In Season 1 of Freeform’s hit series, ‘Single Drunk Female’, we see Sam (Sofia Black-D’Elia) as a 20-something free spirit living in New York City, who ships back up to Boston after losing her job and in doing so, has to confront her problems as an alcoholic.
Now sober, we see Sam evolve a lot in the sophomore season of the show, but she still has a lot to figure out. With the addition of new characters, new dynamics and a lot of the same grit and wit that drove Season 1, Sofia Black-D’Elia sat down to discuss the evolution of her character in ‘Single Drunk Female’ Season 2.
When we talked for the first season, you mentioned your connection with your character Sam. So, how does it feel to see her evolve and grow so much through ‘Single Drunk Female’ and this second season?
It’s so fun [and] it’s one of the things I love about TV. You know, we get to really tell the long-form version of these character arcs and stories, and it’s been really great to sort of go deeper into all of the relationships and all of the dynamics and explore new things and have the time to do that. It’s a real gift.
Speaking of relationships, that aspect of the show really moves the story with so many dynamics between the characters. Which ones did you enjoy exploring in the first and second season?
Well, of course, the relationship between myself and Ally’s (Sheedy) character, Carol, is just the heart of the show for me and the thing I get most excited about. So getting to go further into all of those things and do a flashback episode and just sort of see them at this very different point in time in their relationship was so fun for Ally and I. I just feel like we get to know them a little bit better with every episode, and [we] crystallize that mother-daughter dynamic. So that’s been the most rewarding one for me over the course of the two seasons.
And how has it been working with some new faces—like Molly Ringwald and Busy Philips?
It’s been really fun. Everyone that’s come in has just been so kind and generous and really understands the tone of the show and slips right in and brings their own kind of amazing energy to it. And Busy, I think was such an additive, lovely character on the show and she killed it. She really makes me laugh and I like the dynamic between her and Sam.
You’ve talked about improvising in episodes before, so, any moments that stand out to you that were born from that?
It happens the most with Jon Glaser, so anytime he and I are on screen together, there’s gonna be some stuff that he just took and ran with. It’s always fun working with him, and he’s just one of my favorite actors on the show. Basically, anything he said about that Red Sox hat—there’s a really fun sort of sequence where I’m trying to get him to put the hat on and that whole bit was just he and I think trying to make each other laugh. That was fun for me to do and fun for me to watch.
Overall how would you compare Sam’s journey in Season 1 to Season 2?
I think the way that we sort contextualized it—Season 1 was more about Sam’s physical sobriety and just the sheer act of not drinking and the challenge of that, and how that might affect her. Then Season 2 was more about her emotional sobriety, where she now sort of has a handle on the physical sobriety, but doesn’t quite yet realize that she’s still trying to fill this God-sized hole with a lot of other distractions and chaotic behaviors.
I think it’s two steps forward, one step back and she has come a very long way from Season 1, and we find her in a much better place at the start of Season 2. But obviously, throughout the course of that journey, some other issues pop up that she maybe didn’t quite see as becoming as big of an issue that they ultimately do.
This show has a lot of heartfelt moments paired with the comedic moments to tackle some heavy subjects. What does that mix bring to the story and the audience experience?
We’re trying to tell a grounded, realistic portrayal of this girl’s recovery, and I think within that there’s going to be some really funny sh*t and some really sad sh*t. Hopefully, it feels realistic to viewers, but I think also for someone that’s in recovery or loves someone that’s in recovery, it’s really good that it’s light and fun and digestible and makes you laugh… because the recovery is the fun part, you know? That’s when your life can really start.
We’re never trying to achieve anything that grandiose, but I do think that it’s a more accurate representation of what it’s like to get sober and be able to actually have these real relationships in your life for the first time.
What overall would you tell audiences to expect from Season 2 of ‘Single Drunk Female’?
If you liked the world of Season 1, I think you’re going to get to know it a lot better this year. Our ensemble all gets to really shine—Sasha Compère is amazing, Charlie Hall is so wonderful and Ian Gomez is so great as Bob. We have all of these amazing cast members that really got to do a lot more this year.
Catch Season 2 of ‘Single Drunk Female’ on Hulu.
