Breeders Season One All Episode Discussion

[possibilities]

I love this show, and I always think I won't. But then each episode knocks me out in an unexpected way. it's the perfect mix of utter exhaustion and total love.

[AuntiePam]

Well said.  It's quite original, isn't it?  They're handling the usual family dramedy situations, but they're bringing new insight.  Or maybe it's just better writing.

[possibilities]

I like that both parents are flawed. They love each other but they also have conflict. And it's real conflict, the kind of human stuff people go through, not insane manufactured bullshit which is what TV usually serves up for couples strife.

And the kids, ye gods are they annoying. But they are also sweet, and confused, and silly. They're not either toted out for a moment of cuteness, or given overly adult lines for precious genius tropes.

 

[SoMuchTV]

I didn't realize until a couple episodes ago that they aren't married.  I'm not sure if a) it was mentioned early on and I missed it, b) it was supposed to be a big reveal, or c) it just wasn't a big enough deal to even mention until it came up naturally in the story.  Not sure if I should read anything into it, or not.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Too much cursing/yelling at the kids, especially Paul at Luke.

16 hours ago, SoMuchTV said:

I didn't realize until a couple episodes ago that they aren't married.  I'm not sure if a) it was mentioned early on and I missed it, b) it was supposed to be a big reveal, or c) it just wasn't a big enough deal to even mention until it came up naturally in the story.  Not sure if I should read anything into it, or not.

Paul called her his wife on the train, for expediency's sake, I suppose.

[howiveaddict]

Just binge watched 3 episodes.  Glad I did.  It's different than most comedys on tv, in a good way.  

[SoMuchTV]

On 3/31/2020 at 8:30 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Paul called her his wife on the train, for expediency's sake, I suppose.

That was on the most recent episode (1.6), right?  I just watched that today and noticed that.  Now I'm wondering if they used the terms husband/wife before and I just didn't pay attention one way or another.

Although, if you read the descriptions for future episodes on Hulu, it kind of spoils things for unaired stuff.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

That was on the most recent episode (1.6), right?  I just watched that today and noticed that.  Now I'm wondering if they used the terms husband/wife before and I just didn't pay attention one way or another.

Although, if you read the descriptions for future episodes on Hulu, it kind of spoils things for unaired stuff.

I only noticed it in the episode about Allie's previous marriage, where it was part of the plot that they weren't actually married. 

Paul said "wife" in the episode where Allie tossed Michael's urn out the train window.  He probably does think of her that way; and I get he would like to be married to her; but she was probably marriage-averse after her divorce.

[scrb]

Been watching it, not really into parenting shows but it’s not as big a part of the show as I anticipated despite the name of the show.

Well written and acted.

I thought the guy says mate too much, especially to his very young son, but I guess it’s a thing.  The main character from the Australian Rake also calls his teen son “mate” all the time too.

The unsettled marital status seems to be like a cloud over them.  He says he wants stability but it’s a romantic gesture, not just about being married for the sake of the kids.

 

[gingerella]

Am I the only one who finds the boy annoying as fuck? What a whiner. The girl is like out to lunch most of the time. These kids just seem, I don't know, under stimulated, mentally speaking. I like the parents, but the kids bug.

[scrb]

Boy is annoying but that is probably the intent, how challenging their situation is, with them not being married until the previous but two young children who demand a lot of attention, then her job situation and now his job situation.

Of course the kid gets real sick and they leave it as a cliffhanger.

This seems like a big production in the UK, they're spending money to do drone shots and a lot of exteriors including skyline views of London.  Seems a lot for a sitcom or dramedy.

[alexvillage]

37 minutes ago, scrb said:

Boy is annoying but that is probably the intent, how challenging their situation is, with them not being married until the previous but two young children who demand a lot of attention, then her job situation and now his job situation.

I agree. Kids are annoying most of the time, this kid just looks more real in comparison to the usual TV children who are incredibly thoughtful and cute all the time, when they are not the total opposite: sociopaths. 

I really like the show and I usually can't stand comedies. I guess it is a cultural thing. 

[possibilities]

I like it, too. It's not easy, I agree the irritation level is huge. But I think that's the point. Parenting can be tough, and the cheerful spin TV usually puts on it can be crazy-making if you're in the weeds and wondering if you're the only one who's exhausted and stressed-out.

I thought it was interesting to see what Paul actually did at work-- I had no real idea, but apparently he actually was a nurturing type in the past. Maybe he got promoted to admin, and that's not his interest. But I was also worried that when his boss was giving him time off, it was prelude to finding out he was going to be let go. So I was a bit worried about both Paul and Ally being unable to satisfy the career-only focus their bosses wanted.

I was bothered that they left things with a cliffhanger, though. Is this really the kind of show where they have to resort to audience manipulation to get us to tune back in? Is it really the kind of show that would kill off a kid? I hope not.

We'll see.

I honestly think that having both a career and a family that are both important to you is tough, and all the pretending otherwise is kind of bullshit.

[alexvillage]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

I thought it was interesting to see what Paul actually did at work-- I had no real idea, but apparently he actually was a nurturing type in the past. Maybe he got promoted to admin, and that's not his interest. But I was also worried that when his boss was giving him time off, it was prelude to finding out he was going to be let go.

