This week starts out with Sam back in the local bar, but this time it’s clear she is sober. She’s looking absolutely miserable, getting annoyed about drinks being spilled on her, and dancing without much enthusiasm next to the intoxicated Felicia who, in contrast, is quite excited to return for a karaoke night.
Walking up to the bartender, Sam gasps, “Is it always this sticky?” This scene is a whole new world for Sober Sam. She collects her tab of club sodas and realizes they were far more expensive than she expected. “Sober doesn’t mean free,” reminds the bartender. In response, Sam steals some olives and celery in plain sight and runs away.
As Sam heads back to a blissful Felicia proclaiming, “It’s like the old days again,” in her own subtle way Sam reminds her that it’s actually not like the old days. She’s 28 days sober and in two days she’s getting her 30 day sober chip.
Returning to AA, Olivia asks Sam why didn’t share today. Sam explains that she was at a bar last night and feels “emotionally hungover.” In no surprise, her sponsor doesn’t enjoy hearing that Sam was at a bar and tells her to avoid places that would trigger her. Sadly, Sam doesn’t seem to know what a social life looks like beyond alcohol. Olivia shares some viable options, like going to the movies or joining a jog club, but also reveals she’s using her spare time to go to stressful IVF appointments.
Sam notes that she doesn’t have many friends who don’t hate her. “They’ll forgive you eventually,” Olivia advises and then reminds Sam that she’s not in the place to start making amends, “An amends is action… rebuilding a bridge.” This waiting game doesn’t resonate with Sam.
Back at her mother’s house, Carol anxiously sets up for her spiritual book club and shoos Sam away from any horderves. Sam offers her grocery discount at Giovannis’, but is still instructed to vacate the area. Her mother hasn’t told her book club about Sam’s “situation” and shares that she doesn’t intend to. Instead, she wants to cover it up with a lie. Once more, in her own subtle way, Sam suggests telling the truth because getting that 30 day chip is a step forward. Carol minimally acknowledges Sam’s good news.
Scrolling through Instagram, Sam sees her ex-boyfriend Joel shout out his “Fiance-Bae” Brit in honor of her birthday at Rollerland. Sam sends a text over to Felicia with a sudden, not-suspicious, and completely original idea to go roller skating. The good news: She’s going to Roller-land, a non-triggering outing. The bad news: She’s going to make amends.
With Felicia’s son Zack in tow, Sam catches a glance of Brit and Joel happily skating to the Cupid Shuffle. Sam is distracted by this public display, but her god-son Zack is ready to skate and tells Sam to put the skates on. Running into Joel immediately, Joel says he’s glad to see her, although it “feels awkward when asking for deli meat” from an ex. It’s another comment that doesn’t make Joel appear as a redeemable ex.
Not listening to her sponsor, Sam shares that she is “here to make amends” with Brit as she approaches. Brit, looking dolled up for her birthday celebration, isn’t thrilled to see Sam show up, but let’s Sam say her piece… which opened with, “Did you get my Venmo?”
In book club, Carol’s group discusses generational trauma, but Carol looks quite uncomfortable and disengaged. Perhaps, it’s hitting home. The other women address their part in creating generational trauma, while also finding community in their struggles with it. When asked if she has discussed the book with her daughter, Carol quickly claims she hasn’t had the time.
The doorbell rings and we’re surprised to see the familiar face of Sam’s probation officer, Gail. She needs to check in for residence verification and needs to see a gas bill. Carol is shaken as she doesn’t want this guest to ruin her facade about Sam’s situation, so she makes Gail stay right in front of the door. Bob proves to be the more welcoming one in the relationship as he invites her into the living room. Carol grabs Bob in the kitchen, explaining Gail’s presence is going to reveal Sam’s “weird relationship with alcohol.” She doesn’t dare to call it what it is: alcoholism.
Skating back to the exchange between two ex-besties, Sam tries her best at the whole amends thing, but it’s not even close to good enough. She starts off strong, “You were there when I couldn't be for when my dad was sick and I really appreciate that.” This is huge to know as a viewer because that's a very selfless act from Brit. Sam continues on, but just goes downhill from there. She’s sorry that she ghosted Brit in New York when she came to visit… but Brit was kind of “treating [Sam] like sh*t” and dating her ex. The amends quickly turn into word vomit meets self-justification. Brit points out all the “buts” and says that she really needed this evening, after a long week of work and Sam is making that impossible. Sam questions Brit’s work and shows that she hasn’t been a great listener or a great friend. Seems like Olivia was right: it’s too early to make amends.
On that note, Felicia comes over and makes a misguided attempt to defend Sam, but Brit begs her to, “Stop with the mafia act.” Putting the pieces together that it’s Brit’s birthday, Felicia addresses Sam’s master scheme to see Brit. “You didn’t want to see me and Zach, you just needed a ride,” Felicia exclaims.
At this moment, Sam’s relationship with her one remaining friend starts to crumble and Felicia storms out feeling used. Her final gesture of getting Sam her favorite kind of corn dog shows a different side of Felicia: a consistently caring and attentive friend.“People told me this and I didn’t want to believe it,” she says as she packs her son into the car, “You just see me as your drinking buddy.” Suddenly this new side of Felicia is the only side of Felicia that we’re seeing: a full time mom, a full time employee, trying to be a full time friend. “I gotta move stuff around. I do that because of you,” Felicia reveals. Viewers, along with Sam, start to recognize that it’s not Sam’s friends with the problems about their alcohol-led evenings, it has been Sam all along.
Abandoned at Roller-land with no license and a terrible Uber-rating, Sam has to hitch a ride home from Brit and Joel.
Back at book club, Gail is having a great time, but Carol is not. She’s trying to cover up Sam’s past with a “digital” cover story, but she cannot back it up. Eventually she breaks, “My daughter is a felon… Are you all happy now?” Gail notes Carol’s tension and suggests that it might just be anger. She’s right because in that same breath Carol throws a plate of appetizers to the ground. Bob congratulates his girlfriend for “walking in [her] truth.”
The Sobriety Calendar hits 30 days and Sam gets that chip. “It feels bad and good at the same time,” Sam says to her sponsor. Olivia explains that this feeling means Sam is on the right path and throws in an extra good nugget of wisdom for both Sam and the audience at home: “Show up for the people that matter and they will start showing up for you.”
Sam goes back to Good Time Sally’s to make amends for her terrible display of making amends and meets up with Felicia. “I’m up next to sing,” Felicia rushes her and solidifies her place as the fan-fave character of the week. This time, Sam does a better job of apologizing and addressing that she is the problem. She clarifies that Felicia is a reliable friend and it’s refreshing to see Felcia in this light. Proving her point, Felicia is the first person beyond the walls of AA to congratulate Sam on her 30 days. In fact, as they share the stage in a moment of rebirth and unity she gets the whole bar to congratulate her friend Sam for her big milestone.
We are then gifted a song from the vocals of Felicia (AKA Glee Project alum Lily Mae) as she takes the lead for karaoke. Sam is hesitant, but by the end she’s also putting her whole heart into the performance. The episode ends with the reunited and revitalized pair rocking out to the masterpiece that is “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. What more could you want?
Single Drunk Female airs Thursdays at 10:30pm ET and streams on Hulu the next day.