She's a great actress because, in her 50s, it is really too late for her to start over. Her path is pretty much set career wise and economics wise, but her daughter is still in her 30s and has time to change careers. And when her daughter shows promise by getting straight As through adverse circumstances, making the Dean's List, Janney is very "meh" about it. Christy is angry about this lack of enthusiasm and encouragement.
It results in some over the top slapstick in a wedding boutique, but in the end you find out that Janney's character is insecure. She just says a few words in admission. That she feels threatened because she might be abandoned. And from her performance and all she has put into her character up to this point in the series you get the rest without being told. If Christy continues on her path, gets a degree, gets a good job, maybe meets a professional man, that maybe Christy's negligent-when-she-needed-her mom, the woman with addictive behaviors she has been successfully fighting off and selfishness she has not, won't fit into her life. That maybe she will not be considered good enough for Christy's new friends and maybe new family. That's the thing about abandoners. Their punishment is waiting for what went around to come around.
I'd recommend this episode for the acting alone.
It results in some over the top slapstick in a wedding boutique, but in the end you find out that Janney's character is insecure. She just says a few words in admission. That she feels threatened because she might be abandoned. And from her performance and all she has put into her character up to this point in the series you get the rest without being told. If Christy continues on her path, gets a degree, gets a good job, maybe meets a professional man, that maybe Christy's negligent-when-she-needed-her mom, the woman with addictive behaviors she has been successfully fighting off and selfishness she has not, won't fit into her life. That maybe she will not be considered good enough for Christy's new friends and maybe new family. That's the thing about abandoners. Their punishment is waiting for what went around to come around.
I'd recommend this episode for the acting alone.
