Exploring Love in the Animal Kingdom
Estrus Period delves into themes of dating and romance among animals, but it also touches on experiences that feel all too familiar for viewers.
Actress June Diane Raphael, who portrays Fawn, navigates the dating scene with various single men, searching for that special someone. There’s Dylan, the untamable wolf; Arnold, an annoying mountain goat; and then there’s Charles, a friend of her father whom she met during a somber occasion. Fawn’s taste in men isn’t the best, yet in one episode, she remarks to a friend who’s celebrating new fatherhood and sharing tales of unfortunate dates, “This place sucks.”
While the season 1 finale presented a touching moment for Fawn, Raphael shared with DECIDER that she can resonate with the character’s journey.
“I thought it was really great,” she reflected on the finale during a recent interview with castmates Nick Kroll, Zach Woods, and Sabrina Jaylies. “I remember the dating pool well. It wasn’t long ago; I was still quite youthful.”
**Spoiler Alert: Season 1 Finale Approaches!**
Before the finale, Fawn encounters her ex, Dylan (voiced by Timothy Olyphant), while he’s celebrating his bachelor party. Surprisingly, he has changed and accommodates her requests for her new fiancé. They share a heartfelt kiss at a waterfall, but her friends urge her to reconsider the wedding based on what they feel. However, her attempt to halt the ceremony takes a turn as she uncovers that Dylan wasn’t faithful either.
Raphael expressed her empathy for Fawn’s heartbreak in the series finale.
“He’s moved on, and I have to come to terms with that,” she said, reflecting on Fawn’s struggles.
The season 1 finale reminded her of a particularly painful dating moment from her past with someone she loved deeply.
“There was a boyfriend I was in love with and longed to reunite with. He took me for lunch, invited me to a family wedding, and then asked me to babysit his nephews,” she recounted, eliciting sympathetic sounds from her peers.
“It stings. It really does,” she admitted. “But it left me wondering, will I be okay? Will love find me? Maybe not everyone’s path leads to romantic love; some people discover other forms of connection.”
Fortunately, for Raphael, love did come her way. She is now happily married to actor Paul Shea, and together they have two children.
As for Fawn, her journey and romantic woes will continue to unfold in Season 2.
Estrus Period is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
