Breeders

Matt Roush Says...

In the penultimate episode of the parenting dramedy’s second season, the tension between Paul (Martin Freeman) and his anxiety-ravaged son Luke (Alex Eastwood) comes to a head at the worst possible moment: during a blackout at the golden-wedding anniversary of Paul’s parents, Jim and Jackie (Alun Armstrong and Joanna Bacon). It’s no laughing matter, and this intense episode carries a viewer-discretion advisory. Showrunner/writer Simon Blackwell explains in a statement: “The closing minutes of Episode 209 of Breeders contains a pivotal piece of action that the entire second season was built around. … The one definite thing I knew I wanted to happen was for 13-year-old Luke to reach a very particular dramatic point with his dad, a shocking moment that redefines their entire relationship in a second. The whole of the series arc then grew out of that moment: where it would happen within the season, the emotional build-up to it, and its unsteady resolution.”

Matt Roush Says...

Paul (Martin Freeman) and Ally (Daisy Haggard) still feel a little distant since Ally kissed someone else a couple of episodes ago on the dark comedy. As Ally says, it’s like she lost her best friend. She’s not the only one thinking about friends this episode. Paul realizes that all of his adult friends have fallen away, and reconnects with one friend who has some bad habits. This results in a new friend for Ava (Eve Prenelle) as well, but has an impact on Ava’s existing friend group. Luke (Alex Eastwood) becomes close friends with Jonathan, the kid who covered for him with the pillow incident on the school trip. It’s a relief for him to finally have someone to hang out with outside of his family. Jim (Alun Armstrong) and Jackie (Joanna Bacon) are forced to move, and feel indignation at being uprooted, and having to say goodbye to the friends they’ve made with their younger neighbors. Paul and Ally work on their relationship.