings progression to every toss and turn in a tumultuous romantic endeavor.
Real-world Echoes
There is additional poignancy to the story that Molly Kochan’s life was rooted in reality. She died in 2019 after sharing her story in a podcast with her friend Nikki Boyer, which has been downloaded over 5 million times. This shows how deeply primal of a feeling this struggle for identity is, even if it is nuanced with a death sentence. It’s like Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, but with more cials and fewer hiking boots.
Conclusion
Dying for Sex is not the typical emotional outpour that worsens when Michelle Williams is on the screen, and she makes sure it is not just another tale of cancer either. She takes the effort in making the audience root for and laugh with the character while grieving her too, which is a brilliant move. Life and death are not always what they are cracked up to be. As she turns onscreen, the viewer is left with a question: what would you chase if time was not on your side?