‘Playing House’ Perfectly Captures What it’s Like to Have an Adult BFF
It seems juvenile for grown woman to refer to one another as ‘BFF.’ But my bestie Tiff and I have been friends since we were eight, so basically forever, and truthfully we’re still pretty juvenile, so I guess it fits.
My family moved to Ontario from B.C. when I was in grade eleven. That final farewell drive to the airport was emotional. It was traumatic and dramatic and all very Sweet Valley High.
Despite the distance, we’re still best friends all these years later and have been there for each other through life’s biggest milestones.
We’ve supported each other through break-ups and illness and loss.
We were ‘Best Woman’ at each other’s weddings.
My friend flew out here to help set up the nursery when I was pregnant with my first child. Unlike husbands, best friends will put together furniture without complaint. As a thank you I took her to see Mamma Mia, the musical. We sang along and danced like fools in the balcony. Well, she danced. I mostly waddled and swayed while she pulled me back from the balcony railing. ‘You’re a little er, top heavy.’ She warned. ‘Musicals are all fun and games until a giant pregnant lady rains down into the orchestra pit.’
Only a best friend can get away with calling you a ‘giant pregnant lady.’
A BFF is a blessing and I plan to send my bestie a note on June 8th—National Best Friends Day. Ya, ya, it’s a made up holiday. Who cares? Any reason to celebrate the good things, right?
shomi surveyed more than 3,000 members and asked how best friends like to stream together and what they like to watch. The survey is in honour of shomi’s new BFF binge series Playing House. Have you seen it yet?
It is really funny. As for ‘binge series?’ Spot on. I blew through the first season in one night. Playing House reminds me in many ways of my best friend and I. The show follows childhood besties Maggie and Emma as they explore the journey of adulthood. Emma, who moved far away (been there, done that) returns home for Maggie’s baby shower. When Maggie’s husband cheats on her, Emma decides to stay to help with the baby. When you see how Maggie finds out about the cheating, well it’s so awkward, you’ll want to do that thing where you pull your shirt collar up over your eyes because you’re so mortified for the characters you just can’t bear it. (P.S. Tiff, I love that you still do that!)
The series stars real life best friends, former Upright Citizens Brigade members Lennon Parham (Veep, New Girl, Lady Dynamite) and Jessica St. Clair (Bridesmaids, HBO’s Animals). The duo has a very Kristin Wiig/Maya Rudolph vibe with a little Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in there too. When I saw one of the episodes was directed by my teen crush Fred Savage, I was all in.
Check out the show with your bestie. Even if you don’t have a ‘hoarding closet’ or family of raccoons living in your childhood playhouse, or a mother who writes scathing poems about dumpling broth, you’ll recognize elements of your bestie friendship in Maggie and Emma.
shomi is the only place to see both Seasons 1 and 2 in Canada. Season 3 is currently in production for the USA Network.
FYI—the shomi survey revealed that face-to-face is still the most popular way to gab with BFFs about TV series: Over two thirds (68.9%) of respondents prefer to discuss their favourite TV shows in person with their friends, Texting, which is how my BFF and I dish across the miles, ranks as the second most preferred choice (18.1%).
The survey also found that BFFs comfort each other with food and drinks: Respondents were most likely to pay for the first round of drinks for their BFF (31.2%), show up with ice cream after a break up (31.2%), or help them move (24.7%). However, only 13% of respondents want to drive their BFF to the airport.
I’m not surprised by that last point—occasionally those drives to the airport can get pretty dramatic. Or so I’ve heard.
This post was written by Lisa Thornbury and is brought to you by shomi, but the opinions and images are our own.
