‘Single Drunk Female’ Recap: ‘Promotion’ & ‘Grant Me Serenity’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Two Premiere of ‘Single Drunk Female’. To revisit the Season One Finale, click here.
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There is a collective belief in our society, that when a dark chapter in our life comes to an end, nothing but wonderful days are ahead, and it makes sense as to why we hold to this. After all, if we emerge from the darkness, we have done some stunning work to do so, the kind that has indeed improved us and made us ready for battle. So of course… blue skies and brighter days are all that should await us, since we are ready, willing, and able to tackle anything the universe sends our way and well… that’s a belief that is totally and utterly wrong and holding to it causes so much harm and so much trouble for those who commit to it.
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Simply because, life’s hardships don’t end just because we buckled down and improved ourselves, and the world does indeed keep on turning and churning and that presents some new challenges for us to face. The kind that can potentially push us back into old habits if our shining moment was designed to escape them. If anything, such a tough reality is top of mind today, simply because… such matters were put on full display in the season two premiere of Single Drunk Female on Freeform. A feat that ‘Promotion’ and ‘Grant Me Serenity’ accomplished by catapulting us forward, months after the season one finale, wherein we were able to see that Sam had settled into her new life as someone that embraced sobriety, and that she truly had started to put the pieces back together in her life.

After all, she had a steady job writing once again, she was telling her story to others to continue the healing process and she was also… settling into the first element we don’t discuss when we truly enter that new chapter in our lives… routine. Where there are down moments and mundane ones to boot, the kind that perhaps someone suffering from addiction would remove themselves from by using substances. Not to mention… there was an adjustment period that Sam was dealing with. Since it had been a long time since she was accepted by others and seen as someone average instead of a drunk and that too takes time to become accustomed to and effort as well. Since it put her out of her comfort zone. All of which made it clear that life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows when we heal, and we will indeed battle a bit to adjust to that.

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But of course, there was mention of these episodes bringing forth life challenges and other problems to come that are glossed over in our minds and in stories in this vein, and well… it didn’t take long for Sam to find herself oft reminded of her darker days via James. Who remained a polar opposite of Sam by continuing to drink and toy with sobriety and heck, Sam even had to deal with her old boss once again, as her new boss. For Nathaniel took over at her workplace and embarrassed her and that challenged her deeply. For there was a part of her that expected the past to stay there. But the universe loves to bring forth moments where must find resolution and that was really the point of this twist, and eventually… Sam found peace in this new normal.
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However, where this episode set truly shined, was in making it clear that nothing lasts forever and the bubble we build for ourselves, the one that we truly hope will be maintained in that storybook lie we tell ourselves, will eventually burst whether we like it or not. Which was handled by way of the revelation that Olivia sent Sam’s way. In that, with a baby on the way, the time had come for Samantha’s rock, her sponsor, to let Samantha fly and grow on her own. A revelation that terrified Samantha to no end. Because there was reliance and safety there. But truly, that hammered home… that life goes on when we recover, and we do indeed face a bevy of new challenges when we enter our new chapter, and they won’t be easy, and they will test and hurt us and leave us wondering if we can in fact... continue on our new path in a healthy manner.

Which sets the stage, for a powerful second season of storytelling. One that will potentially push Sam to her limits and even her breaking point since these are still fragile days for her and kudos to this series for taking the time to point out all of these lessons and shatter the trope that life is peachy when we hold our heads high. Because that’s just not the case and that kind of honesty is needed. Plus, this episode set also deserves a round of applause for showing us how hard it is to start over in relationships or maintain them when we make changes to our lives. Something put forth by all of Sam’s friends, with Sasha’s journey being of note since she is struggling to reconcile the failure of her marriage and well, all of these elements make us happy and eager for more. Because at long last, a supremely brilliant and powerful series is back on the air and we can now learn all kinds of life lessons alongside Samantha Fink, as year two of this brilliant saga continues along. Until next time.

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