Mom Season 7 Episode 1 Review: Audrey Hepburn and a Jalepeño Pepper
Lauren Busser
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Mom kicks off Season 7 with some laughs, some heartfelt moments, and some moments so stressful it makes you feel like you're back at work.
Mom Season 7 Episode 1 also cements some solid character development where Bonnie is concerned. Allison Janney gives an outstanding comedic performance that leaves us seeing just how much Bonnie has matured.
Well, the day is finally here. Bonnie and Adam are finally enjoying their honeymoon. except that Bonnie seems to be sabatoging it.
God, I hate those sunglasses. Why did he wait until our honeymoon to break out the hideous ladies eyewear?
Bonnie
Bonnie's self-sabotage isn't a new development. She's always had a problem trusting when things are going well.
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Last season, when the bar started to finally turn a profit, she was convinced it was all going to go away and needed Baxter to tell her that she had to live in the moment.
Its a similar situation here. Bonnie has an idyllic scenario. Bonnie thinks something must go wrong. Bonnie becomes the thing that goes wrong.
The thing is that Bonnie's grown and on this episode, she recognizes the behavior and tries to change it.
Of course, the only way to do that is with a meeting and she doesn't want to do that. Her resistance isn't helping, but Adam finds a meeting nearby and drives her.
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The events at the meeting show just how far Bonnie has come. Now four years sober, Bonnie has learned to listen to what she needs and go even though she doesn't want to.
Going to the meeting brought her to Patty, a young woman who's recently sober.
Meeting with Patty and having some heartfelt chats with her gives Bonnie a mirror. Bonnie sees a woman who wants to change, and she wants to help.
The Bonnie from a few seasons ago wouldn't have taken that time. She'd have been selfish and thinking about her honeymoon.
While her honeymoon, and her relationship with Adam is important she's learned what AA has been trying to teach her for so long. The program works when she helps others.
Adam might not have been terribly happy with Patty around, but he sees how it helps Bonnie and so he puts up with it.
Bonnie: I know she's a little crazy.
Adam: Yea, but ever since you've been helping her. You're not.
Bonnie's character development has been slow and incremental, but at the start of Season 7, it feels like this is who she's meant to be.
She's found a good life for herself. She's starting to see and value the connections she's made over the last several years. She's on solid footing for the first time in her life.
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That terrifies her, and understandably so.
But throughout it all, she's able to recognize her own behavior and instead of imploding her marriage she listened to two people she trusts and she got to where she needed to be. That's something to be celebrated.
Bonnie sponsoring Patty isn't something that would have happened a season or two ago. She's now someone's support, and that's a huge step in the right direction for her.
While Bonnie might be enjoying her honeymoon, Christy has to manage the bar.
It feels like Christy should be a natural at this, but she doesn't understand the workforce and promptly attempts to refine the methods to make everything more efficient.
It's not a bad idea, and with enough help it might help, but there is no indication that this bar is struggling. While more profit is never a bad thing, she's not taking the time to implement and talk to the employees which is part of what's causing problems.
It feels a little out of character for Christy since she has been working as a waitress and even briefy managed the restaurant she works at.
Something about her time as temporary manager just doesn't ring true. While we get good dialog and back and forth, there would have been more success if Tammy and Christy had worked together.
Of course, the out of character scenario also gave us bottle-flipping Marjorie, nurse-turned-cocktail-waitress Wendy, and expert-barfly Jill. These moments of comedy make up for the strangely totalitarian rule of Christy. And honestly, Christy is right, Marjorie has never looked hotter.
Marjorie: On it.
Christy: Where'd you come from?
Marjorie: Tammy called and said you needed help. Been a minute since I tended bar, but I think I got this.
Christy: Don't take this the wrong way, but you have nver been hotter.
Overall, Mom Season 7 Episode 1 is a strong opening. There's a new dawn in Bonnie's life, but she still keeps her wit.
In future episodes, I hope we get to see where Christy's summer job went and how her second year of law school is going. Jill's also experiencing a shift with her boyfriend from last season.
While everyone seems to be doing well overall, there is no doubt going to be more hijinx and dysfunction that ensue.
Afterall, Christy is still eternally single and seems to never be able to meet the perfect guy. Here's hoping that she has some luck in the love department this season.
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What did you think of this episode of Mom? Are you excited to see where this season goes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Want to see more Mom? Watch Mom online to see this episode and others.
Lauren Busser is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
