What I’m Watching: Shrill

Shrill: Season 2, Episode 3 “Skate” (B+)

As a fellow freelance writer, I can totally understand Annie’s experience of being told just how perfect an applicant she is but that she’s only being offered an unpaid internship. It was much worse for her because she was reminded that most interns get other jobs to make money, which was the very reason she was applying for this job. I think that did catapult her in the right direction even if it took her some time to realize that, and hopefully Gabe will emerge from his mellow state and remember that he rather pleasantly agreed to give her a job again. Ryan going back to his grocery store to tell his former coworker that he was stacking items wrong showed how he’s trying to find his own sense of purpose, and he returned to some sense of that when he went over to his kindred spirits at the party. It was sweet that he told Annie that she was there for her and wouldn’t go over, only to be reassured by her that she saw her friends and appreciated that he wanted to put her first. Saying I love you to each other was nice too, and I’m glad that this show isn’t just following a predictable path that keeps her unemployed and him uncommitted to a real relationship, instead heading in an interesting and creative direction. There is definitely an irreverence to this show and some of the things its minor characters do that isn’t always necessary, but it’s not too distracting or detrimental.