Ep 5. Wedding

Annie's on-off boyfriend, Ryan, is set to marry his girlfriend, Jaden, but he asks Annie to come to his wedding, leaving her both excited and uncertain. This is the premise of episode five of Shrill's second season, aptly titled "Wedding."

As soon as Annie receives the invitation to Ryan's wedding, she's confused about whether she should attend or not. She discusses it with Fran and learns that Jaden, Ryan's new fiancée, is also a writer for the same local newspaper Annie works at, which brings up potential tensions in the workplace. But after she learns that Ryan still has feelings for her, she agrees to attend the wedding, still in doubt about whether she should try to win Ryan back or just be happy for him and move on once and for all.

After a series of awkward conversations with Ryan and Jaden at the wedding rehearsal dinner, Annie tries to convince herself that she's content with just being friends with Ryan. She also meets an adorable wedding guest outside smoking weed, who she's immediately drawn to and decides to share her hotel room with for the night.

But as the wedding ceremony unfolds, Annie is reminded of her intense feelings for Ryan, particularly when he delivers a touching speech. She spends the entire reception contemplating whether she should take the risk and potentially ruin the wedding by making a move on Ryan.

Meanwhile, the budding romance between Annie and the wedding guest starts to develop, and she realizes that he might be the one for her rather than Ryan. But in a moment of truth, Ryan confesses his love for Annie and tries to kiss her, forcing her to make a decision about what she truly wants.

"Wedding" shows Annie grappling with the complexities of love, and the show's writers explore the many shades of relationships. They demonstrate that love is not always straightforward and can sometimes make you question your worth and the decisions you make. This episode also touches on the unconditional support of friendship, something that the show's protagonist needs more than ever as she navigates her feelings for Ryan.

The episode also explores concepts of societal pressure - couples are expected to fall into certain categories based on their physical appearance, and any deviations from these expectations may cause stress. Additionally, the pressure to conform to societal norms can put an undue strain on relationships, as evidenced by Ryan's struggles to keep up with his fitness regimen. This episode of Shrill highlights how society's expectations can manifest in different ways and impact different people.

Perhaps the most impressive part of "Wedding" is how the show deftly tackles the complexities of relationships without being preachy or pedantic. It does so through the lens of Annie's experiences, taking the viewer on an introspective journey with her as she tries to understand her emotions and make sense of the different avenues she could take. The show's writers do an excellent job of sensitively portraying the dilemma that Annie finds herself in, letting her actions and emotions speak for themselves.

Overall, "Wedding" is an excellent episode of Shrill that offers a thoughtful and emotionally resonant examination of relationships and the complexities of love. With its nuanced portrayal of characters and relationships, this episode demonstrates just how good this show can be when it's firing on all cylinders.