What I’m Watching: Breeders (Season Finale)

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 10 “No More Part Two” (B+)

There’s no better way to resolve - or at least postpone - a major, potentially life-changing conversation than an emergency or tragedy interrupting it. Ava opting to go see Grace before she went to check on her grandfather could have had devastating consequences, and she did blame herself briefly before it turned out that he was going to be fine. Jackie realizing that she needed to take care of Jim was likely influenced by the fact that it wasn’t just confusion that caused him to take all of those pills at once. Ava came to a great conclusion after talking to Grace and Susie, and it’s very true that she may be able to do much more going to a school whose reputation isn’t as stellar as the one she could have gone to since she’ll be able to stand out more. I love that, after giving Luke an ultimatum, Jacob confessed that he knew he was being unreasonable, and offered a typically mature snack of chocolate liqueurs. If he does end up with Ruby, it’s going to be awkward, but being friends with her at least sounds like a good start. Darren being forced to sit through Ally and Paul’s fight was unfortunate for him, especially since he’s considering dating Gabby, which isn’t necessarily the best idea. But what Paul said about there not being a point to them being together isn’t going away, and ending with them unsure of what to do next was a powerful way to close out the season. I truly hope there will be more of this show coming soon - this season was superb.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 9 “No More Part One” (B+)

The events of the previous episode appear to have had tremendous consequences, even if they’re not being felt most by the two parents we’re used to seeing being spotlighted. Jim playing scrabble with Ava showed once again how she may just be the most mature person on this show, though she’s also having her own issues dealing with Grace not wanting to see her and how she feels like she’s done everything right yet everyone still hates her. Compulsively buying a waffle maker and a chocolate fountain because he thought gadgets would save him was funny at first but then revealed a much deeper sadness, especially when he yelled at the TV that they couldn’t fool him, you couldn’t fry food with air. That scene with Jim starting to talk to Jackie on the couch only to realize that she wasn’t there and her watching it and thinking that Jim would know who that actor was encapsulated the pain of separation for a couple at their age, and I really hope that things don’t end the way it seems they will after Jim’s decision to take all of his pills at once. Paul barely introducing Gabby to Ally was not a good move, and Ally was right to point out that this was the same thing his father did, an avoidable instance had he told her about it. Just as Luke is finally back on great terms with a sashimi-loving Jacob, he’s going to drive himself crazy by struggling to hide the fact that Ruby is now in his band.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 8 “No Way Back” (A-)

This show has always been able to subtly incorporate drama into its lighter storylines, but this episode managed to showcase two supporting players in a way that it hasn’t done so compellingly since the sudden death of Ally’s father back in season one. Jackie and Jim have largely been comedic relief, particularly when they talked recently about what checking your privilege means, and this was the first real opportunity to see their marriage examined in a way that didn’t involve Paul, even though he was present for it. Jackie seemed particularly attached to the idea of doing their ritual trip that brought back good memories, and it was clear that she was waiting for the right moment to tell him what she had witnessed with Jim and Chrissy. He didn’t waste any time before blurting it out to his father, who reacted in an unexpected way and appeared to be more upset with Paul for bringing it up now than anything else. Jim also expressed resentment to Paul for demanding an explanation for disappointing his expectations of what being a man meant, and how they always had to tiptoe around Paul so that he wouldn’t blow up. Jackie was insistent on not just letting things go as usual, and the revelation that Jim hadn’t actually slept with Chrissy but instead was going out to dinner for Italian food with her every week stung more, particularly because she had always worried about him being lonely when he was traveling. Paul telling his parents that what they had built together was worth preserving but him in the very unusual position of being the child, a remarkable pivot given everything he’s endured recently as a parent himself.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 7 “No Pressure” (B+)

