Netflix’s 'Sex/Life' Isn’t a Fantasy. It’s Based On A (Sort Of) True Story.
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Most sex films or TV shows are based on books. Bridgerton. 50 Shades of Grey. 365 Days. And, Netflix’s latest erotica Sex/Life is no different….except it’s not fictional.
Those raunchy sex scenes? You’d think they’re from showrunner Stacy Rukeyser’s fantasies, but they’re actually recreated from BB Easton’s 2016 novel 44 Chapters About 4 Men. A memoir of sorts, this novel—written diary style—follows a school psychologist and mother of two who begins writing her deep and dark sexual fantasies in her journal after her handsome but boring AF husband continuously leaves her dry (no pun intended). She takes the readers on a whirlwind journey on her former lovers—a motorcycle club outlaw, a punk rocker with a criminal background, and a metal bass player—before meeting her straight-laced husband, Ken.
When speaking to Oprah Daily, Easton said that journaling her longing for a sex-thrilled life helped her mid-life crisis: “That was the most cathartic experience for me,” she said. “It helped me form a bridge between my current life and the girl I used to be. I was living my current life but I was writing about all these fun experiences and it helped me feel like I was the same person.”
Apparently, it helped her too much. 44 Chapters About 4 Men was so successful that it spun off spin-off series with each novel focusing on one of Easton’s ex-boyfriends (which means there’s plenty of content for Sex/Life to have a Season 2 and possibly even more).
Though Sex/Life is inspired by Easton’s novel, there are some core differences. One? Easton never left her husband for her ex-boyfriend and Ken, unlike Cooper in the show, “upped his f***ing game” (her words, not ours).
Furthermore, unlike Billie, Easton recommends to not manipulate your husband by leaving out your sex journals for him to find. Instead, just communicate. Seriously. “I do not recommend leaving [your journals] out for your husband to find,” she said. “If you're trying to alter your husband's behavior, maybe just try having a conversation. If I had a time machine, I might just try that instead.”
Of course, Sex/Life is a TV show and fictional characters, even ones inspired by real-life authors, are going to make some messy AF mistakes—like leaving your husband and two kids for instance for a douchebag you dated eight years ago. But, you gotta love them anyway, right?
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