Tuca & Bertie Review: Sleepovers (Season 2 Episode 7)
Tuca & Bertie Season 2 Episode 7, “Sleepovers,” is a return to form after the last episode’s so-so performance.
While the theme of codependency has always lingered in the background (it’s like the animated version of Broad City in that regard) on this show, “Sleepovers” is a deep dive into Tuca and Bertie’s inherent need to be around each other; as well as their fears of being alone.
In addition, Tuca’s “feeling cups” are brought back into the equation. We revisit her belief that Bertie’s “keeping” her alone, and this is interesting to explore in the context of her budding relationship with Kara.
Tuca spending a significant chunk of her time worrying about Bertie while she’s with Kara is indicative of one thing: Tuca is the reason why she’s alone.
You are responsible for your own happiness, and Tuca & Bertie deftly addresses this with “Sleepovers.”
Bertie’s journey on this episode is similar. When Tuca leaves her alone in favor of spending time with Kara, Bertie’s anxiety spirals. She’s afraid to be by herself — that means acknowledging her innermost thoughts and battling that anxiety beast, and who wants to do that?
This episode artfully conveys the amount of “distractions” we employ to avoid facing our feelings.
For example, Bertie goes grocery shopping for Tuca and leaves countless texts and voicemails for her. Of course, when Tuca doesn’t respond, Bertie’s already fraught mental state takes a nosedive.
For those that suffer from anxiety, there’s a real, pervasive fear that comes with texting. There’s no vocal inflection to help indicate tone, and sometimes punctuation or lack thereof can misinterpret what’s being said.
This season of Tuca & Bertie is delving into “texting anxiety,” but this episode really hits the nail on the head regarding how much one can spiral when waiting for a text.
On top of that Tuca’s burgeoning romance with Kara presents a new set of challenges. “Sleepovers” uses visuals to depict Tuca’s nervousness to great effect. It skillfully handles that innate desire to be perfect that we all have, but especially through the lens of new relationships.
Additionally, this outing sets a stark contrast between Bertie and Tuca’s respective mental health journeys.
While Bertie is adamantly working toward learning healthy coping mechanisms to curtail her anxiety, Tuca still suppresses her emotions. This is laid plainly before us at the end of “Sleepovers,” when Kara just wants to “have fun,” so Tuca refrains from expressing her true feelings.
Besides addressing our eponymous duo’s codependency, this episode also highlights the reactions of those around them. Speckles is immensely supportive of Bertie’s need for female companionship, while Kara’s envious of Tuca’s connection with Bertie.
The show doesn’t express an opinion about this in one way or another but allows the audience to come to their own conclusions. That’s one of the many positives about Tuca & Bertie — it doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of its viewers.
“Sleepovers” is another home run for the series and one that continues to steer the conversation regarding anxiety and relationships in a healthy, productive direction.
What did you think of this episode of Tuca & Bertie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Tuca & Bertie airs Sundays at 11:30/10:30c on Adult Swim.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.