Chris: The argument episode that doesn’t really solve anything except for the definite end of Paul and Lindsey. However, the fact that nothing is solved is alright because like anything else, You’re the Worst likes to portray things as realistic as they can a lot of times and there’s times where a single argument doesn’t fix things. I will say that I think more was resolved with Jimmy and Gretchen than they realize, Jimmy realizes that Gretchen has been inspiring his work all along which is a huge pro to go on the list he’s been working on. The couple that I will say that hasn’t had anything resolved would be Edgar and Dorothy. The argument may have ended but Edgar then hides the fact that he’s progressed with Doug Benson and his career is taking off all to spare his girlfriend’s feelings. So in the end, we have the full spectrum of all the outcomes of a relationship argument; a couple realizes they need each other and stay together, a couple realizes they’re toxic for each other and seperate (cue Paul’s badass exit), and a couple that argued but didn’t really reach a conclusion and they have no resolution to their problems. And yes, Lindsay does make some good points during the episode (“you knew it was a snake”) and everything but she still stabbed Paul and I’m glad the show doesn’t allow anyone to forget that.
Alexa: I’ve written before about how some of the character-driven episodes that are confined to the house feel almost voyeuristic and intrusive, and this one is no exception. We have some of our lowest and most vulnerable moments in the privacy of our own homes, but at least most of us don’t have an audience. Watching these three arguments unfold, I felt like I was spying on something intensely personal that I had no right to see. But what struck me most about the writing here is that every character makes good points and makes mistakes. No one is completely right or completely wrong, which is true to human nature. You can sympathize with Dorothy’s lack of career success while also wanting her to put her own issues aside and support Edgar. You can understand why Gretchen so desperately wants Jimmy to be okay because she’s still working through her own issues, while acknowledging that’s terribly unfair to Jimmy and his own grief process. And you can appreciate that Lindsay never hid who she was while also recognizing that she has never once treated Paul right - which makes his “lawyer up, bitch” retort all the more satisfying. Though little is resolved by the end of the episode, Paul’s confidence has certainly grown.
Joel: This might possibly be my favorite episode of the show so far. Structured around three different arguments happening simultaneously in the same apartment, this is one of the more intimate episodes closer to “LCD Soundsystem” than the impressive technical achievement of the previous episode. Still, it really brings the characters together in such a way that makes this feel like one of the most emotional moments of the show.
In this episode, we have three different couples at three different stages of their relationship, all teetering on the brink of the relationship ending. We can see the potential for each relationship to not make it through the end of this episode. But as we watch the final destruction of these relationships, the show is careful not to paint anyone as the person in the wrong, or the outright villain of the relationship. You’re able to understand Dorothy's frustration and despair at how her career isn’t taking off while Edgar’s seems to be exploding overnight. You can see how neither party wants this to be a roadblock in their relationship, but how at the same time they both seem unable to get past it. It’s easy to feel empathetic for everyone involved. Even Lindsay whose actions have probably been the most irremediable this season is given a few moments to really mourn for the failings of her relationship with Paul in a way that you can feel bad for her while still seeing how badly this relationship needs to end.
Watching these two relationships ending creates a frame around Gretchen and Jimmy’s story where we can see this couple breaking up as well. They both have valid concerns and issues with their current relationship and just like the other two couples, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get past that. The episode ends on this very bittersweet moment where Gretchen and Jimmy are still together but don’t seem to have solved anything. They’re still together but not sure if it’s possible to continue moving forward together. It’s a sad moment that can really highlight the uncertainty of relationships in general as other relationships are ending seemingly in every room in the house.
(Also, everybody’s praising Paul’s “lawyer up” line at the end of the episode, but his ability to pull Osmosis Jones out as quickly as he did for an example of a family of cells is hands down my favorite Paul moment to date.)
Comments
Post a Comment