You're the Worst 2.7: "There is Not Currently a Problem"

Chris: It isn’t a Sunday Funday episode but it’s still a functional bottle episode that includes Vernon for some reason. I do love the mouse metaphor for Gretchen’s troubles and how it relates to Jimmy. Jimmy had no idea about the mouse being in the house much like he was clueless about Gretchen having a problem that seemed obvious to the rest of us. Well now he knows about the mouse and he knows something is wrong with Gretchen, which was something he stayed out of until he witnesses the seriousness of her depression. Once he knew about the mouse, he obsessively worked to catch it and deal with it (cue the rocket ship to heaven). This was one of the advantages of having watched the show previously, I can now appreciate the foreshadowing of the episode because as Jimmy proves he’s inept to dealing and disposing the mouse, he’s just as inept in “fixing” Gretchen and her depression. However, that won’t stop Jimmy. I highly recommend a second viewing of this episode after you’ve watched the remaining episodes.

Alexa: “You’re the Worst” has made me laugh more times than I can count, but this is the first episode that’s made me cry. When Gretchen sobbed on the bed and lamented to Lindsay that her brain is broken, I lost it. Because I cannot tell you how many times I’ve uttered that exact phrase. I have generalized anxiety disorder and Gretchen has clinical depression, but the disorders share some commonalities and can have a similarly detrimental effect on a person’s life and relationships. Watching Gretchen’s descent in this episode felt uncomfortably real, from distracting herself with alcohol to hurling hurtful insults at people she loves to deflect the animosity she feels toward herself. During the latter scene, I quickly went from feeling like one of the gang to feeling like an intruder in an incredibly personal moment. Accurate depictions of anxiety and depression in pop culture are limited, and I cannot praise this show enough for being so brutally honest about it. I know as Jimmy navigates this reality with Gretchen, there will undoubtedly be moments that are difficult to watch. Mental illness sucks for the person experiencing it and it sucks for their romantic partner, who often doesn’t completely understand it but wants desperately to help and can’t figure out how. I have been in that dark, hopeless place where Gretchen finds herself this episode and know the only way she’ll get out of there is by accepting that she needs help and seeking it. But she’s obviously not there yet, and having grown to love these characters, her journey is going to be tough to endure. But I trust the “You’re the Worst” team to do it justice. This installment doesn’t play like a heavy-handed “very special episode.” It’s raw and real but it’s not devoid of comedy, because these characters are darkly funny and the depression reveal doesn’t change that. Gretchen is still Gretchen. Depression is something she has, not something she is. I applaud the writers for the timing of this storyline because it’s so much more effective to disclose it after we’ve grown to care about her. It feels organic thanks in large part to Aya Cash’s stellar performance, as she seamlessly weaves this part of Gretchen’s life into the character we already know. I’m confident the show will explore this story in an authentic way while staying true to its unique comic tone.

Joel: I really thought this was going to be a filler episode of the show. It’s was clearly setup for this to be a bottle episode with all of the characters getting trapped in the same apartment together. Season two has thirteen episodes instead of ten like the first season so it’s easy to think that there might be some more filler content in this season. We had an over the top, silly goal of trying to catch a mouse, and five minutes into the episode, I would have told you the only real forward progressing that this episode was going to have would be around seeing how well Dorothy would fit into the group dynamics and how she would clash with each individual member.

Instead, this is the You’re the Worst equivalent of a “very special episode.” It doesn’t do anything so blunt as to make that the main focus of the episode, or have the characters sit around and discuss the topic of mental health. Instead, we see the action of this episode unfold much in the same way that any episode of the show would. Initially Gretchen’s story feels like the B or C plot of the episode compared to Dorothy v. Lindsay and the mouse hunt. It’s only as the show progresses does Gretchen’s story come to the forefront. Brilliantly, the episode plays out with you in the shoes of the rest of the characters in the room, with no idea what’s coming.  Initially Gretchen feels off, but not terribly so. It’s not that the character no longer feels like Gretchen, but that maybe this is just a weaker episode for this character. Then we get to a moment where Gretchen explodes, yelling at each person in turn, and I was left checking the episode number trying to figure out what was going on and wondering if I had perhaps somehow skipped an episode that would explain all this.

It’s not until Gretchen’s depression is revealed at the end of the episode that all the pieces start to fall in place. Watching the episode again, and knowing what’s coming it’s easy to see all of the little moments leading up to the climax of the episode. However, what looks so obvious in hindsight is just as easy to miss when it’s happening right in front of you. The construction of this episode was incredible, as you feel just as lost as the rest of the characters trying to understand what’s going on. This episode is one of the standout moments of the show so far, and a large part of that has to go to Aya Cash, who gives a great performance here. It’s not an easy task that’s been set before her, but she breaks your heart in this episode in one of the hardest moments of the show.