The way that this show incorporates its casual flashbacks makes it mesmerizing to watch, particularly when it comes to the state of Paul and Ally’s marriage, which seemed to be in a lot of trouble at the end of the previous episode. Things were much better when they were chatting in the waiting room of the dentist’s office, and they almost went into the bathroom together when Ally remembered an earlier instance when they had done that. Ally kept repeating that it was just so nice for the two of them to be together talking, and it was definitely sweet to see that. Talking about walking on landmines rather than eggshells did exemplify the way that Paul goes from zero to sixty at almost every opportunity, and that was absolutely a good way to describe his reaction to Ava purposely failing her exam. For all the issues she’s had recently with responding to Ava and what she needed from her, Ally said exactly the right thing, first when she was upset that Grace had failed the practice exam and then when she acknowledged to Ally that her theory had been right all along and that she had failed on purpose. Ending the episode with Paul raging and Ava very upset was not promising. At least Luke managed to get back on good terms with Jacob, whose every word of dialogue is hilariously so much older than he is, talking like a person with infinitely more life experience and not finding the way others respond to him strange.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 6 “No Show” (B+)

It was interesting to see how Paul dealt with his work situation in this episode, forced to break the news to those he had previously been able to fund that the money wasn’t going to be available in the future but ready to stand up in a polite way for what he felt was important. Brandon was surprisingly receptive and said yes right away to a yearlong extension of funding, though I worry that will just lead to Paul being told that he’s already been accommodated the next time he brings something up. I like that he left to go home and screamed into Luke’s pillow, which he offered again as an option, and that he was relieved that the crisis Luke was having was Ruby asking him if she should break up with Jacob. That didn’t seem to go well, but given that Jacob was already ignoring him, maybe it will ultimately be good, especially if he and Ruby give dating a try. Ally getting the concert tickets for Ava was a huge win, but it being the wrong night completely undid it, and Ava said some very hurtful things that she did really feel. Paul feeling good about himself came at the wrong time, and Ally expressing her resentment towards him for Ava hating her is likely to have resounding implications, certainly on how she views things. Jim slowly coming around to the need to say goodbye to Chrissy was sweet, though the intimacy he was indicating when Jackie saw him kiss her hand seemed to suggest a closeness that wasn’t a good thing.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 5 “No Can Do” (B+)

It’s so interesting to see how Ally and Paul have different approaches to their work, with Ally dead-set on doing everything she can to save her business while Paul got so set on the promotion even though he admitted that he’s not an ambitious guy and is happy where he is. Ally was ready to channel her anger to allow herself to achieve even more before it all hit her following Leah and Alex’s offer to help fund her company, and ditching Ava’s birthday party to drive an hour to get her medication felt like a release she really needed, even if Ava is going to resent her for a while because of it. Grace being picked up because her cousin died and then returning in the middle of everyone singing happy birthday to Ava was uncomfortable, but, unlike Jacob, who isn’t realizing what his best friend needs, Grace acknowledged the unfortunate timing and Ava hadn’t wanted a fuss anyway. Paul’s conversations with Luke continue to be the best part of this show right now, and I like that Paul talked to Luke rather than Ally because he figured that he would be able to relate. Acknowledging that he had never lost his temper at work was an important step, as was his unexpected decision to go ahead and apologize and be forced to gleefully agree to changes that Brandon wanted to make after just having arrived from Chicago. The best line of the episode was Jackie’s summary of checking your privilege: “the same as counting your blessings, but you’re supposed to feel guiltier.”

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 4 “No Body” (B+)

This episode found each of these four characters dealing with their own personal issues and not communicating quite as much as they usually do, and it was fascinating to see how they all reacted. Paul having a nightmare about becoming old made sense given his newfound medical issues, and talking about it as if it was the end of the world didn’t sit well with Ally, particularly when he brought it up during a parent-teacher conference. Mentioning her menopause as a competition of sorts didn’t make it any better, and after lashing out at Paul for calling her “mate” like she was the plumber, they had an important talk about how Paul always rushes to defend Ava when Ally would appreciate some support coming her way too. Darren’s outlook is bleak and not productive, and though it’s an uphill battle, Ally should be able to find a creative way out of the hole. There’s a tenderness to Luke’s friendship with Jacob best expressed by him noting that it’s nice just to hang out, but unfortunately his impossibly mature best bud is too obsessed with romance with Ruby and not so interested in Jacob anymore. Susie is also drawing boundaries with Ava in a way that’s not impolite but still stings. In all this, I most appreciated Paul’s heartfelt attempts to bolster Jacob’s confidence, ordering him an amp and encouraging him to wear the jacket he bought so that people will think he’s cool and that this could be the thing that he’s been waiting for all along. It’s nice to see that considering how things started earlier this season.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 3 “No Comfort” (B+)

