Catastrophe: On Relationships

Amazon has just released the second season of the raunchy and hilarious original comedy, Catastrophe. It’s romantic comedy, it’s a love story, it’s a really good look at relationships and you need to be watching (without your kids in the room because Rob and Sharon do keep it funky).

Season one is a boy meets girl story. Well, the not so typical in that boy meets girl, boy gets girl pregnant, boy then moves to another continent to make relationship with girl a go. Creators and stars Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan play Rob and Sharon, the participants in a one night stand who decide to couple up in order to raise the child Sharon is carrying as this may be their last chance for kids.

Season one is all about singles Rob and Sharon trying to figure out who and what couple Rob and Sharon are. They don’t know each other but decide to try to keep this relationship going because why not. Rob leaves his life behind in America to be with this woman. Sharon is trying to balance the complications that come with being an older pregnant woman and how her life is going to change.

Honestly, the two seem to be a mess together. They are forced to skip the “let’s be polite” stage of relationships and dive right into it, somehow making their hardly knowing each other work. It’s chaotic, it’s painful to watch at times and gosh darnit, it is none of the familiar relationship stereotypes that are usually played out on television shows. Sometimes you wonder if Rob and Sharon even like themselves, let alone each other!

Season two finds the couple a few years after the birth of their child. They’ve somewhat settled into married life with Sharon once again pregnant and Rob,  is working at being a dad. So many things happen in this comedy: The sensation of being overwhelmed yet engaging in the obligations of being a mother. Working at a job that isn’t nourishing your soul. The flirtations that lift your spirit. Sharon is not bonding with the baby, Rob hates his job, family issues are on the horizon and this couple seem to make things work. Not necessarily within the confines of what a “normal” relationship may be, but damn it, it works for them.

Yes, this is a fictional, scripted show but I can’t stop thinking about it. Here is a couple who are terrible to each other yet their relationship works. They are mean, say hurtful things to each other, snap and bite but manage to make nice when it matters. In discussing this show I think part of the reason Rob and Sharon get along so well is because the couple seemed to have created a set of rules and ideas for their relationship and they define what works for them without permission from other people. In fact, it seems that when they go along with what is defined as the norms is when trouble strikes.

Both seasons are streaming on Amazon Prime. Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial using my affiliate link and get to know Rob and Sharon and the wonderfully dysfunctional loving relationship that should be a catastrophe but somehow manages to be a delight.

r’s note: Affiliate links are used in this post. If you click on the link and make a purchase I will receive a small commission. That aside, check out Catastrophe and enjoy the ride.