The first two seasons of HBO’s dramedy Somebody Somewhere set the bar high. We meet Sam Miller (Bridget Everett) after she had moved back to her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, to care for her older sister, Holly. When we met her, Sam was consumed by anger and grief following Holly’s death. Along the way, she formed a meaningful and heartwarming friendship with Joel (an outstanding Jeff Hiller) that led her to return to her love of singing. Sam eventually realized that she met her people and started accepting herself. Sam and Joel’s relationship being the heart of the show, season two saw conflict arise between the two after Joel omitted to tell Sam about his boyfriend Brad (Tim Bagley) for fear their relationship would change too much; much as tensions continued between Sam and Tricia (Mary Catherine Garrison) after the former discovered that their sister had been sick for longer than she thought. Holly had even told Tricia before she did Sam.
However, by the end of the season, Sam found the strength to mend fences with Tricia and open up to Joel before their friend Fred Rococo’s (Murray Hill) wedding. And yet, despite the small steps she’s taking in that direction, Sam still struggles to embrace the changes in her and her loved ones’ lives.
In fact, everyone in Sam’s circle appears to be adjusting to the shifts in their lives. Fred’s meddling wife Susan (Jennifer Mudge) urges him to change some of his habits; a recently divorced Tricia finds herself on dating apps and grows her Etsy and event-planning businesses. She and Sam even rent their parents’ old house to Viglundur (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), an Icelandic man they’ll call “Iceland.” Sam has a new job she’s good at, and bartending at the local bar seems to do her some good; she’s navigating these changes and trying not to fall back into old patterns. When Joel announces he is selling his house and moving in with Brad, Sam comprehends what this could do to their relationship.
Of course, this wouldn’t be Somebody Somewhere if hope wasn’t the most significant theme. The show offers us growth at its rawest—messy, imperfect, but oh so human—and strengthens its characters’ connections in the process. Sam has to allow herself to be vulnerable, and slowly, in her own way, she does, eventually realizing just how important she is to Joel. Her relationship with Tricia keeps improving, too, reaching an understanding that consolidates their bond in a beautiful scene on Holly’s birthday. This season even explores Sam’s (romantic) love life in a way we’ve never seen, but as always, the show gives us an intricate and satisfying arc that skillfully avoids falling into clichés.
Another stereotype the show successfully dodges is in its depiction of the life of LGBTQ+ people in Midwestern America. It paints a unique portrait of imperfections but efforts in allyship, an endeavor that is too often neglected when depicting the queer experience in small towns. Its approach to faith and spirituality—such as when Joel goes to Brad’s church and Bible study—gives us a refreshing take on what it means to be queer and religious, and it explores queer domestic life, another aspect too often overlooked by television and film alike. These may be sensitive topics to some, but they are handled with care and respect and made all the more powerful by Jeff Hiller and Tim Bagley’s honest and touching portrayals of Joel and Brad.
Bridget Everett is also magnificent as Sam. Not that we didn’t know that from the previous two seasons, but she once again proves to be a one-of-a-kind performer in every endeavor she embarks on—whether it is making us laugh, cry, or sing along with her. She is a force to be reckoned with, and this role allows her to showcase many of her talents, which makes the show all the more special.
In sum, the Peabody Award-winning and GLAAD-nominated show comes back with a third season that is at times hilarious and at times heartbreaking but always keeps the same warmth and tenderness that have defined it since season one. Somebody Somewhere is, at its core, a breathtaking tale of friendship, growth, and hope, and this final season is no different. In navigating life, Sam teaches us that small steps make for big moments and that there is so much beauty right in front of our eyes—if we’re courageous enough to take risks.
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