This show is exceptional at slipping subtly into drama, which it did previously with another hospital visit and here showcased in the ending of this episode when Paul was told that he wouldn’t have to wait long at all because his condition was apparently quite severe. Luke was actually doing quite well leading up to this by understanding that Paul was only lashing out at him in the way that used to be normal for him because he was in terrible pain, which is quite mature given that Paul was acting exactly the way he always did. That also came in the same episode as he thought that welcoming Leah and Alex back with party hats was a bit stupid, though I’d argue he gets many more points for being understanding of his dad even though this was a test of whether he had really changed and he was essentially showing that he hadn’t. Luke wasn’t the only one who had to deal with an angry Paul, with Leah getting a harsh admonishment from him about how she was complaining that her husband was far too nice. Inviting Luke to have a beer and hang out was a humorous development, one that Ally found quite appalling and knew meant that he needed to go see a doctor, and it’s no surprise that he would think he knew best and that no one else should be advising him on what to do. Ally’s interaction with Susie was especially interesting, starting off on a very confrontational note and turning into something much more unexpected.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 2 “No Worries” (B+)

Well, this was sweet, and so logical too. Paul not pushing to be back at home and giving Luke the space he needed made their outing together all that much more pleasant, and then Luke was the one to invite Paul to come back and stay at the house. His reasoning made complete sense: he had another panic attack, and Paul wasn’t the reason. This is sure not to be the last of their problems, but it’s at least good to see that there’s hope for the two of them and some growth on Luke’s part as Paul demonstrated the restraint that has escaped him for much of his adult life. Showing up with a fake excuse about Nana June having hours to live – and clarifying that she wasn’t an actual relative since those kinds of stories have a tendency to be proven wrong – to get him out of having to do a terrible American accent was funny, and I like that Jacob offered his very sincere condolences for Paul’s imminent loss. Ally didn’t have quite as good a time when Darren showed up to wreck her whole livelihood, and he was doing much worse with it than she was. Trying to blame her because she left Berlin did not go well, and she didn’t need the added stress of finding out that her prescription apparently wasn’t going to be available for at least ten months. With Paul out of the house and her not wanting to stress her mom out anymore, Ava chose a different adult to confide in about what she’s going through as the child who isn’t the center of her parents’ attention and is now taking steps to keep it that way.

What I’m Watching: Breeders (Season Premiere)

Breeders: Season 3, Episode 1 “No Direction Home” (B+)

This really is a lovely and underrated show, and it’s nice that it’s been one of the most dependable series since the start of the pandemic, debuting a week or two before things officially got bad in the United States and returning each year around the same time for more. I had forgotten how things ended with Luke saying that he and Paul couldn’t be in the house at the same time, and this episode provided some informative flashbacks about the history of their relationship. Paul, to his credit, was trying hard, clearly annoyed and angry about being banned from his own house but aware that his temper was the problem that had caused it in the first place. I don’t love the idea of him making friends with his female neighbor and not clarifying that he was very much still married and just going through issues with his child, not his wife. Coming over to have dinner was nice and pleasant enough, but Luke threatening to leave just emphasized the fact that he wasn’t going to give in and that nothing had changed. Referencing how impactful his father yelling at his sister when they finally found her was made sense given what we saw, but Paul, as a parent, knows that it’s not the full picture, and that the reason he wasn’t so focused on her that day was because Luke needed all of his attention. Ava talking to Paul on the security camera to let him know how she felt when Luke got to decide everything at her expense was both sweet and sad, and this can’t go on for long since she’s going to grow to resent Luke, and Ally as a result, even more.

