Grown-ish Review: Un-Break My Heart (Season 1 Episode 7)

On Grown-ish Season 1 Episode 7, “Un-Break My Heart,” Zoey is unable to get a grip on her life because of her severed relationship with Cash. She has basically turned herself into a human dumpster, academics be darned.

Well, what is the best way to get over a breakup? Lock your un-bathed self in your filthy room for three weeks and lay in your unkempt bed with a bag of Doritos while binge-watching Diane Lane’s romance movies.

At least that is what Zoey thinks until her friends stage an uninvited intervention, because what kind of friends would they be if they didn’t barge into her room, right? What are friends for if they can’t crowd your space and save you from yourself or at least, attempt to?

One pitfall with this plot line, however, is that with the way the room is displayed as being extremely filthy, one wonders where her roommate, Ana, has been for all those three weeks.

It is unimaginable that she would be cohabiting in that same room and do nothing to help, at least, for her own personal hygiene. One assumption would be that she has been with the other girls but the show does not give any explanations for that.

Being in college, especially as a freshman, is exciting, overwhelming, and gives a false sense of maturity, basically because of the ability to live away from parents or guardians and the experience of unhinged freedom.

Zoey represents every young person falling in love for the first time. It’s all butterflies, heart eyes, and feelings shooting like a massive hurricane. The essence of going to college is first, to acquire academic knowledge but often times, distractions get in the way, as seen in Zoey’s case.

On Grown-ish Season 1 Episode 6, she was ready to pack her bags, send her career to space, wave her best friends ‘girl, bye’ and elope with Cash into the unknown, which would have undoubtedly been the worst decision of her life. It is such a relief that Cash had a change of mind, though she feels legitimately dumped.

For her, academic excellence has become a side hustle, rather than her top priority. She considers her love life over and above everything else and this is the reality of college life for a lot of young people. She is presented as this barely-confident, sometimes awkward young girl, struggling to find her identity and her way through college,

Missing classes for three weeks will definitely have repercussions, and it would be exciting to see how she makes up for it.

The reason Grown-ish is critically-acclaimed is that Zoey’s struggles are very closely relatable, especially to the Millennial generation. It is also very important to raise a glass to the friendships on the show.

Zoey’s diverse group of friends are a vital support system and the methods they employ in helping her get over Cash are just hilarious. Friendships in college are like a family away from home, but without the restrictions of parenting.

She has made up her mind to move on based on what she heard from Aaron. It has been shown that Aaron dislikes Cash, whom he refers to as “Frosted Tips.” So, who is to know that he didn’t make up the Zoe Kravitz story just to get back with Zoey? What if Cash returns and proves him wrong?

Now that Zoey has finally shed Cash from her heart, as it appears, it would be surprising to see her stay single for a long time. Rebounds are a real possibility but that would be another spin around the sun.

As usual, Grown-ish teaches lessons, while being undeniably comical. One very remarkable takeaway from this episode is that it takes Zoey a moment of careful introspection to finally make a decision to get over Cash.

Zoey’s friends get an ‘A’ for effort but it is difficult to save someone who does not want to be saved. They toil and purge but she remains adamant until that moment of rude awakening when her friends seem to have given up hope.

Initially, she thinks she needs Cash to un-break her heart but finally realizes that all she needs is herself… and her friends and THAT is a valuable life lesson.

What did you think of this episode of Grown-ish? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Grown-ish airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.

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