Are the kids on Better Things supposed to be monsters? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-16-2019, 07:57 PM

https://slate.com/culture/2019/03/be...r-hostage.html

"Are Sam’s daughters to-be-tolerated pains in the ass, or are they spoiled hellspawn whose mild sociopathy is never acknowledged by their mom?" Inkoo Kang asks of Pamela Adlon's FX comedy. She adds: "The majority of the scenes with Max, Frankie, and Duke—and Sam’s willingness to silently put up with whatever bullsh*t they fling at her—makes Adlon’s fictional persona less like the everymom she’s clearly intended to be and more a victim of her own making. We’re supposed to relate to Sam’s willingness to give until she’s got nothing left, but that’s hard when all I wanna do as a viewer lately is scream at her, Grow a spine! Learn what boundaries are! It won’t traumatize your kids if you yell at them once in a while!"

cbikle · 03-17-2019, 08:19 PM

I partially chalk it up to the California/showbiz environment. but there was one episode where Sam really went after her kids for being brats.

I really like the show.

03-16-2019, 07:57 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,334	Are the kids on Better Things supposed to be monsters? https://slate.com/culture/2019/03/be...r-hostage.html "Are Sam’s daughters to-be-tolerated pains in the ass, or are they spoiled hellspawn whose mild sociopathy is never acknowledged by their mom?" Inkoo Kang asks of Pamela Adlon's FX comedy. She adds: "The majority of the scenes with Max, Frankie, and Duke—and Sam’s willingness to silently put up with whatever bullsh*t they fling at her—makes Adlon’s fictional persona less like the everymom she’s clearly intended to be and more a victim of her own making. We’re supposed to relate to Sam’s willingness to give until she’s got nothing left, but that’s hard when all I wanna do as a viewer lately is scream at her, Grow a spine! Learn what boundaries are! It won’t traumatize your kids if you yell at them once in a while!"

03-17-2019, 08:19 PM	#2
cbikle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 15, 2019 Posts: 113	I partially chalk it up to the California/showbiz environment. but there was one episode where Sam really went after her kids for being brats. I really like the show.