What I’m Watching: Breeders (Season Finale)

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 10 “No Power, Part II” (B+)

It’s stressful to watch this episode and not know if this show will return for more episodes, but I really, sincerely hope it does. I now interpret this episode’s title as an indicator of the power that Paul currently doesn’t have in his relationship with his son, unable to assert himself as the father of a child because Luke can no longer tolerate his father’s aggression enough to even be in the same house as him. Flashing forward to Leah and Alex’s wedding when there was talk of how Luke wouldn’t be able to stay there once they left for their honeymoon made the mystery dissipate, instead focusing things on how Paul could repair their rapport. This show’s uncomfortable humor made its biggest and best appearance in this episode when Ally was offering unhelpful information up to the investigating officers that painted them as terrible, dangerous parents and didn’t actively serve the situation at all. Seeing how well Luke and Alex got along indicated what Luke really wanted from Paul, and I found the moment in which Paul helped him open the car door and then smiled as the two of them drove off together very poignant, indicative of how Paul could be there in the way that Luke needed him to be. Paul deciding to move out so that Luke could feel comfortable at home was a startling and major decision, but one that he realized was necessary to show the lengths he was willing to go to for his children. Ava calling him to say goodnight was sweet and a great way to close out what hopefully won’t be the last moment of this series. I’d also like to take a moment to acknowledge the quiet hilarity of Jim and Jackie arguing about the lyrics to a song they wanted played as the poor pianist was trying to perform. Let’s get this show brought back for season three, and how about Emmy nominations for the entire cast while we’re at it?

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 9 “No Power, Part I” (B+)

I did not realize that this was the second-to-last episode of the season, and I’m even sadder because this show has yet to be renewed for a much-deserved third round. We’ve seen this rift between Paul and Ally festering all season while Paul’s relationship with Luke has ebbed and flowed as Paul has tried to keep his anger in check and Luke has opened up about what he’s feeling. Ally has observed this and tried to warn Paul not to do what he did by begging him to stop reading the messages he saw that Luke was sending Jacob through his account. Though Paul made a joke about it, Ally was quick to point out that they usually go with her way because it’s the smarter and more measured response. While Paul was uncharacteristically calm at first when he brought it up with Luke, he completely lost it when his computer died and then the power went out, and it was worse because, once again ignoring Ally’s urging, he lashed out at him in front of all their guests. Holding Luke and not letting him go seemed to be working until Luke punched him in the face and then ran away, a sign that he’s not going to just take this treatment anymore and forcing Paul to consider how he can be an authoritative parent without terrorizing his child. Though it was only in the background in this episode, I really enjoyed how clueless Paul’s parents were about showing up early to their own party and that Paul stopped to apologize to Alex after being rather unpleasant to him.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 8 “No Friends” (B+)

This episode hit at something that I think is very relatable for a lot of couples, which is that a man who prefers to spend his time at home or by himself believes that he’s actually quite popular and socializes a lot, when in reality if, as Ally posited, they got divorced everyone would come to Ally’s party instead of his. He missed the point completely on that when he saw Dean and poured all of his energy into reinvigorating that relationship, continually pissing Ally off by spending every night with him and staying up much too late. Ally’s yearning for the best friend who had become her husband was effectively-communicated in the flashbacks to her and Paul making fun of people as they walked in, and it was great to see the episode end on a similar note that suggested they were headed back to a good place. It was hilarious to see how the two of them responded to Jacob calling them by their first names and seeming like a completely mature adult, despite his apparently mischievous nature that serves as part of the reason Luke was so enamored with him. Ava not liking Grace was an interesting plotline, and it was good to see how Ally handled that situation. I thought Jim and Jackie were just as out of touch with reality as always when they described their close relationship with the neighbors they were going to have to leave, but it turns out that wasn’t the case at all and they did in fact forge a bond, which is nice to know.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 7 “No Excuses” (B+)

