chill vibes

What do this hunky director, Jinkx Monsoon, and a magical fridge all have in common?

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A triptych of images. On the left, a young man moves a retro white fridge in a hallway. In the middle, filmmaker Anton van der Linden poses in a black jacket against a grey backdrop. On the right, drag queen Jinkx Monsoon wears red hair and a blue gown on a red carpet.

The answer, of course, is… Marvin?

No, that’s not another question—that’s the title of a new independent comedy series, set to make its debut this weekend at the SXSW festival in Austin.

Marvin? comes from said “hunky director” Anton Jacques van der Linden, and is set to feature the Drag Race All Stars “Legendary Legend” herself, Jinkx Monsoon, among its cast. Oh, right, and there’s also a magical refrigerator with the power to give you everything you’ve ever wanted—but we’ll get into that in a second.

First, let’s back things up a bit: This is Anton Jacques van der Linden. Hello, Anton!

A Dutch filmmaker, van der Linden recently partnered up with American-born producer George Anthony Gottl to create Explorers Of The Unfound, an independent, international production company focused on normalizing queer stories on screen and supporting up-and-coming LGBTQ+ talent.

Their first collaboration is Marvin?, an Amsterdam-set queer comedy with a heaping dose of magical surrealism. The series centers on two aimless, twenty-something friends, Dave and Sam, who can’t quite seem to get out of the ruts they’re stuck in.

Related:

Gay guys from around the globe talk sex and personal safety in Amsterdam

Dave (Cameron Tharma) is flipping burgers, hopelessly romantic, and struggling with his identity as a mixed-race gay man. Sam (Sarah-Rose), meanwhile, is sleeping on Dave’s couch as she studies to become a doctor. That is, if her over-reliance on weed doesn’t get in the way.

One day, the fridge at Dave’s apartment goes kaput, so they order a new one on the cheap, which they dub Marvin. But it’s not long before the duo realizes this is no ordinary fridge, and it begins manifesting their dreams right in front of their eyes.

Check out the trailer for yourself:

The first episode, which premieres Sunday, March 12 as part of SXSW’s independent TV pilot program, sets up the series’ delightfully daft premise. As the pair begrudgingly dog-sits for Dave’s uppity boss, they come to realize Marvin does a whole lot more than keep their produce at a safe, cool temperature.

Queerty was given an early preview of the series, and we can share that it’s a total charmer, with a wonderfully modern, queer sense of humor, and fantastic chemistry between Tharma and Sarah-Rose. They’ll probably remind you of some friends in your life—or, hell, maybe they’ll remind you of yourself!

Not for nothing, Marvin? also offers up some stunning shots of Amsterdam, which looks amazing through van der Linden’s lens. It’ll make you want to book a trip to The Netherlands ASAP.

And though Jinkx doesn’t appear in the footage we saw, we’ve learned she’s attached to co-star should the series get picked up, playing a woman named Esme. So, what are you waiting for, world? Green-light Marvin? immediately! We need to see Jinkx in action!

In a press statement, the filmmakers describe the series as “a modern fable about the pressures young people face today and their search for identity and true happiness.” That, coupled with a sharp sense of humor, makes Marvin? the type of show we could use right about now.

If you happen to be attending SXSW, Marvin? premieres March 12, with an encore screening on the 16. Otherwise, stay tuned to find out how and when you can check out the series for yourself, and follow along on Instagram for more updates out of the festival.

In the meantime, here’s a few more photos of Anton Jacques van der Linden—you know, just because!

Related:

The 15 most anticipated LGBTQ+ TV shows we can’t wait to binge in 2023

More ‘Heartstopper,’ a gay Time Lord on ‘Doctor Who,’ and endless ‘Drag Race’—it’s shaping up to be another very gay year for TV.

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