In the Season 2 of Breeder, the kids are now older, and the parenting challenges are now different. It sees Paul and Ally struggle with myriad issues, from broken curfews and religious choices to veganism. We also see that Paul is disappointed that the family now just retreats to different rooms with different screens.
Cast of Breeders Season 2
- Martin Freeman as Paul
- Daisy Haggard as Ally
- Michael McKean as Michael
- Alex Eastwood as Luke
- Eve Prenelle as Ava
- Joanna Bacon as Jackie
- Alun Armstrong as Jim
- Stella Gonet as Leah
Episode 1 - No Surrender
Luke (Alex Eastwood) and Ava (Eve Prenelle), Paul (Martin Freeman) and Ally’s (Daisy Haggard) children, are obviously older, and the tone has changed immediately to account for their actual and imagined growing pains. Paul and Ally are dealing with several new issues, including teenage hormones, vulnerable parents, and the development of technology have made teenagers’ lives significantly different, significantly more accessible, and yet still substantially more complicated.
Episode 2 - No Fear
Until the very end, the burglary material is primarily played for laughs. Still, when Luke shows up there while skipping school, it helps tie the story together. He prefers peace and quiet at his grandmother’s home.
This makes sense because his personal life to his academic obligations is becoming “too much” for him to handle. Luke explains to Paul at one point why he struggles to sleep, and what it’s like to finally wake up; the following day, he had a panic attack at school. In reaction, Luke is taken to the doctor, where Paul diagnoses him with generalized anxiety disorder without first consulting Ally.
Episode 3 - No Connection
In general, the goal of parenting is to raise your children so that they are independent of you. However, there are no instructions in the manual on dealing with crushing emotions. It is when you have when kids are still young enough to need you but mature enough to find you and your interests downright embarrassing.
“No Connection” is about the moment when every parent realizes what the family movie night or another activity has turned into. It is a punishment for their children rather than a reward. It’s also about growing older and understanding that much of your life is in the rearview mirror.
That change may be a frightening thing.
Episode 4 - No Faith
Ava’s faith appears to have started when she witnessed Jim (Alun Armstrong) praying for Luke’s protection at the kitchen table. At the same time, he was very ill in the hospital. Since Luke recovered, the prayer must have been effective. It makes sense. However, Jim and Paul had a conversation earlier in the episode where he compared religion to “an old slipper.”
It was said he was aware that Luke was saved by medicine, not by his prayers. Ava is somewhat surprisingly logical for a ten-year-old. Still, Paul is good with her practicing religion for whatever reason.
She is fine talking to him about it as long as it doesn’t turn into “a thing,” which, of course, does when Jim tells Jackie (Joanna Bacon), and she makes a huge deal out of it.
Episode 5 - No Baby
Ally is actually perimenopausal, transitioning into menopause, which has the same symptoms as pregnancy but is cruelly caused by the exact opposite condition. Ally’s body wasn’t telling her that she was developing a new life inside of her. Instead that it was likely impossible for her to do so.
Paul and Ally both agree that while it’s undoubtedly a relief, concluding on such a dark note is also rather awful. The fact that they discuss this while smoking and then lecture Luke about not smoking simply highlights how complex, contradictory, and unjust emotions can be.
Episode 6 - No Choice
Ally’s belief that she was pregnant and subsequent realization that she most likely couldn’t become pregnant. It must have rekindled her parental instincts because “No Choice” reveals pretty shortly that she is undergoing IVF. There isn’t time for frivolity while her internal clock is ticking away. If Leah (Stella Gonet), her mother, was old enough to love Alex (Hugh Quarshie).
Keeley isn’t accessible, and Ally’s hormones are out of control. She must settle for Darren (Patrick Baladi), who is hardly on speaking terms with his wife because she accuses him of pressuring her into doing IVF. And it leads to twins reportedly misbehaving.
Not exactly what she needed in a conversation. The issue is that she ends herself in a parent’s arms during Ava’s karate class because she needs to talk and be heard. She rapidly kisses the only man in the area who stops listening to what she’s saying. All the talk of relocating out by the sea and having a third child has made her a little crazy.
