In case you’ve missed any of the last three episodes of Divorce, check out a quick review of each episode below. (Find Season premiere review here.)
Season 2, Episode 2: “Happy Now?”
Fresh into their divorce, the happy un-couple find themselves in the middle of their first parental battle. Letting anyone know who asks, it’s clear, they’re divorced. And to be clear, both Sarah Jessica Parker (Frances) and Thomas Haden Church (Robert) are simply amazing! Robert shines in a polite way. He owns the single dad thing in a quirky way. The highlight of this episode was his confession to another mom that he’s never had a threesome, leading her on a quest to find a woman or man to tickle their fancy. Who knew people keep a pocket filled with options for a threesome?
Meanwhile bad cop mom Frances feels like their daughter will never like her. After showing up to a school event where she isn’t pictured they get into a shouting match wherein the abrupt awkward silence that only TV often offers, we find SJP yelling “Fuck you!” to her daughter with all the parents watching. Not her shining moment to say the least as a parent, but geez it’s not bad TV. In fact, SJP is so in tune that she wears her hurt, her frustration, her tiredness on her sleeves and in that moment her daughter Lila (Sterling Jerins) gets the brunt of it. And while you’d never want to be caught in such a compromising moment, sometimes it’s true, even parents are off-centered on the other side of a divorce.
Season 2, Episode 3: “Worth It”
Frances and Diane (Molly Shannon) fight to understand the boundaries of their partnership. While the gallery is supposed to be run solely by Frances, Diane just simply can’t let go. SJP fights her way through this episode in an interesting way that lends to identity after divorce. She finds this unknown artist and pours words of encouragement into her, fighting to convince her that she’s amazing, she’s one of a kind, and well—worth it. You can easily see that Frances is fighting for her own identity and her own space in the single world in this episode.
Meanwhile, Robert meets Jackie, a realtor, who puts things in perspective. He’s ready to sell his house. He is working a construction job to get on his feet and he’s ready to fight for his kids. It’s the natural journey you’d expect someone to take on this end of the divorce. Exert yourself into making yourself better, or sit in sadness. He chooses to make his kids his focal point and priority and hopes that in the end, he will sell his house, have his kids and be a super dad! He’s still the kind guy who sucks at dating though. It’s funny to watch. He’s seeing a world where women are forward and if he doesn’t make a move, they will for sure!
Season 2, Episode 4: “Ohio”
Robert’s dad is ill and Frances struggles with not being there for him. In the end, she shows up to the hospital and lends her support. It forces you to think about how family dissolves after a divorce. Do people divorce families or just one another? Even though we are only a few episodes into the season, these two maintain a familiarity you’d expect a couple in transition to have. There are moments that are awkward and some that are filled with memories, laughter and an element of compassion. The more interesting element is that they’ve both ventured into the world of dating, and yet when tragedy strikes, they’re still there for one another. We see the comfort that still hangs around, which is special. It shows that even though there are fights, moments of anger and a custody agreement in place, the two can remain civil, kind and helpful. SJP even curses out Robert’s sister and unbeknownst to her, Robert hears. In the end, they have sex in his dad’s house. Sure they’re not getting back together, but it’s good to land in the arms you are familiar with when you least expect it.
Be sure to catch Divorce on HBO’s each Sunday at 10:00pm.
