Lady Dynamite preview: Maria Bamford chooses pugs over drugs

Maria Bamford’s fictionalized version of herself doesn’t need her prescriptions to stay sane! Okay, she probably does, but she’s trying a new regimen for keeping her mental health in check in an exclusive new clip from Lady Dynamite: her pugs.

“I don’t need drugs, ‘cus I’ve got pug hugs,” Bamford sings while dumping bottles of pills into her trash can, as her two pugs Blossom and Bert watch on.

Dealing with mental illness is a major part of Lady Dynamite, Bamford’s semi-autobiographical Netflix series that begins streaming on Friday. In real life, Bamford has bipolar disorder, and that diagnosis has informed much of her stand-up material, and clearly it influenced Lady Dynamite — the first series she’s created and her first starring vehicle.

At the beginning of the clip, Bamford seems a bit too excited to announce the fact that she’s off her prescriptions. “I do feel better now that I’m off my meds. I feel super charged!” she screams, gyrating her body.

This manic energy pervades the clip, which seems like it will be a good indication of her character in the series, judging from its trailer.

Lady Dynamite premieres Friday on Netflix. Check out EW’s review of the series here.