Greetings TV viewers! After watching Showtime’s SMILF season 1 episode 7 last night, I am left with some thoughts on motherhood from actress Sophia Loren who once said that “when you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” Bridgette can absolutely use some of this advice, but part of what makes her so likable is that she is truly trying…one mistake at a time. But it doesn’t necessarily make her a bad mother. It just makes her human. She does tend to think for herself first out of habit, but Larry is still her number one priority. Part of Bridgette’s forgetfulness is not out of lack of love or devotion to her child, it’s just how she is as a person and she’s learning from it with each new day. Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet. In last night’s episode, Bridgette attempts to toilet train Larry and feels an overwhelming sense of boredom creep in, inspiring her to go to the movies. Meanwhile, Tutu faces an emotional breakdown of her own and tries to recover from her encounter with Edmund. My top 5 moments from SMILF season 1 episode 7 are:
5
“Fun….fun….fun.”
Bridgette goes to the playground with Larry and feels the repeated routine of pushing him on a swing take control. She absentmindedly says “fun, fun, fun” over and over with a look of extreme exhaustion and boredom on her face. She later complains that “I’m so bored I think I’m dying.” Bridgette is feeling pressure and is looking to escape even if just for an afternoon.
4
Tutu has an interesting bench conversation with strangers.
After Tutu’s encounter with Edmund, she is left with a mixed bag of emotions, unsure how to deal with the baggage. She leaves her husband in the bathtub and mechanically walks out of the house, not really sure where she is going. When she ends up at the park, she finds herself waist-deep in the water, staring up at the sky contemplating life. Like Bridgette, Tutu feels a desperate need to escape her circumstances and looks for distractions along the way. She sits down next to a father and daughter on a bench and comments that “they burned witches at the stake not far from there” and then starts wondering out loud about what it feels like to be burned alive to their horror. Tutu then aimlessly wanders around the stores, trying on clothes and make-up and having harmless conversations with the employees, but once she leaves the store she is right back where she started with an aching sense of loneliness. When she buys a bunch of scratch offs, her husband climbs up the stairs in exhaustion to let her know they won a boat cruise. This snaps her back into reality and she is so thankful that he felt the need to do that for her, realizing that she does have someone in her life who truly cares for her.
3
Bridgette attempts to toilet train Larry.
In the beginning of the episode, Bridgette is desperately trying to toilet train Larry and keeps commenting to herself that she has no idea what she is doing. She even tries to guilt him into doing it but his adorable “no” to everything she asks, brings a familiar sense of defeat Bridgette’s way. Later, Eliza assumes that the task cannot be that difficult and takes a shot at it, only to face the same results. When it seems like this might never happen, the girls are arguing near the tow-truck lot and Larry successfully sits on a toilet there to Bridgette and Eliza’s surprise. Perhaps Larry had been feeling the pressure before much like his mother, but is ready now for sure.
2
Bridgette brings Larry to the movies during nap time.
Bridgette was super bummed that she could not go to the movies with Eliza when Tutu is unable to watch Larry. However, the boredom at the park was too much to bear. Bridgette realizes that since it is Larry’s nap time, there is no harm in bringing him along. The girls are watching a horror movie and keep commenting on the violent death scenes. A couple behind them begins to pass judgment explaining that it is no place for a child, but Bridgette dismisses them, assuring them that he is asleep. When Larry wakes up, she is disappointed she cannot see the next victim die. Later on the bus, Bridgette asks Larry if he saw the movie and of course he says “yes” innocently. She proceeds to ask him then if he has anxiety or depression because of the movie and he says “yes” to every question, reassuring Bridgette that he was not scarred for life by the movie. However, then she realizes that she hasn’t fed him breakfast or dinner yet. Luckily, a kind stranger on the bus provides her with a diaper and some cheerios.
1
Bridgette asks for help.
Earlier in the episode when Bridgette is at the playground, a woman tells her in Spanish that it is OK to ask for help. These words truly resonated with Bridgette, when she agrees to a ride from a stranger with Eliza and Larry to retrieve her car. Bridgette tries to explain to Eliza the odds of parking in tow-away zones to no avail and then realizes she didn’t check the hours of the lot either. When Larry runs inside, Bridgette goes after him. They find the car and drive up to the gate, not knowing what to do next. A Spanish woman and her daughter approach her and Bridgette tells her that she has a beautiful daughter and then asks her for help. The woman is fearful that her boss might find out she brought her daughter, so she is more than willing to help Bridgette out. She pulls open the gate, as Eliza and Bridgette look at each other in disbelief, realizing they could have done the very same thing. Either way, this moment is important for Bridgette as she now understands that she can’t always be a perfect mother. She is going to make mistakes but her love for Larry and the support from the people around her will keep her in check.
I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and comments on SMILF below. Happy viewing!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl