HBO

Gosh does this show just make me happy! It seems like so much time has passed between seasons (really, it hasn’t), but starting up the new season was like talking to an old friend.

Something I was very interested in seeing how it would be handled was the death of actor Mike Haggarty, who had died a few months after the first season aired. For now it seems, the show doesn’t really have to address it. They sell it as him finally going on a vacation with his brother now that he’s agreed to sell the farm. I’m glad he’s still a part of the show for now, even only in spirit. We also deal with Sam and Trish’s mother fairly swiftly. She’s been raising hell at the assisted living facility she’s in, so she gets sent to a state hospital to work out her psych meds. It’s clear both girls are happy to get her out of their lives for now, but mourn the fact that she will likely never be the same again.

In the personal lives of this small town, we get to see some welcome new developments. For starters, Fred is getting married! That’s kind of the driving force behind most of the season, as Sam is asked to sing and Joel to officiate. Joel, on the other hand, finds himself a boyfriend, which ends up causing quite the rift between he and Sam. I read an interview with Bridget Everett who said Sam has the emotional fortitude of a toddler, and you can tell in the way she cuts people out or how she reacts to certain things. But she’s learning to be better about it. And close friendships are usually pretty hard to break. Speaking of friendships, I loved seeing Trish really become a more enjoyable character this season! She was pretty intolerable that first season, but life hit her hard and she was evidently open to change.

Aside from Sam dealing with her family and eventual friend drama, this is also a season where she decides to get back into singing lessons seriously. She pretty easily convinces her high school coach to take her back on again, but Sam’s big emotions and her inability to process them means she eventually gives up. It’s not for Darlene’s lack of trying though, and even though the lessons don’t resume, she still reassures Sam that she’s always in her corner. Really, Sam’s group of people are good people. They are always there for her. Like I said before, this show just makes me feel good, and I promise the season finale will have a smile lighting up your face the entire time. I also laughed like crazy at the end of the second episode this season, so look forward to that!

Lucky for me, the show already got picked up for another season, so I can’t wait to see what they have in store!