Bless This Mess Review: Bunker Down (Season 2 Episode 12)

Bless This Mess Season 2 Episode 12, “Bunker Down,” focuses on the ever-changing face of friendship. The theme is explored through two different storylines that ultimately have similar outcomes.

Rio and Sierra have been friends since a very young age. How young isn’t quite established, but it is clear they at least had some schooling together. Like any long-term relationship, the two have drifted apart due to becoming grown-ups.

No one ever seems to mention how hard it is to have friends as an adult. We all get so caught up in our families and careers, that there barely seems to be a moment to have a chit-chat with someone who used to mean the world to us. Our time becomes so divided that we typically have to take the final slice of pie and commit it to self-care.

Such is the case with Rio and Sierra.

Although they haven’t been in touch, they are still wildly crazy about one another, taking every second of breath to reminisce about the “good old days.” They fondly remember the boys, the parties, and everything in-between, taking less time to focus on what has happened since last time they have seen each other. 

Sierra avoids talking about her relationship between her parents and her soon-to-be husband. She doesn’t want to get hung up on the tiny details that create her current lifestyle. Of course, in reality, these hang-ups are quite huge.

Any kind of inner turmoil like this can cause major stress. Everyone wants their parents to like their future spouse — or at least tolerate them. If not, holidays will get uncomfortable rather quickly. 

After Sierra finally admits to this during the barn rave, Rio decides to hyperfocus on this subject, trying to get down to the middle of it all. This seems like a mistake because Sierra just isn’t having it. 

During the zany party, featuring a majority of Sierra’s Instagram followers, Rio tries her best to get personal with Sierra but ends up getting shut out instead. Repeatedly Sierra tells Rio that she has changed.

Sure, Rio has changed. Gaining a separate life with your partner would change anyone. Add in a move to the countryside and all hell breaks loose. Ideas of fun change, morals change, heck, even religious beliefs can change.

Sierra’s statement about Rio changing is meant to show her in a negative light. She feels that Rio isn’t the same friend from years ago, unable to connect in the same way, but I disagree. I believe Rio has finally become the person she was evolving into all those years ago.

Rio finds her strength in empathy. She feels other’s pain, and it causes her to reach out to them lending a helping hand.

In reality, this is something you are born with. It is an underlying current in your life that eventually comes to the surface through maturity. Sierra might not have seen it as they were growing up, but it was always there.

Seeing this fully matured and empathetic Rio causes Sierra to not only look at her friend differently, but herself as well.

Sierra hasn’t made major strides in her life like Rio. She is only now getting married and gearing up for some of her own life changes. This is what I believe causes Sierra to shut down and lash out at her friend.

The truth is, we all move at our own pace. We aren’t in competition with anyone.

Some of us might get married at an old age. Some of us might have children very young. Others of us might not do either of these things, and that is okay too.

The important part is to have friends to join us on these journeys. With them by our side, we can learn, grow and mature together. 

Rio: It’s the breakfast the next day!

This is exactly what Mike talks about at the end of the episode while trying to bring the two back together. As he seemingly fails to bring Rudy and Constance back to talking terms, he sees that although different than they used to be, Sierra and Rio can still be friends and confidants. 

The other storyline that examines this theme revolves around the once lovers, Rudy and Constance. 

After their short courtship, Rudy and Constance discovered how truly different they are from each other. This is the opposite of Rio and Sierra. They don’t have a long history of getting to know each other’s ins and outs. 

Their enigmatic friendship that turned into a rollercoaster of a relationship sputtered out before hitting the ten-mile marker.  Honestly, this is okay too. Sometimes, although there is some sort of connection between us and another person, we discover we are fundamentally different from each other.

It happens. Life moves on — and hopefully we grow stronger from the experience. 

Unfortunately, these two are having a little more difficulty with parting ways than they thought they might.

Rudy closes himself away in his bunker, while Constance throws herself into active police duty. They are not happy with the world, and more importantly, with themselves. 

While Rio and Sierra’s differences are what help them stay together in the long run, Rudy and Constance’s are what spells out the demise of their relationship.

Through the intervention of Mike and Brandon, Constance and Rudy eventually come face to face — even though Mike’s convoluted plan originally backfires. With Constance taking Rudy’s mugshot, they breakdown the wall built between them, reaching out to the nerve at the center of the problem.

They come to terms with how much all of this hurts and come to an understanding that one day, maybe far from today, they can rekindle some sort of quasi-friendship. 

Still uncertain that this will resolve anything, Constance gives Rudy a police scanner so that he can keep tabs on her without being in her life during the healing process. This is honestly a pretty endearing moment that can only work with the awkward twosome. 

While Sierra, Rio, Rudy, and Constance have different outcomes, in the end, they realize that change is okay. People change, and relationships change. There is nothing we can do about it except try to roll with the punches. 

The theme of this episode isn’t as clear cut as usual. Honestly, I had to think about it for a few moments before sitting at my Chromebook to start typing away. But that doesn’t make the logic any less palatable. 

The facts are still here, along with the laughs and quirky moments. If anything, I find the more loosely tied-in themes a bit refreshing, allowing me to forget that there is a moral to the story being told, and enabling me to just enjoy the ride. 

Sticking to my guns and routines, I discover there is something to be told just underneath the surface, and I wouldn’t be doing my duty if I didn’t find a way to show it to you.

What did you think of this episode of Bless This Mess? Do you think Rudy and Constance will get back together any time soon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Bless This Mess airs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on ABC.

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