Episode 7 - No Excuses
The following morning, not much has changed, especially after Ally permits Luke to skip school. She calls Keeley (Indra Ové) later and complains, “He’s driving around all f*cking night like Robert DeNiro.” Neither she nor Paul knows how to handle Paul’s behavior or emotions, but in any way, Paul starts taking his anger out on Luke and his worry, which doesn’t seem fair.
It is simple to believe that perhaps the entire kiss thing worked out for the best when he is finally ready to chat because so many related issues come pouring out. Ally seems like a clinical and emotional wasteland. Paul is disappointed that he won’t get another chance to be a “good” dad since they won’t have any more children.
After airing everything out, they can come to an understanding. Thanks to Ava’s intervention with a friend, Luke is permitted to resume his studies. Until he forgets his pillow again, of course.
Episode 8 - No Friends
When Ally and Paul get home, they are both shocked to see Luke’s friend Jacob-a wonderfully straightforward toff boffin-in their home, but at least he cheers up Luke. There’s a funny moment in “No Friends” when Ally thinks Jacob is pushing drugs. Still, he actually just has a variety of samples of different coffees. Dean (Nabil Elouahabi) also puts Paul in a pretty good mood.
Even though the excitement of that relationship makes him even less interested in Ally (and forces Ava to mate around with his obviously controlling older daughter, Chloe). Dean introduces Paul to cocaine. Ava decides she no longer wants to be friends with Chloe.
Ally is concerned that Luke’s reliance on Jacob’s companionship would doom him to failure. Paul tries to talk to Ava about Chloe (Lilia Leyla Rustem) because he is terribly bonded to Dean and knows Dean wants him to. However, it does result in a revelation.
He doesn’t require a close friend like Dean, whom he has to annoy to maintain amicably. He and his best friend already share a home. It almost makes you cry when they both sit and make fun of Jim and Jackie’s young neighbors.
Episode 9 - No Power Part I
The party could end in disaster if there isn’t a borough-wide power outage, but only if Paul turns the electricity back on first. He becomes much more irritated than average. Paul loses his temper and harshly reprimands Luke in front of everyone to the point where he flees.
It causes Ally to go searching for him after he disappears. This show excels at switching moods at a moment’s notice, slipping humor into tragedy, and finding the humor in impending doom.
When Paul locates Luke with Ava’s assistance and attempts to calm him down, things don’t get any simpler. Luke hits him straight in the nose and takes off running after blaming his father and his rage for everything wrong in his life. It makes sense that this is a two-parter.
Episode 10 - No Power Part II
Leah is told by Ally that she worries their family may be in trouble. Paul doesn’t take it lightly that his son doesn’t want to live with him, even though he believes they can outright compel Luke to return home.
Paul agrees to try and make amends after Ally proposes he and Luke have a heart-to-heart at the wedding. Returning to the present, the father and son leave the wedding to have a long overdue conversation. Luke responds to Paul’s question about his intentions while his grandmother is gone on her honeymoon.
The youngster claims that Alex is “like a dad” to him and doesn’t believe he can be happy at home. I’m not allowed to live in the same house as you. I’ve had enough of the anger. I feel anxious and unhappy because of that,” he claims.
Sadly, their conversation ends before they can come to an agreement. Later, Ally asks Paul whether they discussed anything. Still, his only decision is to temporarily leave the house so their kid can return to the family.
He explains to a crying Ally that it’s what’s best for Luke. Paul explains that until everything is fully arranged, he will reside with his parents. When Paul is couch-surfing at Jim and Jackie’s, the severity of their predicament finally dawns on him. The family is still devastated as the season comes to a close.
Breeder Quick Facts
- a British-American parental dark comedy television show that
- under the production of Simon Blackwell, Chris Addison, and Martin Freeman
- The show centers on two parents who have difficulty raising their children and is partly based on Freeman’s personal experiences
- premiered on March 2, 2020, on the American cable network FX
- premiered on the British television network Sky One on March 12, 2020
- concluded on May 17, 2021