Sam Fink has grown up.
On Single Drunk Female Season 1 Episode 7, Sam’s visit to New York triggered terrible memories of her drinking days, and she didn’t want to become that person again.
Let’s discuss how Sam and James have grown and celebrate those successes.
Skipping the time jump in this episode worked since we saw how Sam coped with visiting New York. Every park bench or parking lot reminded her of her past, but she wasn’t sure what.
Sam: We passed a parking lot. Something definitely happened there, but I don’t know what.
James: I get it. I worked at this restaurant in high school. I don’t remember anything about it, just the drinks.
Whether they become a couple or not, Sam and James relate to each other differently than she does with other friends since he understands the road to recovery.
No one really gets Sam. Nathaniel was an utter jerk, making Smug Media the most awkward interview ever. He wasn’t interested in her triumphs becoming sober.
Nathaniel wanted to use her embarrassing moments like throwing up on a Ferris Wheel and cash in on them.
Nathaniel acted like a colossal jerk. Perhaps, Smug Media did cater more to a snarky audience than a smart one, but his attitude seemed as if he hadn’t forgiven Sam for assaulting him with the phone.
He almost took pleasure in inquiring if that was when she hit rock bottom.
There wasn’t really a specific thing but more like a hole I kept digging and digging. I ruined my relationship with my mom. I ruined my relationship with my mom. I was impossible to date. I ended up in a broken, empty shell of a human being.
Sam
He seemed fascinated in reliving her “Old Sam” moments instead of celebrating her growth and triumph.
Sam has come so far, and she should be proud that she’s seven months sober.
Nathaniel made matters worse when he invited Sam out to meet some of the other team members. When he told her to be herself, he meant to be the persona he wanted.
Just be yourself, not your old self, but your new self, but not the new self from today. Focus on the fun parts and don’t worry about the sad stuff.
Nathaniel
I wanted to throttle that guy. He insulted Sam for eating a hot dog and then made sexist comments for liking all kinds of women.
It was borderline sexual harassment.
Nathaniel made matters worse by announcing that Sam was their top candidate for the party reporter position but that she was sober.
In addition, Nathaniel initially told Sam that the position was to cover local events. Now, he made it sound like she would have to check out the New York bar scene.
Why would you offer a newly sober person a job like that?
Sam looked ill when she heard that the last reporter partied so hard he lost custody of his kids and his job. She came to New York to start over, not return to her old life.
Sam remembered what Olivia taught her about triggers, and she ran out of that bar. She looked physically ill at those job prospects, and it’s horrifying that anyone would want to flaunt an alcoholic’s partying mistakes like that.
James fared much better presenting his sobriety app. Even if he made nervous jokes initially, he could impress the team.
Since James was a recovering alcoholic, he understood what other recovering alcoholics need, and that’s support.
His app connected them to a network of other recovering alcoholics and tracking apps to aid their progress.
The company loved it so much they wanted to make it official immediately.
Company owner: I can’t tell if you’re excited or terrified.
James: Well I’m an alcoholic
As James admitted, success was scary. After so many years of failing and being an alcoholic, it was terrifying to think of succeeding.
I don’t know how to feel. There’s an odd comfort to failure.
James
That might be what’s keeping James from taking the next step with Sam. Obviously, he likes her, and she has him wrapped around her finger.
That could be the problem since Sam didn’t even remember their one-night stand, and he wanted her to be one-year sober before they tried again.
However, as James and Sam shared more important details about their lives, it became harder to say no to each other.
Bob tried to treat Sam like one of his kids by giving her some money to survive in the city.
Of course, Sam thought it was her mom and called her to thank her. She even told her she loved her, something I don’t think Sam has said before.
Carol overreacted to Bob’s gesture, but it upset her that Sam’s dad wasn’t there to make these fatherly gestures anymore.
Mother and daughter grieved at the same time. Sam had blocked out details about her dad’s death for so long, and that bench in New York brought it all back to her. It was one of the worst nights of her life and yet another trigger of the city.
Olivia preached a lot about triggers, but there are so many complications in her marriage. Stephanie got irritated every time Olivia texted Sam to offer encouragement, as she had previously.
To be fair, Stephanie wanted to select sperm donors to begin their IVF, and Olivia wasn’t paying attention.
Olivia: Yes, let’s select some semen.
Stephanie: No, it’s not a yucky game show. It’s DNA.
Those two need marriage counseling before they have a baby. They need to settle their priorities since Olivia works where she counsels people at all hours. However, her wife and family should be a priority.
Olivia and Stephanie need to talk with a marriage counselor and an IVF specialist to determine what time commitment is insolvent and if their stress level can handle it.
Over to you, Single Drunk Female Fanatics. Are you impressed that Sam realized that job offer wasn’t a good fit for her? Do you think James and Sam will become a couple?
Should Olivia and Stephanie get counseling before having a baby? Chime in below in the comments.
Remember, if you missed any episodes, you can watch Single Drunk Female online right here via TV Fanatic.
Single Drunk Female airs at 9/8c on Thursdays on Freeform.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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