2 Broke Girls - 1x16 - And the Broken Hearts

So, once again, I'm choosing to only focus on the good points of this show because it's really, truly depressing to just keep writing "the jokes suck" for 1,500 words. But luckily, if you ignore the first 15 minutes in the diner, there's a lot to enjoy here.

Earl has a heart attack. Max basically freaks out and goes into hyper-protective mama-bear mode. Or daughter-bear mode? Or Morgan-Freeman's-Step-Granddaughter-Bear mode, considering all the super icky fake flirting that's happened in the past. Ew, she also claimed he was Morgan Freeman in order to get him preferential treatment at the hospital. I don't want to follow this analogy anymore, it makes me feel dirty in my inside.

2 Broke Girls - 1x15 - And the Blind Spot

I've decided that if I'm going to stick with this show, I'm going to choose to just focus on the good parts and not obsess on the many, many, many faults. Even I've run out of long winded ways to say "these jokes SUCK". So, grading on such a steep, steep curve this episode wasn't actually that bad.

It wisely chooses to lean on what this show actually does really well (and probably the only reason I'm still sticking with it); the genuinely touching thread of watching Max and Caroline learn to trust and rely on each other implicitly. (I swear with just a hint of any kind sexual tension between the leads, and a gallon of guts, this show could be a really touching lesbian rom-com.) Of course it does this by continuing the new year's perplexing arc of showing Caroline act like the spoiled bitch she spent the first 10 episodes proving she's not, but at least it's somewhat entertaining.

2 Broke Girls - 1x14 - And the Upstairs Neighbor

Yeah so...not bad, I guess? I don't really remember much about this. I really should write these posts right after the episode. I guess if I don't remember much about it, it couldn't have been that bad. It also wasn't that good either, I suppose.

2 Broke Girls - 1x11 to 1x13 - Quick Thoughts

Listen...I just can't. I'm sticking with this show till the end of the season, but between being super behind and it...just being this show, I can't bring myself to do full recaps on the last three eps. So hit the jump for a quick overview of the three episodes I've missed so far...

2 Broke Girls - 1x10 - And The Very Christmas Thanksgiving

Okay so, after ten mediocre episodes, I think the best thing we can take away from this show is that Beth Behrs should really get more work after this whole...thing is finally over and done with. If Tom Hanks can come out of Bosom Buddies, Behrs should at least be able to get a season or two's work on a more deserving show. This show's potential may fluctuate wildly from week, but the one thing that's consistently enjoyable is her portrayal of Caroline as a fully-rounded, pragmatic, yet consistently optimistic young woman. Ironically it took an episode where all that comes tumbling down in a manic, violent, upper fueled, elf-pixie-filled mental breakdown to really appreciate that.

2 Broke Girls - 1x09 - And the Really Petty Cash

Alright, so far, so ...adequate. The show hasn't backslid into worse morass of cheapness and lameness. Facepalms were kept below concussion levels, and I'm even still interested in the story. You've bought yourself another week Girls.

Actually, snarkiness aside, this was actually a pretty decent progression of the Johnny storyline. Still hate this stupid face, but at least it's becoming more clear that he's probably a self-absorbed asshole, and Max's actions and reactions ring pretty damn true. And as much as I appreciate the fact this show resisted the urge to make the Paris Hilton-expy a bitch, I do kind of like the little hints of true-to-life panic and temporary (benign) selfishness Caroline is starting to exhibit.

2 Broke Girls - 1x08 - And the Hoarder Culture

Okay this is confusing. I'm about THIS close to completely giving up on this show. Seven episodes in, and the show still hasn't sloughed off it's face-palmy brand of horrible jokes and lazy racism. I stayed with the show because I always kind of assumed the said horribleness would eventually naturally erode away. I thought there could not possibly be sitcom writers in this generation that would allow such ineptitude to stand week after week. Then I found out that Whitmey co-created this show. Yes THAT Whitney. THAT FUCKING WHITNEY. How did I not put that together before? I'm an idiot. Suddenly, it all makes sense. Suddenly, it seems very much likely that everything horrible will become the norm and not the exception. The prospect of this show actually becoming decent has become so much more unlikely, and quite frankly, there are so many more ...adequate things on television. So I was ready to throw in the towel.

