| Image Alt: | The poster shows the main character, Mel, wearing a windbreaker and a reflective vest on a runway, under a plane that's taking off. The series title is written in white blocky text in the bottom third of the photo. |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Creator: | Natasha Rothwell |
| Showrunner: | Natasha Rothwell Vera Santamaria |
| Starring: | Natasha Rothwell Conrad Ricamora Jocko Sims KeiLyn Durrel Jones |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 1 |
| Num Episodes: | 8 |
| Company: | Big Hattie Productions Welcome Stranger ABC Signature Onyx Collective |
| Network: | Hulu |
| Last Aired: | present |
How to Die Alone is an American comedy series created by and starring Natasha Rothwell. The series follows a woman who has never been in love, and decides to change her life after a near-death experience. Conrad Ricamora, Jocko Sims, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones also star. It premiered on Hulu on September 13, 2024.
The story centers on Mel, a down-on-her-luck Black woman working at JFK airport. After a near-death experience, she decides to take control of her life and begins a journey of self-empowerment and personal transformation.[1]
How to Die Alone was co-created by Natasha Rothwell, known for her roles on Insecure and White Lotus, and Vera Santamaria. Both are also executive producers along with Jude Weng and Desiree Akhavan. The series is produced under Disney's Onyx Collective, ABC Signature, Big Hattie Productions, and Welcome Stranger.[7] Rothwell stated that she wanted to "to really explore the difference between loneliness and being alone" in the series.[8] In November 2022 it was announced that How to Die Alone was picked up by Onyx Collective for an eight-episode order starring Rothwell.[9]
The cast members were announced in February 2023.[10] Conrad Ricamora, Jocko Sims, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones were announced as series regulars, and Bashir Salahuddin was announced as a recurring guest star.[10]
How to Die Alone premiered with its first four episodes on Hulu and Disney+ via Hulu Hub in the United States and Disney+ internationally on September 13, 2024.[11] The streaming service later released the remaining episodes in smaller batches, with two episodes dropping each week, leading up to the finale on September 27, 2024.[12]
TVision, which utilizes its TVision Power Score to evaluate CTV programming performance by factoring in viewership and engagement across over 1,000 apps and incorporating four key metrics—viewer attention time, total program time available for the season, program reach, and app reach—calculated that How to Die Alone was the eleventh most-streamed series from September 16 to September 22.[13] [14] It moved to tenth place during the week of September 23 to 29.[15]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Leveraging creator and star Natasha Rothwell's firecracker energy for a sweet and sour character study, How to Die Alone is a handy manual for relatable viewing."[16] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[17]
Aramide Tinibu of Variety found described How to Die Alone as "a witty and thoughtful dramedy about loneliness, accountability, and the courage to get out of one's own way" with Natasha Rothwell delivering a "flawless" performance. Tinubu praised Rothwell's writing, describing the series as "beautifully relatable and introspective". Tinubu appreciated the show's nuanced portrayal of airport life and its reflections on the difference between being alone and feeling lonely. Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com wrote that How to Die Alone offers a balance of bleak subject matter and humor, with Natasha Rothwell delivering a standout performance. She praised Rothwell's ease in delivering jokes and highlighted the talents of the supporting cast. Escobar also stated that while the show has sitcom elements, it focuses on its protagonist growth beyond romance, working on her career and relationships. She complimented the tone and called Rothwell a "fantastic leading lady," expressing hope for more seasons, especially given the need for more Black sitcoms.[18]