After power watching Hulu’s critically acclaimed series Tiny Beautiful Things, I am spent. But in a good way, that leaves me contemplating life. This emotional roller coaster ride is filled with extreme highs, lows, and sex around every bend. In typical Kathryn Hahn leading role fashion, the protagonist, Claire Pierce, is hyper-focused on sex. Most of her escapades seem to be a coping mechanism for dealing with emotions surrounding death, family, marriage, and raising a teenage daughter. The series on self-discovery is raw, honest, and highly recommended.
A Journey through self-discovery
Powerful flashbacks help tell the story of Claire’s life from a child to a 49-year-old wrestling with what could be stereotypically called a mid-life crisis. We watch as she attempts to answer all our questions as humans’ approach 50. Who am I? What have I accomplished? Am I making a difference? How did I get here? And most consistently, is this who and where I want to be? Claire’s journey of self-discovery is tangled up with emotions of grief from the death of her mother, which inevitably drive her behavior. This is obvious and shows in how she treats her partners, daughter, brother, friends, and alcoholic father.
Addiction runs rampant as Claire, her brother, and her daughter continuously abuse alcohol and drugs as they drink at failure and loss. Claire’s attempt to save her brother, Luke, and her childhood home is the central point of contention between her and her husband, Danny, who seems to be the only stable one in the cast of characters in Claire’s life.
Dear Sugar
Some of my favorite scenes in the series deal with therapy. Danny and Claire are in therapy, attempting to work on their marriage. There are profound moments and happy breakthroughs, but most of the scenes from the couch provide comic relief that lightens things up a bit. Without giving too much away, Claire is secretly writing an advice column called Dear Sugar. As “Sugar,” Claire draws on her powerful life experiences to answer her readers’ questions. Her advice is brilliant. And while she does not follow her advice, many others do, including Danny. Interestingly, this is often the case with alcoholics. In recovery, we provide advice grounded in the 12 steps for others battling addictions, but we often can’t see those same solutions for ourselves. Thank God for sponsors! On this note, I think Claire could benefit from a good sponsor.
While many seem to disagree, I liked the ending to season 1. Claire is highly relatable in her quest to figure it all out. Much of Sugar’s advice centers on valuing the journey, the seeking, the prayers, and The Tiny Beautiful Things. Sometimes, this is all we have. Happiness will follow if we can take the advice of those who have come before us and learn to be content in this journey. In my mind, this is where Claire eventually ends up.
There is more from Sugar
I would love to continue following Claire’s journey, but there are currently no conversations about a second season. The good news is this limited series is based on Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling book, Tiny Beautiful Little Things. So, if you want more advice from “Sugar,” dig in.
For more recommendations for what to watch films and series dealing with addiction, check out Movie Night with The Sober Curator and The Mindful Binge.
SOBER ENTERTAINMENT: The BEST Movies and TV Shows about addiction and recovery (thesobercurator.com)
A Disco Ball is Hundreds of Pieces of Broken Glass, Put Together to Make a Magical Ball of Light. You are NOT Broken, Friend. You are a DISCO BALL!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
