The Stories That TV Tells About Online Sex Work

In the new Apple TV dramedy “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed,” a divorced mother in the midst of an increasingly ugly custody dispute is revealed to be the perfect customer for web-based sex work. In the course of a single session, the harried Paula (played by Tatiana Maslany) gets a hot, younger guy to listen to her complain about her ex-husband, offer feedback on her home-decorating ideas, and coax her into a climax—all in a few short minutes. When Paula’s relationship with this camboy, named Trevor (Brandon Flynn), is inevitably brought up in the custody battle, Paula defends their chats in the relatable yet deflating terms of efficiency: Trevor’s companionship could be neatly scheduled between work tasks and parenting obligations.