I know this is an old thread but just binged watched and loved this show. I have thankfully not been a victim of DV or faced homelessness, but I found each episode completely riveting and very realistic apart from towards the end when Alex began cleaning for the hoarders, all her childcare issues vanished into thin air and everything resolved itself.
I also have to admit there were moments I wanted to shout at Alex! I do not want this to come across as victim blaming but there were occasions she was so passive in the face of some avoidable situations and some of her decision making was awful. I cringed in the first episode when she left Maddy strapped in the car on the highway to go and retrieve the cuddly toy. Then Maddy’s birthday party..wtf. After struggling for so long to find a decent rental Alex allowed what should have been a small kids party at the house to get completely out of hand. She could have stopped Sean’s girlfriends from invading the space with alcohol but just stood by as the evening wore on music blaring and the landladies clearly upset.
It was a terrible judgement call to move in with Nate (I get she was desperate) when he clearly wanted one thing from her and I had a feeling from the start that his nice guy mask would eventually fall when he didn’t get it. He was a complete arse really.
I agree Sean’s character was well written and seemed designed to show how easy it is to sympathize with an abuser, particularly one who is ‘trying to change’. For instance I was initially annoyed when she moved back into the trailer and told him he had to reduce his work hours to help with childcare and facilitate her work as a cleaner. I remember thinking “he’s trying so hard with his carpentry course plus working in the bar and she’s being difficult” which shows how easy it is to get sucked into the abuser’s mindset.
Loved Regina and her about turn from bitch employer to clueless, vulnerable first time mum and ultimately an ally/friend.
I thought Andi McDowell did ok but she isn’t a great actress and the role would have been handled better by someone able to portray the character’s challenges with a bit more nuance. The ranting and tortured mentally ill artist thing was all a bit on the nose.
All in all a great show and I am now playing Shoop continuously in my car!