Abhiroop Das
Created by Sophie Goodhart, Hulu’s ‘Alice and Steve‘ is a British comedy-drama about the two titular friends who have been inseparable for decades, but soon reach a particularly complicated crossroad when Steve begins dating Izzy, Alice’s 26-year-old daughter. For Alice, the news comes as a shock at first, and slowly gives way to anger, as we watch a powerful bond break down on a fundamental level. However, perhaps the most multifaceted dimension to this arrangement lies in Izzy’s personal life, especially when it comes to her past with a less-than-favorable ex named Janis. Though he breaks up with her because of his aversion to commitment, the revelations over the course of the series force things into newer and more unpredictable territories. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Janis Turns Out to be the Father of Izzy’s Baby
In ‘Alice and Steve,’ Janis, and not Steve, is implied to be the biological father of Izzy’s baby, given the timeline of their conception. Though Izzy initially assumes that this is her and Steve’s baby, the truth comes to light during an OB/GYN checkup. While Izzy believes it’s too early to determine the baby’s sex via an ultrasound, the doctor corrects her by revealing that the baby is already 16 weeks old. This effectively means that the baby was conceived when Izzy and Steve weren’t together. However, the reveal comes as a serious blow to Steve, who has wanted to be a father this entire time. However, the surprise only stays for so long before Steve realizes that he will love this baby all the same, no matter if he’s the biological father or not.
Things get more complicated when it’s Izzy’s turn to break the news to Janis. While he has never been the kind to stick to a relationship or take it too seriously, learning about his baby seems to change things. Though the entire scene is framed from a distance, with Janis’ words being inaudible, his expressions convey a desire to take this relationship and budding family more seriously. However, the decision is ultimately Izzy’s, and while she breaks things off with Janis and accepts Steve’s proposal in the same breath, the story isn’t wrapped up just yet. At the wedding, Janis shows up out of nowhere, clearly wanting to resume the relationship and perhaps even tie the knot with Izzy. As a result, she finds herself stuck in a peculiar love triangle, where her answer isn’t as definite as we are initially led to believe.
Izzy is Most Likely to Choose Janis Over Steve as Her Partner
Though Izzy and Steve’s relationship seems rock solid for most of its run, things take an ambiguous turn after Janis returns to her life, seemingly in love with her. Early on, Izzy claims that she broke things off with him because of how unserious he was about the relationship, but now that he has changed, her thoughts on the matter get steadily more complicated. It also doesn’t help that Janis becomes her rebound sexual partner for the brief bit that she’s not with Steve, which seems to be an inverse of how the relationship started. With feelings still fresh and abrasive, Izzy has an intense moment with Steve the night before her wedding, where she ends up kissing him, before the scene cuts away, implying that they likely have sex. All of that is interrupted, however, by a massive fire that sweeps through the building, nearly killing Steve.
Notably, ‘Alice and Steve’ ends with the titular duo jumping off the manor to save their lives, and while we never get a confirmation about what happens to them, an ending where they live is far more narratively interesting. Provided that Steve is up and ready for the wedding, Izzy now has to wrestle with an important question of love and honesty. The subject is even more sensitive as she is now pregnant, and Janis clearly seems to intend to step into the role of a father. In this clash between him and Steve, the latter seems to be losing out, largely because Izzy seems to have stronger feelings for Janis than he does. We see this in the buildup to the climax as well, when she goes into the washroom to secretly text Janis. The seeds of a doomed relationship are already there, and while the ending is a cliffhanger, it is only delaying the inevitable.
Read More: Alice and Steve Ending Explained: Do Steve and Alice Live or Die? Who Does Izzy Choose?
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