It was jarring to see Paul so angry and distraught by those flashes of Ally with another man, and Luke was rightfully worried that he was distracted and going so fast. That resentment couldn’t possibly last, and it’s good to know that things have mostly been resolved between them. The look on Ally’s face when Paul demeaned Luke’s account of his panic attack as just something that he had to get used to demonstrated how her concern over the way he was treating his son trumped anything that she might have done to make him upset. Fortunately, they seemed to end on a much better note, with Luke headed back to school under the guise of him having been sent home for breaking the rules instead of leaving because he didn’t have his pillow. There’s a stark difference between Ally’s mother and Paul’s parents and even the speed at which they move, with Leah showing up to announce her engagement to Alex and the start of a new chapter in their lives at the same general time as Jim and Jackie were disappointed not to be spending the day at the house with Luke so that they could watch season two of “The Wire.” Though it didn’t end up amounting to much, I enjoyed seeing Darren accidentally touch something in the editing booth and then completely lie to Ally about it as soon as she came back in and asked what he had done. We don’t see enough of Ally’s work life anymore, and I’d be open to that being featured more.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 6 “No Choice” (B+)

Things progressed very quickly from Ally thinking she was pregnant in the last episode to them trying IVF, though Ally evidently wasn’t on board with the whole thing, something she tried desperately to communicate to an either uninterested or unavailable audience. Keeley would have been a great sounding board but she had other problems to deal with, and Darren was hardly a suitable substitute, so out of touch with what Ally needed. As usual, it’s those flashbacks that really make the episode, with Ally and Paul being enamored with their home when they first saw it and Paul dubbed every single room the “sex room.” Ally responded honestly when Paul talked about finding his dream home, and I think that both having another child and finding another place to live are things that aren’t going to happen anytime soon. I imagine that her kissing another man won’t be a lingering issue, but it wasn’t a great moment – at least he recoiled right away. Jim and Jackie weren’t being particularly helpful in their comments to Ally, and even their big planned move didn’t end up happening when the size of their fish and chips helped clue them in to the fact that the idyllic setting they wanted to have as their daily life wasn’t what it used to be. I’m enjoying the brief moments of interaction we get between Paul and the kids, and Paul’s total shock at Luke’s willingness to give up his cell phone – presumably because he didn’t have any bars anyway – was a close second to Luke reluctantly accepting stuff being stored in his area when Paul sarcastically offered to take it all back down four flights of stairs.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 5 “No Baby” (B+)

One of the most powerful elements of this show is something that’s far from original: the interspersing of flashbacks with moments from the present. Every time we see Paul try to control his anger, we’re treated to the explanation for why he wants to do so because we see what happened a previous time when he completely lost his temper. The best instance of that in this episode was Ally remembering how horribly Paul responded when she told him she was pregnant with Ava, which of course made her put off telling him that she was once again pregnant. He ended up being the one to bring it up, even if he didn’t think he was being serious, and he actually did a decent job of being legitimately surprised and uncertain about what to do but not negatively dismissive of the entire thing. Ally consoling Ava after she heard the comment about how hard the post-pregnancy time was turned out to very sweet, and it was probably good for her to have that great motherly moment before she found out that she wasn’t actually pregnant but instead experiencing perimenopause. Seeing how Paul and Ally dealt with the news that Luke had lied to them and was in fact smoking was entertaining, and they really do choose their battles since making too big a deal of it might have ended up sending the wrong message. Ally’s mother asking Ally if she had told him she was pregnant in front of Paul was pretty hilarious, and I enjoyed all of the reactions that came immediately after that.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 4 “No Faith” (B+)

I love how Paul tries to navigate everything that comes up with his children so carefully since he knows that they’re automatically going to be worried that he’ll overreact and get very angry. The look on his face when he saw his daughter praying and crossing herself was priceless, and he went about it in exactly the right way, asking her what she believed and felt and then encouraging the behavior if it was something that she wanted to do. Praising her intelligence but questioning her faith in her grandfather’s prayers being somehow responsible for Luke getting better was also done surprisingly sensitively, to his true credit. He wasn’t quite as gentle with his parents, affirming that he too hoped they would die before him when they told they weren’t infirm but were definitely not firm. Exploring with his father how him turning away from religion hurt his mother was interesting, and it’s good to have those two around to make Paul think constantly about his choices and attitudes. Keeley’s sudden return seemed like enough of a disruption to what counts as regular routine for this bunch, but it seems like Ally is about to add an entirely unexpected new factor to the equation which should change things very dramatically. I thought Ally just couldn’t stand the idea of being vegan and that’s why she was sneaking meat from the refrigerator, coupled with the severe hangover she was nursing, but it looks like Keeley’s hunch was right and another baby may be on the way for these stunned parents.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 3 “No Connection” (B+)

