“Dispatches from Elsewhere” / AMC / Transgender equality

Trans Woman Eve Lindley Shines in AMC’s Breakthrough “Dispatches from Elsewhere”

The studio that brought the world “Better Call Saul” and “Breaking Bad,” casts a transgender woman in a mystery series where the trans character is a romantic lead and the show isn’t just about being transgender.

Early reviews of “Dispatches from Elsewhere” say transgender actor Eve Lindley is “poised to become the breakout star” of the AMC show airing this Sunday.

(P)raise for Lindley has been unequivocal, with critics calling her “the breakout star of this series hands-down” (Den of Geek) and “absolutely incredible” (Philly Mag). Brian Tallerico, writing for RogerEbert.com, wrote that Lindley “steals pretty much every scene she’s in.”

— Time Magazine

Rolling Stone calls the show a “journey into the weird beyond.” It is the story of people breaking out of their ordinary lives when faced with a mystery they need to solve.

The anthology show will have a different story each season, per the producers.

Eve Lindley is Simone, a museum docent, and the transgender star critics are praising. She’s also a “romantic lead,” per AMC. Yes! A romantic lead played by a trans woman on cable TV where the show isn’t based just on her transness is awesome! I love that Eve Lindley stars as a regular woman since people love fetishising trans people. It is about time a trans woman stars in a role where she is just herself in her character.

Jason Segel, also the show’s creator, plays a Peter who works in a cube in an office.

Andre Benjamin of Andre3000 fame is Fredwynn, a rich guy.

And, Sally Field will also grace the adventure as Janice Foster along with Richard E. Grant as Octavio Coleman, esq.

Writes Rolling Stone:

Peter’s existence turns into genuine living when he stumbles across a rivalry between the Jejune Institute, a think tank promising to reveal that Peter was meant for more than mundanity, and the Elsewhere Society, a collective of anarchists who extol the power of “divine nonchalance” and insist that Jejune is really about maintaining the boring, conformist world Peter is so eager to escape. — Rolling Stone.

AMC describes the “Dispatches from Elsewhere” as a tale of four people who are a lot like all of us — feeling like they are missing out on the meaning of life. Eve Lindley’s character Simone has a “fear of intimacy and feelings of not belonging,” writes the Boston Herald.

This diverse foursome is brought together by chance — or perhaps it’s by design — when they stumble onto a puzzle hiding just behind the veil of everyday life. — AMC.

Eve Lindley told Hollywood Life:

(Simone) (B)rings the queerness and the fashion. She has a degree in art so she brings this knowledge of art and how it relates to the story and how it relates to some of the clues in the puzzle.

The way that she doubts herself, the way that she exists in this world, second-guessing herself… it was all so real for me.— Eve Lindley.

There are a couple of “Dispatches From Elsewhere” episodes available to watch on AMC’s website:

I am very glad a strong transgender character is staring on a show that looks like it will be a great view. I also love that the character isn’t being featured as just a transgender character. She gets to play a full-on leading romantic role. Excellent!

I will be watching the show and writing reviews since I’m really excited!

“Dispatches from Elsewhere” has a two night premiere on Sunday, March 1 and Monday, March 2.