The Girlfriend Experience

Watch The Girlfriend Experience

  • TV-MA
  • 2016
  • 4 Seasons
  • 7.0  (11,218)

The Girlfriend Experience is a TV series that premiered on the Starz network in 2016, starring Riley Keough in the lead role of Christine Reade, a law student and part-time high-end escort. The show explores the complex and often taboo world of transactional relationships and what happens when the lines between personal and professional lines become blurred. Set against the backdrop of Chicago's power players, Christine navigates her legal studies, her job at a prestigious law firm, and her secret life as a high-end call girl. Over the course of the first season's 13 episodes, Christine delves deeper and deeper into her double life while trying to balance her personal relationships with her clients' demands. The show is a loose adaptation of Steven Soderbergh's 2009 film of the same name, but the TV series takes a different approach, with multiple storylines that explore the various aspects of the escort industry. The show is part legal drama, part psychological thriller, and part character study of the lead character, Christine. The Girlfriend Experience is notable for its unapologetic depiction of sex work, which is often portrayed in media as either romanticized or demonized. The show doesn't shy away from the realities of the escort industry, but it also doesn't judge its characters for their choices. Instead, it presents a nuanced look at the complex dynamics of power, money, and sex in a world where everything has a price. Riley Keough's performance as Christine is one of the show's highlights, delivering a nuanced and layered performance as a character who must navigate multiple worlds and personas. At times cold and calculating, and at others vulnerable and exposed, Keough's Christine is a complex and fascinating character who keeps audiences guessing throughout the season. The show's style and cinematography is also a standout, with a sleek and stylish look that emphasizes the characters' high-end lifestyles. Director Lodge Kerrigan also uses a minimalist approach to storytelling, focusing on the characters' body language and subtle facial expressions to tell the story without relying on exposition or dialogue. Despite its subject matter, The Girlfriend Experience is not solely a show about sex. It's a show about power dynamics in intimate relationships, whether they're romantic or transactional. The show also delves into issues of gender, class, and privilege, highlighting the ways in which these factors shape our relationships and interactions. One of the unique elements of The Girlfriend Experience is its episodic approach to storytelling, with each episode focusing on a different client or relationship that Christine navigates. This allows for a diverse range of storylines and characters, showcasing the wide range of motivations and desires that drive clients to seek out the services of an escort. Overall, The Girlfriend Experience is a thought-provoking and engaging TV series that takes a taboo subject and presents it in a complex and nuanced way. With excellent performances, stylish visuals, and smart writing, it's a show that's sure to keep viewers hooked from start to finish.

The Girlfriend Experience
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Seasons
Integration
10. Integration
June 20, 2021
Struggling to recover from betrayal, Iris is willing to take a radical leap once again. Iris needs to confront one more person before making a fateful decision: Emcee...
State of Mind
9. State of Mind
June 20, 2021
Having lost all sense of perspective, Iris confides in Christophe. He in turn opens up a part of his world. Little does Iris know; the encounter will leave her shaken to the core.
A Set of Lies Agreed Upon
8. A Set of Lies Agreed Upon
June 13, 2021
Having family in town brings up complicated feelings for Iris. Tawny feels bad about how things played out with The V. Afraid to face her own truth, Iris realizes she needs to switch gears.
Black Box
7. Black Box
June 6, 2021
Cassie is back with a vengeance, taking her work to the next level. Iris' secrecy around the project puts a dent in her relationship with Hiram and their collaboration around Emcee.
The Embrace
6. The Embrace
May 30, 2021
Buying time, Iris escapes the messy leftovers of her double life and takes time off-grid. Georges, a former client, takes Iris into his world. Reality, however, has a way of catching up.
Control Shift
5. Control Shift
May 23, 2021
Iris can't keep her two worlds separate anymore, which comes with unwanted consequences. Iris realizes she's in a position of power, while simultaneously having lost all control.
Shuffle
4. Shuffle
May 16, 2021
Iris' client relationships seem increasingly uncanny, and advice from Tawny isn't what Iris was hoping for. Her father's illness catches up with Iris in undeniable ways.
Deepfake
3. Deepfake
May 9, 2021
Iris gets better at simulating the perfect girlfriend experience for her clients. Simultaneously at NGM, Iris and her co-workers start training the AI model with new simulated sets.
Everyone's Got A Price
2. Everyone's Got A Price
May 2, 2021
Iris and her co-worker start working on an AI project that mirrors human emotion. Meanwhile, new clients provided by a high-end escort agency, leave Iris with a wealth of behavioral data.
Mirrors
1. Mirrors
May 2, 2021
Iris relocates to London, leaving behind family and a half-finished degree. She begins a double life: working at an elusive tech startup while providing the girlfriend experience at night.
Description

The Girlfriend Experience is a TV series that premiered on the Starz network in 2016, starring Riley Keough in the lead role of Christine Reade, a law student and part-time high-end escort. The show explores the complex and often taboo world of transactional relationships and what happens when the lines between personal and professional lines become blurred.

Set against the backdrop of Chicago's power players, Christine navigates her legal studies, her job at a prestigious law firm, and her secret life as a high-end call girl. Over the course of the first season's 13 episodes, Christine delves deeper and deeper into her double life while trying to balance her personal relationships with her clients' demands.

The show is a loose adaptation of Steven Soderbergh's 2009 film of the same name, but the TV series takes a different approach, with multiple storylines that explore the various aspects of the escort industry. The show is part legal drama, part psychological thriller, and part character study of the lead character, Christine.

The Girlfriend Experience is notable for its unapologetic depiction of sex work, which is often portrayed in media as either romanticized or demonized. The show doesn't shy away from the realities of the escort industry, but it also doesn't judge its characters for their choices. Instead, it presents a nuanced look at the complex dynamics of power, money, and sex in a world where everything has a price.

Riley Keough's performance as Christine is one of the show's highlights, delivering a nuanced and layered performance as a character who must navigate multiple worlds and personas. At times cold and calculating, and at others vulnerable and exposed, Keough's Christine is a complex and fascinating character who keeps audiences guessing throughout the season.

The show's style and cinematography is also a standout, with a sleek and stylish look that emphasizes the characters' high-end lifestyles. Director Lodge Kerrigan also uses a minimalist approach to storytelling, focusing on the characters' body language and subtle facial expressions to tell the story without relying on exposition or dialogue.

Despite its subject matter, The Girlfriend Experience is not solely a show about sex. It's a show about power dynamics in intimate relationships, whether they're romantic or transactional. The show also delves into issues of gender, class, and privilege, highlighting the ways in which these factors shape our relationships and interactions.

One of the unique elements of The Girlfriend Experience is its episodic approach to storytelling, with each episode focusing on a different client or relationship that Christine navigates. This allows for a diverse range of storylines and characters, showcasing the wide range of motivations and desires that drive clients to seek out the services of an escort.

Overall, The Girlfriend Experience is a thought-provoking and engaging TV series that takes a taboo subject and presents it in a complex and nuanced way. With excellent performances, stylish visuals, and smart writing, it's a show that's sure to keep viewers hooked from start to finish.

The Girlfriend Experience is a series that is currently running and has 4 seasons (43 episodes). The series first aired on April 10, 2016.

Where to Watch The Girlfriend Experience

The Girlfriend Experience is available for streaming on the starz website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Girlfriend Experience on demand at Google Play and Apple TV.

  • Premiere Date
    April 10, 2016
  • IMDB Rating
    7.0  (11,218)