*Prime Video’s newest family drama explores the messy realities of divorce, grief, and unexpected connections through deeply flawed yet relatable characters.
“It’s Not Like That,” which premiered January 25 on Wonder Project’s subscription on Prime Video, follows recently divorced Lori Soto and widowed pastor Malcolm Jeffries as they navigate single parenthood while their families remain intertwined.
Created by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson, the eight-episode series centers on Malcolm, played by Scott Foley, a pastor and recently widowed father of three, and Lori, freshly divorced with two teens. Their families previously shared everything, but now Malcolm and Lori must manage their new single status, parenting responsibilities, and the complexities of Malcolm’s role as a modern pastor. The central question lingers: is this a budding love story, or is it not like that?
Erinn Hayes, known for “Kevin Can Wait” and “Children’s Hospital,” portrays Lori Soto, a woman grappling with simultaneous upheavals. “I love where we meet Lori, where this starts. You know, it is a time of change,” Hayes explained. She praised the writers for capturing a specific female experience of caretaking at the expense of self-care. “I think they wrote it so well, it’s a very particular female experience where we are trying to take care of everybody. We’re trying to make sure everything is okay.”
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Hayes emphasized Lori’s tendency to prioritize others’ well-being, even her ex-husband’s. “She’s even trying to make sure her ex-husband is okay. Like in episode three, we see that she is, her and Malcolm, played by Scott Foley, are really trying to hold their normal world together for their families, like a sense of normalcy. And we see them getting very close and leaning on each other, and it gets a little messy.”
J.R. Ramirez, recognized from “Manifest” and “Power,” plays David Soto, Lori’s ex-husband, who made the difficult choice to leave. “David is a music manager who loves what he does. He’s very passionate about what he does. We find David, after making a pretty difficult decision to leave after these two human beings were together for a long time,” he said. The actor characterized his role as unexpectedly complex compared to his typical characters. “I like to say he’s going to be the antagonist, but he’s very messy. He made a decision to up and leave at a really bad time because he wanted to find himself.”
Despite David’s questionable timing, Ramirez emphasized the character’s underlying decency. “But the thing about David is he’s a really good man who’s just kind of lost in the moment of what he wants. He’s trying to be a good dad, and he’s trying to pick up the pieces of what he leaves behind because he definitely leaves behind a ripple and his family.”
Ramirez acknowledged that David might not earn immediate audience sympathy. “Even though he is likable, I don’t think people are going to be cheering for David, at least for the first couple of episodes.”
When asked about David’s biggest challenge, Ramirez pointed inward. “I think just figuring out what it is that he wants.” He elaborated on David’s internal conflict and its manifestation through his relationship with his son. “I feel like all his faults are kind of right in front of him with his son and the disconnect that he’s having with his son and his son’s picking up the worst traits of him. He’s starting to kind of have to deal with that, and that’s going to be heartbreaking.”
Hayes identified Lori’s primary struggle as self-neglect resulting from years of caretaking. “I think she doesn’t know how to really take care of herself. She’s so used to taking care of other people.” She referenced David’s sobriety journey and its impact on their marriage dynamics. “I think in the last few years of their marriage, David had gotten sober, but for a long time, he wasn’t. And there was that codependent thing that happens with spouses of addicts.”
Lori’s relationship with Pastor Malcolm presents additional complications. Hayes described their dynamic as supportive yet potentially limiting. “On the one hand, for most of it, they’re just delightful friends. They support each other. They listen to each other. They’re there for each other.” However, boundaries become unclear. “When does too close become too close?”
Ramirez confirmed significant character development throughout the season. “He’s got a lot of obstacles to jump over… I do think there’s a different version of David at the end that you see in the beginning. Is it honest? Is it real? Like you, I don’t know.”
Both actors expressed pride in the series’ universal relatability. “I feel like audiences are going to be able to watch the show and have a sense of reflection of their own life,” Ramirez said. “I know you hear a lot about shows being relatable, but you can sit down with your whole family, and it’s a heartfelt, good show that has so many honest topics that are done with care and sensitivity, and rawness.”
Hayes contrasted the show’s grounded subject matter with typical television fare. “I don’t know a lot of people who have been involved in government espionage or zombie attacks or alien abduction. But I do know a lot of people that have gone through grief and loss and divorce and tricky things with their kids and tough situations with their exes. So, it’s just the human condition. And that’s a beautiful thing.”
Watch our full interview with Erinn Hayes and J.R. Ramirez via the clip below.
“It’s Not Like That” streams exclusively on Wonder Project’s subscription on Prime Video.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Scott Foley on Why ‘It’s Not Like That’ Offers the Kind of Character-Driven Drama Television Desperately Needs | EUR Exclusive
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