We start off with Chris putting the finishing touches on a very fanc-ay dinner as Reagan comes home. As he tunes the iPod to el-super-sexy-Cuban-el-dancing, she leaves to go slip into something a little more comfortable, and since this is apparently Chris' second day ever of marriage and child rearing, he is unpleasantly surprised when Reagan comes out in vomit-stained sweats and PJ's. That's Christina Applegate, motherfucker. She could come out wearing She-Hitler cosplay, and I'd still walk across broken glass for the chance to disappoint that for 2 minutes. Stop pouting!
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| Just because this was from The Venture Bros. doesn't mean I still don't have to completely abandon my Google account and search history. |
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| Like the fist of an angry god. |
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| This is a guy I'd go to for personal advice... |
Meanwhile, while filming the latest episode of Ava! (I know there's no exclamation point on the actual show title, but it really feels like there should be!) the internet explodes with news that her ex-fiance, a flame out ex boy-bander named B-Ro, is getting married. And by flame out ex-fiance, I mean she set his trailer on fire while screaming "Is your ho in there, I smell burning ho" after he embezzled her life savings.
The news gets to Ava mid-show, and she leaves mid-taping, then proceeding to try and destroy the control room in a fit of pain and jealousy. She manages to unpin some cables from the wall, with a little effort and help from Reagan.
Back in Dadland, Forte looks over Chris's decidedly dull fashion choices while gallantly making sure he doesn't "shame spiral". He advises Chris to get more flattering pants, show off his chest a little more, and finally, recommends Swedish underwear by Bjorg Borg. Most imporantly, Forte imparts, he has to "keep the body tight, but the message subtle".
Also he shows off a butt clench.
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| You're welcome, ladies... |
Anyway, it turns out Ava blames Reagan for her and B-Ro's breakup, all those years ago. Just because Reagan kept warning her about his cheating, kept telling her to break up with him, encouraged him to go on a tour with Lisa Stansfield who he eventually left Ava for... actually, it's left a little vague whether Reagan knew the latter would happen, which, if she did, kind of impressively Machiavellian there, Reag.
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| Pictured: subtlety. |
After blowing up though, Reagan wakes the next morning in full Holly Go-Lightly Fancy Pantsy brunch-wear, complete with haughty British accents and concerns about "the staff" stealing the silverware. She even makes him put on a dinner jacket. So awesome. Point: Reagan.
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| Win. |
Back at work, takes a break over being existentially depressed over Chris' "I Woof You" Dog-Shaped apology bouquet, Reagan tries to convince Ava that she's better off not having stayed with B-Ro.
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| ::squint:: Kelly...? Is that you? |
Reagan mainatins that even in that music video he still shot (at) the director. He was always a huge mess, and he'll always be a huge mess, and she'll even scheduled a reunion lunch with him to prove it to her.
At the restaurant, Reagan tries to set up some ground rules with a swarthy looking posse before B-Ro gets there. Turns out they are NOT, in fact B-Ro's posse. We never find out who's posse they are, even though I would genuinely like to know. Four guys don't just randomly decide to go out dressed like that together...do they? Anyway, B-Ro is over at the next table, cleaned up like a gosh-darned Mormon. Nice and polite and sober and wearing a tie. Apparently he quit the music business, got involved with his church, started a charity, etc. Reagan doesn't believe him, but by the time Ava shows up, and they spend a little while reminiscing and marvelling over the time that's gone by, she's convinced and even offers a toast in honor of his better days. Of course, after she leaves to take a phone call from home, B-Ro hunkers over, drops the act, and tries to guilt/extort/threaten money out of Ava, presumably for his charity, thought that's never made clear. Cut to: a repeat in the parking lot of their previous breakdown, complete with Mormon!B-Ro jumping around shirtless screaming at anyone who gets near him.
One more humiliating YouTube video later, Ava and Reagan make up, and Ava gives Reagan some sexy underwear. Reagan breaks down that after having a kid, she's just not that secure in her body to be feeling sexy ("Underneath this, I have a girdle, and TWO pairs of Spanx on!"). Ava urges her to meet Chris halfway.
Back at home, they both try to apologize, but Christ gets there first with a sappy, but touching Photoshop slide show of what his life would've been like without her (unironic moustaches and lifeguarding at a water park), and what his life is with her (genuine pictures of their vacations and one horrendous 'shop of them with the Obamas). For her part, Reagan takes Ava's advice and decides to wear sexy underwear under the same sweats as the night before ("rec room on the outside, strip club on the inside"). Chris appreciates the gesture and is actually really into it and show's off his sexy underwear and they dance into the fade out to the tunes of B-Ro's and Ava's ballad.
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I actually liked this one a lot. Karmic balance has been restored, and the universe has made up for this week's disappointing 2 Broke Girls.
They took all the things I liked about last week, the grounded marriage interactions, relationship humor, vulnerability, and chucked all the awkward cringe comedy that had been done better and cringier by others. Will Forte was awesome as the marriage-sexiness guru. How awesome would it have been if he was the "Cool Neighbor" last week? The only difference between him and the actual cool neighbor was that Forte was playing it for laughs. He and Arnett played great off each other, the only complaint being that the underwear scene didn't really NEED to be capped off with a "We should probably put on our pants".
Applegate, as usual, does her best work when grounded in reality and sarcasm, instead of buffoonery. Her little Fancy Breakfast was great, and I laughed at her earnest "Aw, Michele and Barack" bit during the photoshop slide.
Arnett as well. The actor is best built for grandiose, over the top acting, but over the top buffoonery like last week is just uncomfortable to watch (at least for me). His more subtle approach here, when approaching Forte, when being dressed down for his formless ass, rang more, and thus funnier.
Ava came off better this week too, but she's still too self absorbed and unlikeable. It's really hard to see what Reagan sees in her when she says things like "I've watched her change into one of the greatest persons' I've ever known". It's still early, I have hope the writing will continue to gell better around her.
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