When Better Things aired last year, I was instantly besotted the moment the opening credits rolled in. John Lennon’s sentimental soundtrack, Mother, was the backdrop to an an intimate opening sequence: snippets of faded child-hood photos that seamlessly flowed together. It sparks a deep nostalgia in the viewer and for those who miss their mothers, or younger days, experience a gentle melancholy each time it plays.
Aside from the wonderfully artistic family house and colourful characters in Better Things, one thing that really hits you about the show is its authenticity, boiling down right to the dialogue. Sam’s (the mother) arguments with her oldest daughter, Maxine, can resonate with anyone who’s survived adolescence. The authenticity of the show is mirrored in its filming and editing, thereby creating a unique tapestry, as the lives of the 5 girls are threaded through to create a masterpiece.
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For the entirety of season one, we have seen the daily struggles that Sam endures as a single mum. We see how she has to juggle work, home and a slim indulgance in her sex life.
Home is the area that really seems to take its toll on Sam. The erupting, irrational arguments and constant parent-blaming punctuate Sam’s day and begin to wear her down. The only saving grace is little Duke who hasn’t yet suffered the difficult stage of puberty and who still wholeheartedly loves her mother.
Each episode tends to deal with this same theme: the single mother struggling. Frankie and Maxine always take swipes at her and her aging mother, Phil, appears to be a burden to Sam. ‘Eulogy’ is the culmination of all this underappreciation and I feel like the way the idea is executed is absolutely amazing! It is possibly the best episode I’ve seen in TV in a long time.
When the title appeared, I instantly thought about Phil. I assumed she had fallen ill and it would be Sam who would have to orchestrate the wedding and choke about the intimate moments they shared. But no. Sam has reached boiling point, she’s fucking ready to listen to what her children have to say about her (before it’s too late), particularly the older two who never bother to appreciate her.
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What I loved about this episode is how unique it was. Adlon took ‘underappreciation’ to its most dramatic point, grabbing Frankie and Maxine and ordering them: Look, what happens when I die and you will never have the chance to tell me how you feel about all I’ve done for you. All I do is work hard and suffer shit from you both.
Losing a love one is always something we shrug off, we refuse to deal with it because it’s too unfathomable. Forcing them to face her death and indirectly show their gratitude, although extreme, is the only way Sam will ever get them to honestly appreciate her. The decision to perform a funeral, with Sam and Duke at the centre, is such a gentle and vulnerable scene, that the threat dissipates into such an emotional performance
With the help of Sam’s ‘gay husband’ and her manager, the room was transformed into a tranquil space. Glistening Candles were carefully placed alongside pockets of flowers that created an, already, emotionally charged atmosphere. An alter sat at the centre where the two sisters and friends revealed their honest opinions of their mother and friend. It was so powerful because the older girls felt the emotion of ‘it’s too late‘.
I’ve never seen such a raw and honest scene on TV, it is one that’s aftershock still affects me two weeks later.
It also feels, in terms of the show’s trajectory, that Sam finally got that smidgen of recognition that she’s been aching for this whole time. Sure, we know that it’s going to go straight back to normal the next time we see them, but to see the girls appreciate and love each other, really brought on the water works!
Better Things is becoming an all-time favourite and I love how its altering the TV landscape. First all-female cast on Fx? Check. Raw and unapologetic? Check. 100% Unique? Fucking check.
Pamela Adlon, you’re the one.
swirlygirl* 