I knew of this show. I knew the premise. I stumbled upon it on Hulu and thought, "Why not?"

I binge watched 3 seasons in 2 days.

It's both an easy binge and difficult binge. Easy because the episodes are 21 minutes. Difficult because sometimes the episodes fall into uncertain, dreamy, frustrating, and surrealistic territories that I'm left shrugging. But as an artsy-fartsy kind of guy, I love the down-to-earth reality the show is grounded in (for the most part).

I adore Sam. Her life choices get on my nerves sometimes (the sexy underwear/boots episode with her ex-husband, like wtf???), but I also understand how that works: we all make choices in our lives we wish we hadn't, and we follow through with them even though we know we shouldn't. Ultimately, though, Pamela's "acting" is fantastic. I use quotes because the realism in what she's doing is almost uncanny, it comes so naturally. I love Sam's friends, especially "the girls." I love Sam's genuine affection for everyone.

The kids - sometimes I really hate Frankie and Max. Seething hate. Duke is growing, coming into her own, and I love how she's being developed (I just started Season 4). Max, in those first couple of seasons, deserved to be smacked. Frankie, too, needs a clock to the jaw. I understood, and related, to how they are behaving as teenagers, navigating the uncertainties of life, but sometimes it goes too far. When they are being so unforgivingly cruel to Sam and Sam just sort of takes it...that bothers me. It shouldn't, but it does. Frankie's little "running away/ignoring Sam" bender she does at the end of Season 3 is one of those moments when I would have take that kid by the collar and hurled her into the car so fast...infuriating.

But I also see Sam wanting to be the mother to her children that Phil never was to Sam, so I get it. A brilliantly written dichotomy.

One small part that rubs me the wrong way is this seemingly endless amount of money Sam has. It's never discussed how truly successful she is as an actor, we only get glimpses. But the house, the car, the kitchen with So Much Food, the booze, the nights out, Max's college tuition...it takes away from the "struggling single mom" part of the story.

I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes. I hope it doesn't gut punch me, I don't know if I can take it.

I've wondered for a long time.

Did Frankie inherit Grandma's narcissism? They act so alike. Too alike.

The inflated sense of self, the lack of empathy, the lack of boundaries, Not to mention the many personal anecdotes that no one cares about or wants to hear but she insists on yacking on anyway even when it makes everyone cringe.

Throw in

-middle child syndrome

-parental divorce

-an absent asshole father

-teenage angst

+PLUS growing up with,

ALL THESE PRIVILEGES:

-an upper class family in LA with a celebrity mother

-when the mother won't chauffer you UBER instead of trains or bus routes, which LA is FULL OF

-an extremely nice private school with multiple extracurriculars, activities, production events, trips abroad, what did I miss ?

Put it all together and it lends itself toward what's already in the family genetics. Unless I'm missing some context. Please tell me this isn't normal behavior for kids nowadays.

I had high hopes for this show and I really wanted to like it but it just didn’t hit. Maybe it is a good show because it had me emotionally invested into hating Frankie, Phil, and Max LOL but the story just wasn’t there for me.

In which season/episode Phil is working at a cloth chain?

I loved this show through and through and I didn’t think finishing it would suck so much 😭😭 I really like the ending montage and I definitely teared up a bit lol they were like my lil tv family

I’m on season 2 right now, the bar mitzvah episode for Push. What is up with Frankie 😭 obviously Max and Frankie can both be spoiled brats, but I actually like Max as a character. To me, Max’s bratty qualities comes off as her being a raging hormone monster with no control over her emotions, which, as a former teenage girl, I can unfortunately relate to. Plus, she has more sweet moments with her mom. But the way Frankie just goes out of her way to be so mean-spirited and insulting towards Sam… I could handle a Max, but God help me if my daughter turns out to be a Frankie! Does she ever get better? Is this what middle children are like? I’m not having more than 2 kids then 😭

This post has some great pictures and info on the house https://moviehouseaddict.com/pamela-adlons-hulu-house-on-better-things/

I’ve been obsessed with this painting from the show and can’t find anything about it. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I’ve literally just started the show but I’ve seen a lot of TikTok’s about the show and I know it’s based on Pamela Adlons life (or at least somewhat). I was just wondering if anyone knew if her actual children have shared their views on the show? I don’t know much about her real relationship with the kids or how much the show is based on her real life. Tbh I’m just a bit lazy and don’t want to search too much for an answer so thought I’d check here to see if anyone knows :)

Couldn't find it on Disney+ like other FX shows..says it's on apple TV but even with + I can't stream it. Does anyone know where you can watch this in Canada? I use a google tv

I've searched and searched - anybody know if the wordball is a real thing and available anywhere S3 e10

Hiya folks. So I saw a snippet of this show on TikTok and the kids, especially Frankie, was just...Sheesh! It seems like it's a fascinating show, but I wanna know something before I watch it.

