'Single Drunk Female' Continues to Be a Gracious and Biting Take on Sobriety

Single Drunk Female continues to defy expectations in its second season. Season one established the tone and major players of Samantha Fink’s (Sofia Black-D’Elia) world after a stint in rehab landed her back at home and living with her walking, talking, poke-in-the-eye mother (played with gusto by an excellent Ally Sheedy.) A comedy about the human condition that focused on the slow ascent from rock bottom, the Freeform series deserves as much attention as more mainstream comedies. One of the more delicate, gracious, and biting takes on sobriety, Single Drunk Female season two continues to succeed through its compassion.

That it never fails on the comedic side is a testament to the strong writing. Single Drunk Female maintains a balanced tone by avoiding being too lighthearted in its treatment of serious themes, such as fear and darkness. At the same time, it acknowledges that people are flawed and capable of making mistakes, and injects some natural humor into the story. This balance allows the show to be engaging without becoming too heavy. The series, created by Simone Finch, topped off its first season with a surprise character development. Where in any other show where alcoholism is utilized for easy drama or a character affliction that either villainizes them or quickly absolves them of their wrongdoings, it would’ve been Samantha that fell off the wagon.

Instead, it’s a fellow friend and possible love interest who has been in the program with her, James (Garrick Bernard), who ends up drinking again to cope with losing control over his life. It’s not so much a twist as a role reversal that allows both characters to continue on their journey in season two. James is going to need to pick himself up and choose on his own to seek help while Samantha needs to draw lines to avoid being pulled by the tide of her own worst impulses.

While season one saw Samantha seeking forgiveness from those in her life she’d let down, season two highlights her continued growth as well as the demons eating at those around her. From her friend Brit (Sasha Compère) whose coping abilities are erratic at best, to her mother’s inability to reckon with her shortcomings, her ego is too blinding to recognize that for as much as she cares about Samantha, she’s also let her down in fundamental ways.

Sheedy’s Carol has been and will continue to be a point of contention for viewers. The strength of the writing is best showcased in her scenes, especially the ones where Carol and Samantha lock horns. It’s one of the more accurate depictions of the complex relationships between mothers and daughters on television and it stems from Carol’s intellect blinding her from her casual manipulation. She did the right thing in season one by paying for Samantha’s rehab, so in her mind, she’s done what a mother is supposed to do and can absolve herself of any guilt. She continues to provide refuge to her daughter in season two as she lives under her roof, and because of it doesn’t see the gross invasion of privacy when she looks at the journal that Samantha’s been using as one of her steps in sobriety. All she can focus on is the criticisms her daughter put to paper that call out all of Carol’s flaws.

Mother and daughter are layered, imperfect, yet sympathetic characters, both of whom have faced their own battles and have come out the other side. But while Samantha in season one took steps to right the wrongs her mother perceived she’d done, such as not being home while her father was sick, Carol needs a push midway through season two to start her journey of reckoning to understand the disconnect between her and her daughter.

No doubt certain viewers will see in these characters either themselves or someone they too have engaged in a cold war with while sharing a residence.

Even through all of the character drama and introspection, the series never forgets it’s first and foremost a comedy. The comedy of season two excels not just because the ensemble cast is given more to work with, with Lily Mae Harrington as Felicia, Bernard, and Compère all being given much more to do than simply play a delegated foil to Samantha’s adventures. Each of them offered a role in Samantha’s life in season one that was clear cut, be it Felicia’s friendship, James’s stability, or the history she shared with Brit. Now, by allowing each one to carve space out in their own lives separate from their relationship with Samantha, the show can grow and mature beyond its straightforward premise.

The biggest disappointment is Rebecca Henderson stepping into a recurring role as Olivia, Samantha’s sponsor. Henderson and Black-D’Elia share chemistry and their dynamic offered the warmest relationship of the series in season one. It’s a shame the story had to split the two up because their relationship was, at times, the heart of the series as we watched the healing process that comes through a healthy sponsorship.

With its focus on more youthful stories, there’s the fear that Single Drunk Female will be missed because it airs on Freeform (even if it’s available to stream on Hulu.) Don’t let that (or even the name) deter you from watching. The series has some flaws, such as a set design and costuming that looks too perfect and sterile, lacking a lived-in feel. However, despite these shortcomings, the series is a tremendous accomplishment overall. The series is a stunning portrayal of the difficulties people face when trying to maintain sobriety in the face of a society that views addiction as an illness. It depicts the ongoing challenge of staying sober, as well as the sense of shame that arises when a person fails to do so. Fresh, often hilarious, insightful, and confident, Single Drunk Female is one of the stronger debuts in recent years, and season two only gets better.