‘Single Drunk Female’ Recap: ‘James’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘Single Drunk Female’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past eight weeks, we’ve talked often about how the new Freeform series, Single Drunk Female, has done a phenomenal job of shattering tropes and clichés when it comes to stories about addition and recovery and rightfully so. Because this series continues to find new ways to take those age-old and tired ideas and toss them aside so the audience can experience a realistic story about recovery. One that truly shows us the struggles and the highs and the lows of putting one’s life back together when substance abuse has ripped it apart and well, trope bustin’ is top of mind today, simply because this series shattered another one during last night’s episode.
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Because normally these types of stories only show us the protagonist’s lowest moment and understandably so. For they are the focus of the story, and we bond with them over their rock bottom experience and root for them beyond that point. And if by chance there is an opportunity to learn about how a new friend or someone in recovery with them reached their understanding that things had to change… well that’s handled through exposition or tender moments. We simply never see it because of the potential that such a move would take away from the gravity of the hero’s journey. But ‘James’ is an episode that shunned that line of thinking to take us on quite the powerful journey. One that focused on James and took us back in time to show us something we never really knew about the man.

Specifically, what his rock bottom moment was, and the journey toward that epiphany took place on Thanksgiving a long time ago. Wherein dear James arrived at his family’s feast as drunk as can be, and despite being able to do his best to mask his inebriation, his brother saw right through those efforts and even tried to call him out on being drunk at a family gathering. Which at first glance, appeared to be the rock bottom moment in question. Since religion is something that his family cherishes and having a drunken family member at a family dinner, where values and faith in the Lord should be put first, should have led to quite the wakeup call. Instead, being shamed by his brother just motivated James to head out and drink.

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Which in turn, brought him face to face with Samantha Fink. Who was also three sheets to the wind and using an alias at the bar on this night and their chance encounter and instant chemistry, led to the hookup, that was referenced earlier this season. But what we didn’t know, was that shortly after they gave into their mutual attraction, they basically had a short love affair. Because these two just clicked on a fundamental level and were able to make each other laugh in-between drinking and purging and they were so in sync with one another and so attached at the hip for the majority of this tale that this too, appeared as though it might lead to the low point in question.
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After all, when we are sauced to the gills and our emotions are riding high, being rejected can lead to disaster. But oddly enough, their eventual and temporary parting wasn’t what led to James’ wake-up call. Instead, it was just drunk buffoonery. Wherein James let loose and went wild and tried to avoid cars in traffic. A move that Sam was sober enough to point out was dangerous and irresponsible and perhaps worthy of seeking out help. And those words… sobered James right up and gave him pause since that was indeed his life he was casually playing with and well… that was enough for him to swear off drinking and start the road to recovery.

Which was, powerful to watch as was every single second of this episode. Since you just don’t see stories in this vein, show us the irresponsibility and dangers of drinking in this manner. But this one bravely did, and it showed us that what motivates sobriety is a supremely intimate decision and this episode also impressed, because it offered us some insight into why James holds Sam in such high regard. For she really was his inadvertent savior in that moment, and his desire to keep her at arm’s length may relate to something noble, such as say… being perfect for her, and well, now that we have reached the end of this powerful journey, the time has come to patiently wait for another new chapter in this tale, one will undoubtedly wow us once again. Until next time.   

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