I appreciated how Brie, June Diane’s character in Grace and Frankie has been since day 1. I’ll admit, without her I think I would’ve given up around S5 E2. Oh, wait, I did.
It wasn’t until I took a day off-grid to write much-needed content for work that I flipped it on as my typical think tank background noise.
I typically capture the gist of a series to know the overarching crescendo of it. I can always tell how captivating a show is by how much I accomplish with it distracting me. It helps spark so much side road rabbit hole thinking and decipherings. It’s still just enough that if Mark ever wants to watch a series I played as my noise, I can rewatch easily and usually enjoy it greatly because there was a ton I missed.
I feel like that’s how my blogs work out based on my current life routine of obligations, commitments, and choices of how I spend what’s left. I thoroughly enjoy them each for the fuel they put in my heart and mind. It’s a healthy mix. Forget the four food groups. It’s the four feed groups.
Memorable connections with family, friends, entertainment and emotion
Basically real people and real events that move you and make it all worth it.
That’s what we want. If it’s all healthy, it all works. No matter what socioeconomically demographic.
That’s why I love the magic that happens when the writers and June Diane come together. Let’s just say I don’t get much work done that day.
At least, I did until I saw S5 E11 of Grace and Frankie.
Leave out her warning descriptions to Bud’s impending bride reveal. Nevermind Frankie’s clever way to give away to make profits. I’m talking about the whole undiscussed circle this tough as nails as a protection Brie came for Barry.
Sure, this may be a 30-minute humor serious on Netflix, with some negative PR that turned off a lot of viewers and an ok story with hits of script scenes that worked to keep it going. Like the Ranch.
This episode was what it used to be. And better because it was my favorite character that got to deliver it and take the helm back for her.
Think about it. Just for a minute.
Your spouse is asked by longtime friend and lesbian to donate sperm for them to have a baby. Brie isn’t anywhere even near interested in that yet squeaking close to deciding that if she can ever get close enough to deciding to jump in with Barry who is clearly, patiently hoping so and totally worth it if she really feels it.
If there was any doubt, it was removed in this episode.
In her situation, every process she went through in her classic Brie way was still spot on what anyone with a real beating heart would have. She’s just not used to having to decide which one it is. She’s used to not needing one for not ever trying to let anyone see that she does have one.
She talks through the conundrum she’s in with Saul as her listener and well-chosen for that problem in her life. She knows he would be the uncle that eventually is going to be known as the donor dad. She knows this would be fully platonic but crossing deeper emotional connection with these women than she could possibly ever want to give herself. She doesn’t want to be shut out but when reading between the lines of this amazingly complex character June Diane has created – will she secretly ever want to anyway? Could this be her out to the best of both worlds? Is her fear actually that she’ll be shut out of this world, rather than the fact that the other three in this four top want it to happen?
It was raw and nicely authentic.
Then it goes to another level. Saul lets his words of wisdom drive her to think of her own solution to get closer to a final decision she can live with.
They all meet for a casual dinner.
Barry’s best friend, the potential mom carrier goes outside with him while Brie gets to know her partner, who’s actually in the exact same predicament yet committed to the very role Brie wasn’t ready for – parenting the baby as a mom, too.
Together they innocently trash talk the partner they don’t want to exchange for another to see who deals with the most sensitive behaviors they display. The examples from crying during a TV show to ordering prescription sized shoes in itself is the hilarity of creative writing.
It’s when Barry finds out they decided not to use his sperm to get pregnant that we see the newest superpower of Brie to launch. In two ways. Being a selfless partner and admitting without admitting it that she loves him and knows it’s safe to feel that way and secondly, taking a ‘No’ and turning it into a ‘Yes’ when the situation looked dire.
We don’t see what the chosen donor looks like, but based on the debatable points Brie rolls out like the business leader in flying colors. Mike. Drop.
She’s gonna be a Daddy’s mama. Well said, Brie.
Thanks to Ms. June Diane to take me back in. She’s a class act. I’d work alongside her.
Now, I better get back to work. I’m running behind.
Well done, June. And writers. What a team.
Thanks for reading,
Heather