And then this episode airs. Now this is not a great episode by any objective means. It's not even a good episode when compared to the whole of television this season. But it is the least offensive this show has gotten, and, were it not for the whole Whitney factor, I would almost assume this show is moving in an upward trajectory. So I'm going to give it another week or two. Whitney has to be busy with her own "show" over on the other network. Maybe better writers will trickle in. Let's pray.

2 Broke Girls - 1x07 - And the Pretty Problem

Meh. I'm not AS disappointed in this one was I was in HIMYM, but that's only because I expected more from HIMYM. All this show has to do is get through one episode without a horribly unfunny racial joke and it'll impress me. This was not that episode.

2 Broke Girls - 1x06 - And the Disappearing Bed

This one was pretty amusing. Still had it's godawful share of godawful jokes, but it looks like the cast and writers are finally getting into the groove of things. Earl is being integrated into the jokes a lot less awkwardly/non-racistly. Caroline has her trademark can-do attitude finally bite her in the ass. And Max, for the first time since the pilot, shows us why she's someone we would actually want to be friends with. She vigorously defends Caroline against a stingy tipper, without hesitation. She willingly opens up and share,about her relationship with Johnny, and takes responsibility for screwing up what should have been a simple talk with Peaches. All in all, this friendship is starting to feel real and not just like the result of sitcom-design-by-committee. It'd still be nice to see the day when Max finally gets on board with this whole bakery thing, instead of letting Caroline do all the damn work, and then whining about passing out a business card, but baby steps, I guess.

2 Broke Girls - 1x05 - And the 90's Horse Party

After accidentally picking up Max's landline phone and having to deal with a persistent creditor, Caroline becomes concerned about Max's staggering debts. Desperate to find a way to help her friend dig herself out of her hole, even as Max ignores and belittles her attempts, Caroline hits upon the idea of throwing an ironic hipster party with a cover charge. Thus is born the 90's Pop-Up Horse Party, where hipsters dress in styles I've never seen before, dance to bad 90's music I don't actually recognize, and pay $100 to ride a horse. Unfortunately for them, this wasn't an 80's party, so for forking over a benjamin all they got was to literally ride a horse.

2 Broke Girls - 1x04 - And the Rich People Problems

Another episode better than last weeks. There's continuing decrease in the ratio of bad jokes to good ones (though hoo boy, there are some stinkers). This show is slowly inching it's way to the potential it showed in the pilot.

And Earl gets lines that don't have to do with being black! Oleg makes a decent joke! Han's entire subplot doesn't revolve around not knowing the nuances the English language like a native speaker! It's a miracle!

2 Broke Girls - 1x03 - And Strokes of Goodwill

This wasn't so bad. Still a crapload of horrible jokes, but also a bunch of decent ones, and we didn't have to write off half the entire episode like last week. There wasn't much in the way of a central plot in this one, and that actually worked to its advantage. It was more a bunch of slices of Max and Caroline's new life together, which meant we got a lot of nice character moments and non-forced humor.

2 Broke Girls - 1x02 - And the Break-Up Scene

Wow. Huh. What was that? I'll tell you what it was. It was the sound of opinional (that's a word!) whiplash. It was the whooshing sound my expectations made as they were lifted and fell again. That was the fastest I've ever lost enthusiasm for a show since I found out Samantha Who wasn't the Doctor's next regeneration.  Okay maybe that's not fair. It wasn't completely horrendous. But damn, where did it go wrong? Let's find out! Or not. I'm pretty much committed to this whole reviewing thing now, but that doesn't mean you have to follow me down this dark path, dear readers.

2 Broke Girls - 1x01 - Pilot

Huh. Potential. Surprisingly a lot of potential.  Or, maybe, just surprising it has potential. Those posters and ads made it look like two parts Odd Couple, one part Tragically Late Paris Hilton Parody.  I was ready to completely ignore another three-camera laugh track sitcom based on a tired premise, when a commercial during the HIMYM permiere was kind enough to point out Kat Dennings was in it. Luckily, I'm always in a Kat Dennings mood, so, after accomplishing the Herculean task of not reaching over twelve inches to my left and lightly nudging the remote, I found myself the surprised recipient of an oddly satisfying episode.