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"Somebody Somewhere"

 Among many other strengths, "Somebody Somewhere" has special insights into the sibling bond between children of a mentally ill parent (i.e., all children everywhere).


Trish--the MVP on this show--walks all over her sister. We sense that Trish is tightly wound in all contexts, but her behavior with Sam is sometimes deplorable. Showing up fifty minutes early (without warning), then expressing impatience when Sam hasn't anticipated the change in plans. Last-minute canceling a social event (again, without warning) because a Tinder option has made itself available.

At the same time, Trish is fiercely proud of Sam. She brags about Sam's singing ability, as if the ability were her own and not Sam's. (This is how a family works. If one person has a talent, it is, oddly, all siblings' shared talent.) Trish also rationally guides Sam through questions about dating, because Sam is intensely neurotic whenever she has to reflect on her own life. (Easy to relate to this.)

In a standout episode, "Num Nums" (written by Lisa Kron), Trish expresses rage because her daughter has elected to spend Thanksgiving with her ex. ("If he feeds her Lean Cuisine, I will cut his dick off.") Eager to drown out her own thoughts, Trish drinks too much white wine, demands a lullaby from her sister, and passes out in her party clothing. The problem of the ex hasn't gone away--but the lullaby makes things tolerable.

I see myself in Trish, week after week, and I'm annoyed that this show is shutting off its lights for good. Justice for Mary Catherine Garrison.
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