That was my take too.

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

I was bothered that they left things with a cliffhanger, though.

I watch this on Hulu and there is one more episode announced. So maybe not a cliffhanger?

[SoMuchTV]

On 4/21/2020 at 3:15 AM, gingerella said:

Am I the only one who finds the boy annoying as fuck? What a whiner. The girl is like out to lunch most of the time. These kids just seem, I don't know, under stimulated, mentally speaking. I like the parents, but the kids bug.

Eh, he’s a kid. Kids can be annoying. Sometimes they grow up and surprise you. Little sister, I’m  starting to like. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by SoMuchTV

[ItCouldBeWorse]

For goodness sake.  Allie is making/going to make tons more money.  Ask for an advance, and hire a competent person to help Paul in the morning and afternoons so he doesn't have to rely so much on his parents and can concentrate on the new job he wants to take.  The kids would be better off, for sure. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by ItCouldBeWorse

[AuntiePam]

Well, it was a given that Paul wouldn't be able to keep his resolution.  Why the anger?  Just because his dad isn't a hugger? 

And for pete's sake, Paul, it's not about you.  He'll go see a therapist to help himself but what about Luke?  How is he being affected by his dad's belittling him? 

I do like this show. 

[scrb]

Yeah what caused him to become so angry?
 

Job dissatisfaction?

The kids are a handful but if he goes from 0-60 that quick with the kid, why not the same with the daughter or the wife or anyone else?

[ItCouldBeWorse]

49 minutes ago, scrb said:

Yeah what caused him to become so angry?
 

Job dissatisfaction?

The kids are a handful but if he goes from 0-60 that quick with the kid, why not the same with the daughter or the wife or anyone else?

He's probably projecting his own feelings of insecurity onto his son.  (He sees his own failings in him.) Why Allie puts up with him verbally abusing Luke I don't understand.  She seems to tune out all the cursing.

[scrb]

Then they showed all these flashbacks of a how happy he was and how much he loved the kid when he was born.

So if there's another season, they're going to show where things went south?

Or is he going to cool down and not blow up any more?  I know cable is more free but surprised he's cursing at his son like that all the time.  This show is broadcasted to UK audiences too so there must be some liberal rules there as well.  I think it's a Sky production so it's a paid TV service?

But they must be doing these takes of him supposedly swearing at his son without the child actors actually present on the set and they're just blending the takes together to make it seem like he's swearing at a 7 year old?

[alexvillage]

20 minutes ago, scrb said:

But they must be doing these takes of him supposedly swearing at his son without the child actors actually present on the set and they're just blending the takes together to make it seem like he's swearing at a 7 year old?

Or the kids, the laws in the country, and the people in the business know that those are just words and they understand that it is a show. This idea that children can never listen to the word "fuck" is cultural and probably - like a lot is the US - based on puritanism. In my circles, we don't avoid using the word just because kids are present.

[Whimsy]

1 hour ago, scrb said:

Then they showed all these flashbacks of a how happy he was and how much he loved the kid when he was born.

So if there's another season, they're going to show where things went south?

Or is he going to cool down and not blow up any more?  I know cable is more free but surprised he's cursing at his son like that all the time.  This show is broadcasted to UK audiences too so there must be some liberal rules there as well.  I think it's a Sky production so it's a paid TV service?

But they must be doing these takes of him supposedly swearing at his son without the child actors actually present on the set and they're just blending the takes together to make it seem like he's swearing at a 7 year old?

I read an article and this is what they do.  They don't swear when the kids are on set. 

[alexvillage]

2 hours ago, scrb said:

Yeah what caused him to become so angry?
 

Job dissatisfaction?

The kids are a handful but if he goes from 0-60 that quick with the kid, why not the same with the daughter or the wife or anyone else?

I think it was just the stress of the whole situation. He was overwhelmed and, fair or not, feeling like he was the one who had to deal with everything on his own. and now Ally is trying to go back to life as life was, Paul cannot accept that. Probably just a set up for a second season, when he is going to quickly figure that he does not have a problem with his kids, then we have another plot, his upbringing, likely. His parents are also breeders after all.

[possibilities]

I finally realized that a big part of what makes the show work for me is that the kids really seem like kids, not like actors. I mean, I know they're acting. But they have a much more naturalistic style than the usual USA kid actors.

[SoMuchTV]

On 4/28/2020 at 1:41 PM, scrb said:

But they must be doing these takes of him supposedly swearing at his son without the child actors actually present on the set and they're just blending the takes together to make it seem like he's swearing at a 7 year old?

Martin Freeman  was on The Late Show recently, and talked about how that was exactly what they did. He said they would use words like “fluck” in the kids’ takes. (Because I’m sure the kids had no idea what that was about 🙂 )

He also said, for season 2,

Spoiler

it wasn’t as much of an issue because of the time jump. 

 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 4/27/2020 at 10:33 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

For goodness sake.  Ally is making/going to make tons more money.  Ask for an advance, and hire a competent person to help Paul in the morning and afternoons so he doesn't have to rely so much on his parents and can concentrate on the new job he wants to take.  The kids would be better off, for sure.