Do these kids actually understand their mom and become somewhat humbled by the truth? Does Frankie end up being a lovable character? And the 16 year old, does she also end up understanding that being a grown-up ain't as fun as she thinks?

I really feel like I should watch the show but I don't think I could without at least knowing that the kids turn up better. Not some rushed 'lets end the show nicely' type thing but more of character development. Think of like Jamie Lannister, like how he was just a pompous Prince and just rude n whatnot, but ended up being somewhat humble and lovable. Not too many spoilers please, but in regards to this I am willing to know. I've seen many videos where the mother had every right to humble Frankie so much but she doesn't, haven't yet seen one where she does and if I at least know that, I am much more inclined to watch the show.

I love how almost every episode of this show has a small performance or solo skit from a main character or any other character. Definitely love seeing the pretty much accurate depiction of someone in the industry having friends with many talents.

Omg i’m sure i’m not the only one but I started watching this show because of tik tok clips and I for some reason knew all of Pamela’s daughters before I knew Pamela . Long story short I keep up with her daughter Rocky most because i’m just so in love with her style and vibe in general but seeing her in this episode had me freaking out in excitement!! and then seeing that scene of her boyfriend irl playing on the guitar AHHH it was just so sweet to see . They’re so so cute!!

I need a new TV show to watch while I'm working and have heard great things about this show and want to watch it. I do work in an office, but I can watch stuff on my phone with headphones in. Without any major spoilers, is this an OK show to watch at work? I'm mainly concerned with any sex stuff as I don't want that coming up while I'm in an office. Thanks!

Just a beat…tried Shazamming..no good. Thanks, friends!

I’m on season three of this show and didn’t know Pamela Adlon before this. She’s obviously a tremendous actress and carries the show on her shoulders.

I’m confused though bc the vibe comes across as they want you to see things as raw/real/not sugarcoated but I don’t know a single person like Sam. Someone who has that type of relationship with their kids, their mother, a kind’ve doesn’t give a shit attitude but still somehow has things together idk.. am I in the minority?

Im on SE2 ep 8 and Im really digging this show. I am the opposite side of the spectrum I think this show is for. But I was running out of stuff to watch and I threw this on for background noise while I clean...Didnt get but the coffee table dusted before I'm 2 meals and a day on the couch wondering what happened to the time.

Okay anytime I was a bitch to my mother my sister would yell at me and tell me I’m selfish and suck etc. how is everyone brushing it off. Anytime I complained about my mom my friends, other adults, and my siblings would call me out on how I was acting. How does nobody say anything to her like my friends would never let me treat my mom like that they would probably start hanging out with my mom or purposely call her. Like am I wrong ?? Like Frankie feels so remorse or guilt and it’s her moms birthday I feel guilt and in debt to my mother at all times I never want to add more given she’s younger and I get it but again at her age my friends were calling me out and would not let me treat my mom like that.

I feel as if nobody mentions the drastic change for season 4-5. From the last episode of season 4 to the first of 5 I would my expect sam to have become what seems to be an alcoholic. I don’t understand how in just a year or two in the show timeline she is broke and lost that strong bond with her children. The whole concept and switch from the one season to the next makes no sense to me and completely turned me off and ruined the show for me.

So Sam is bi? I mean it's pretty clear fron what they show but the strory isn't really completed

Other than cheating, why exactly did she leave him? I saw on tiktok that he used to beat her but it’s never disclosed, I think if they did directly address it, it would’ve made a powerful episode.

Did I miss when Tressa and Chaya got together? Last I remember Chaya was talking about her divorce but never that she was queer. Now in season 5 it appears her and Tressa are a couple? I'm confused

My FIL swears he knows this actor, but I cannot figure out who he is for the life of me.

He's the one who asks Sam if she's "working" and offers her $35.

Also - she lets max date a 36 year old!

She claims she’s allowing it bc she doesn’t want to “lose them.”

But that makes no sense.

Maybe it’s bc my mom is Latina but she would go absolutely insane if I did anything remotely like that and shut it down in less than a minute. She doesn’t mess around.

Also Sam letting Frankie yell at her publicly in the library… insanity.

How???