What I’m Watching: Shrill

Shrill: Season 2, Episode 5 “Wedding” (B+)

It felt a bit strange to follow up an episode that ended with Annie and Ryan in a weird place with an installment set entirely away from everything in her life, but it was also a fitting and much-needed trip. Fran has been featured somewhat regularly in this season, searching for meaning in her life, and she clearly has a lot of baggage that comes from her upbringing and her lack of traditional success. I immediately recognized the actor portraying her father as Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, who delivered a very compelling performance as an immigrant living in the United States in the film “Farewell Amor,” which premiered at Sundance. Asking in front of the entire table if Annie was going to fornicate with his son again was indeed very embarrassing, but Annie deserves credit for resisting his somewhat expected advance and sleeping in the same bed as him when Fran passed out. Lamar telling her that at least she got away from the guy who mistreated her gave her pause, and that’s something she’ll have to confront when she gets back to reality. Fran was not happy at all to hear that her mother had been telling people that she was applying to law school, and, after some uncomfortable conversations, she got some degree of acceptance for the person she is, the way she feels, and what she has chosen to do with her life. It may not be a perfect relationship, but it was sweet to see them achieve some degree of growth.