Single Parents Review: Summer of Freedom (Season 2 Episode 1)

Finally the village is back! I’ve never been so happy that summer is over.

On Single Parents Season 2 Episode 1, “Summer of Freedom,” we watch the gang go through summer, signalling the start of each month with a party invitation. Out of all the invitations, Douglas’s is my favorite, but a wine party is more my speed. Which party would you go to?

This is such a fun way to show the passage of time. The invitations, and the parties themselves, really capture everyone’s personalities. Angie’s invitation, for instance, is ridiculously low maintenance with no apparent theme. But that’s why we love her.

Typically, the kids are what brings everyone together, and so without them, there had to be some kind of special occasion for all of them to be together. And the parties fit the bill perfectly.

At each of the parties, we get snapshots of how everyone is doing, and we also catch up on all the drama. And the most dramatic event of the summer is definitely the Poppy and Douglas situation.

The two of them continue to be adorable. Poppy keeps Douglas on his toes, and he needs that. It is hilarious to watch him react to Poppy making the first move.

Will: This is a major scandal. If our friend group was America, this would be on the cover of People magazine.

Having Poppy and Douglas’ relationship get set back over a miscommunication is annoying. Yes, the show makes it fun, but it delays Poppy and Douglas’ relationship for no real reason.

It would have been more enjoyable if the summer is spent poking fun at Douglas as he awkwardly gets used to Poppy making the first moves and picking him up for dates. This way Poppy doesn’t go on a random rebound with Gus.

It would have been more enjoyable to not have them go through this setback. Do you agree?

The standout friends of “Summer of Freedom” are definitely Poppy and Miggy.

Poppy checks in with everyone over the course of the episode. She is the glue that holds the group together, and we don’t always get to see her have one on one time with everyone. Her little high five with Will, as an example, is a cute moment.

Miggy is absolutely delightful. He gets pushed aside a bit because while everyone else’s kids are gone for the summer, he still has Jack. However, that doesn’t stop him from showing up for his friends.

Miggy: Oh I’m sorry Douglas, but I have to murder you now.

His overprotective nature when it comes to Poppy is great comic relief.

It’s sweet to see him want to stand up to Douglas for hurting Poppy, and then when we learn that Douglas had a heart attack — something on any other show that would be a serious and sad moment — Miggy switches course to “throwing him a parade,” as Douglas puts it, lightening the mood a bit.

It would be really fun to have a Miggy-centric episode during Season 2. While a typical episode of Single Parents focuses on the lives of everyone else’s children, what if Jack and Miggy were at the forefront? It could be interesting.

Basically, I just want more Miggy content.

Stray Thoughts:

• We can’t keep dancing around Will and Angie realizing (and becoming) more than friends. It’s starting to get a little old.
• It’s a cruel summer but not the Taylor Swift kind.
• WHY DOES NO ONE SHOW UP TO DOUGLAS’ PARTY ON TIME?! Douglas deserves better.
• It’s so great that Angie opens up, briefly, about her abandonment issues that Derek brought on. I hope this gets explored further.
• What summer camp doesn’t make sure that every single child is picked up by a parent?? Shame on you, Lance Bass Space Camp.

What did you think of the Season 2 premiere of Single Parents? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Single Parents airs Wednesday at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.

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