That opening scene did seem a bit too good to be true, with all four members of the family sitting down to enjoy an appropriate beverage of their choice while they watched the ice skating series together. The reality was far more appropriate for this show, with no one wanting to other than Paul and him deciding to have a drink and unplug the router to get his revenge. Forcing everyone to watch later instead of other activities like, say, doing homework didn’t go all that well, and Ally seemed most flustered by his abandonment of the notion of consent. It was clear right away that Paul was not going to be a fan of George when he met him at taekwondo, and Ava seemed particularly embarrassed by her father’s sudden interest in the sport for the first time in that moment. Ally asking if Paul was having an affair when he brought her coffee indicated how rarely that happens, and though he hasn’t lost much of his temper, Paul does seem to be softening a bit as he thinks about what he really wants. His parents’ new neighbors calling the police on his mom and not understanding the request he had made on her behalf was an unfortunate development, and I can imagine that situation – and Paul’s patience – is going to devolve over time. We haven’t seen much of Ally’s work lately, but spending an entire day with a woman whose only job was to scream repeatedly into a microphone hardly sounds all that pleasant.

What I’m Watching: Breeders

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 2 “No Fear” (B+)

Calling this show a comedy has never felt entirely accurate, especially when it features an ending like this one that shows that its characters from all three generations aren’t feeling at all resolved about what happened over the course of this episode. I remember the untimely death of Ally’s father being one of the most poignant moments of season one, and here we got to start off comically with her mother, who insisted on pronouncing a hard “t” in dementia and lecturing her children on how eating makes you fat. Like Ally, I thought she was just feigning nervousness about the security of her situation to get to spend some time with her friendly neighbor, but that parting shot indicated that she is actually afraid. Similarly, Luke not sleeping was more than just keeping his phone on at night or falling behind in school, and Paul and Ally aren’t quite on the same page about how they want to proceed with him being officially diagnosed or taking medication to help concentrate and feel good. Paul flashing back to earlier memories with a younger Luke was sweet, particularly because, for once, he wasn’t yelling at his kids, and it enabled him to take a softer approach to helping him now. Paul’s father was perhaps the most comforting, assuring Paul that he turned out great and that he would know exactly what to do when he got to his son. Paul working through his anger has been a fascinating plotline, and it’s nice to see him shine and be there in just the way his kids need him to be.

What I’m Watching: Breeders (Season Premiere)

Breeders: Season 2, Episode 1 “No Surrender” (B+)

I’m so glad to have this show back – it was one of my favorite new series of last year and I had completely forgotten about its existence in the almost full year since season one ended (aside from to praise it as one of the top new series at the end of 2020). The first of these two new episodes was a great reintroduction to these characters, showing Luke and Ava as real people who are going to give their parents even more of a challenge as they develop personalities and turn into teenagers. Paul cycling through therapists who don’t want to hear that anger is healthy and who are unsurprisingly not flattered by his assessment that it was mostly time wasted is an entertaining and helpful framing device, especially since he’s evidently not doing a superb job of controlling his anger. Ally getting even more upset was less expected, but luckily everything seems to have worked out okay for now, with Paul connecting even more deeply than before with his son when he found out he was just spending time by himself, getting to return the camera neither of them really wanted, and Ava getting a phone so she could walk home from school on her own. I enjoyed Paul talking to his parents about technology, parenting, and responsibility, and how he misinterpreted his father emphasizing the bigger picture as a metaphor rather than a comment about the actual size of the new television Paul had just hooked up for them.