Family Law Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Addicted to Love
If you don’t have trust and communication in marriage, that relationship is doomed.
Abby and Daniel’s client, Marlee, turned to online gaming when she felt unappreciated in her marriage on Family Law Season 1 Episode 3. This triggered Abby’s feelings of inadequacy and sent her on a downward spiral.
While trying to help Marlee, Abby almost took Marlee with her with some ill advice.
Initially, Daniel and Abby thought they were meditating on a custody battle. Things became complicated when Dwight showed that video. It begged the question, “Is it cheating if it’s your gaming avatar?’
Abigail: Okay, it’s beyond weird, but is it cheating?
Daniel: Of course, it’s cheating. She’s having sex with another man.
Abigail: Her avatar is having sex with another avatar. It’s not like she’s having sex with strangers in bars.
The sex talk made Lucy uncomfortable since she was seen doing precisely that at a bar in Family Law Season 1 Episode 2. Lucy maintained that sexual fantasies were healthy, but Marlee might have crossed into emotional infidelity.
This custody case was more complicated since Dwight claimed he should have full custody because Marlee can’t care for their young children if she’s on the computer.
It’s our view that Mr. Hartford is motivated by jealousy of an avatar.
Daniel
That is a delicate accusation since many parents spend time on their devices instead of actively watching their children. Many parents need a break to escape, just like Marlee does.
That reasoning failed since Marlee spent 16 hours daily on devices on Second Life, and the Judge and Daniel lost their patience.
This episode exhibited many good cop-bad cop moments, both in the legal case and when dealing with Sofia. Abby felt like Daniel came down too hard on Marlee, especially when he threatened to quit as her attorney.
Instead, Abby played good cop by trying to empathize with Marlee and admitting that she had struggled with addiction too. She crossed the line when she revealed she knew the judge. That only stressed Marlee out more that the judge would take her kids too.
While Abby meant well, telling Marlee to quit her gaming addiction altogether and fake it in therapy was ill-advised. Therapists can tell when you are going through the motions.
On top of that, if addicts aren’t ready to quit, they’ll find another way to get their vice.
Online gaming had almost become Marlee’s obsession. She had an entire room devoted to Comic-con costumes and posters.
It almost seemed like she missed her former life with Dwight and was nostalgic for those years. Now that she was stuck in a new town and at home all day with two young children, she got bored and felt unappreciated.
Marlee’s marital issues resonated with both Lucy and Abby. Lucy managed to keep it professional in their sessions, but she seemed to grow more apprehensive about starting a family and keeping her sense of self.
Marlee’s marital issues reminded Abigail of her own and that neither she nor Frank trusted each other yet, saddened her.
Sofia has been like an ordinary teenager dealing with her parents’ separation. She’s embarrassed by her mom’s drinking and thinks her dad is the best, assuming his affair is a secret.
Like most teens, she knew a cunning smile and bribery worked wonders on the estranged parent. I had to give the girl credit for that one, and even Aunt Lucy looked proud that Abby and Sofia pulled a truce.
I hated that Abby had been removed from the contact list from the kids’ schools. What if something serious had happened to Sofia, and she hadn’t just gone home?
She doesn’t need to be shut out. Her children need a mother for topics their dad won’t understand or things unique to them and Abby.
Hopefully, Abby’s recovery will become more serious soon. Right now, her only motivation is to reunite with her family, and her husband won’t let that happen yet.
Until she wants to improve herself, she’s only going through the motions and costing their insurance money for missed therapy appointments.
Supposedly, Abby has struggled with addiction for years. Let’s find out if something in her family history or marriage triggered it.
Did she feel unappreciated, unloved, or abandoned by her parent’s divorce?
Daniel, Lucy, and Abby exhibited more sibling-like behavior in this episode, though it wasn’t always friendly.
Daniel: Lucy says you mock happy couples because you’re miserable and alone.
Jerri: Okay, you two, play nice.
Even though Lucy seemed so saintly, she was a busybody that knew how to grate on her older brother’s nerves.
Even Abby was impressed that Lucy started a betting pool about whether Daniel and Danielle would break up.
Was that the push Daniel needed to propose to his long-time girlfriend? Was he afraid of commitment in the past, and Danielle is different?
I hated that everyone blamed Abby for every mishap; she still felt like the family’s black sheep.
For every small step she took forward with Lucy, she took two giant ones backward with Daniel. Obviously, he wanted her out of the firm and their family.
The pressure got to Abby, and she snapped.
Will Harry stand by his threats and have his oldest daughter disbarred and fired, or will he show compassion and get her some help?
Over to you, Family Law Fanatics. Will Harry get his daughter the help she needs, or is her career over?
What will make Abby serious about her recovery? Do you think Daniel and Danielle will make it down the aisle? Chime in below in the comments.
Remember, if you missed an episode, you could watch Family Law online via TV Fanatic.
Family Law airs at 8/7c on Sundays on The CW.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
