You're the Worst 3.8: "Genetically Inferior Beta Males"

Chris: During this episode, while giving his monologue about marijuana, I felt like we finally got our old Edgar back, the one that took all of his meds and was the moral constant of the show and that’s why it sucks that the interviewer took advantage of sweet, innocent Edgar. And being pushed isn’t such a bad thing when it comes to the advice Gretchen gave him but it is nice that Gretchen has that moment where she pushes too far and has a breakthrough because of it. And I guess everyone really does have a podcast. Honestly, I’m surprised a show that’s set in modern Los Angeles waited 3 seasons before having a somewhat main character have a podcast. I say this as a jaded podcast co-host that’s been doing it so long that I had to explain to people what a podcast was when we first started. So yes, Joel and I paved the way for Vernon Down the House. You’re welcome. Also, I echo Joel’s sentiment a few episodes ago that Becca is currently the worst of the worst and her excessive use of wacky audio clips during the podcast.

Alexa: I agree 100 percent with Chris’s comments about Edgar. He has always been my favorite character, which makes his struggles this season even more heartbreaking to witness. And just when he’s finally starting to be himself again and he makes this honest, heartfelt testimony about his PTSD recovery, some jerk completely takes advantage of him. I wanted to punch the guy in the face - and Gretchen a little bit for pushing Edgar into that situation without vetting the “journalist” first. You’re a publicist, girl; do your job! But at least Gretchen has her own breakthrough by the end of the episode. Honestly from what we learn about her relationship with her mother, it’s no wonder Gretchen is the way she is. It’s rewarding to see her realize that approach isn’t normal. And if quarterlife crisis Jimmy is all about painfully obvious names for fake zoo animals and discovering the joys of the park then I am all about some quarterlife crisis Jimmy. He is so often smarmy and cynical that it’s hilarious to watch him let loose a little. I also absolutely love that despite Vernon being full of it so much of the time, his podcast is completely legit.

Joel: As Gretchen’s therapy storyline continued, it was clear that the plot would head in a direction where the character had some sort of breakthrough. I was always a little bit dreading this moment, because therapy breakthroughs on screen often come across as a light switch being turned on in the character, turning what was a giant mess into a clearly visible picture in the span of a few seconds. It’s felt like You’re the Worst has shows therapy helping Gretchen but has shied away from anything that could be called a genuine breakthrough, perhaps for that very reason. I’m actually really pleased with how well Gretchen’s breakthrough was handled throughout this episode.

The entire episode is structured around Gretchen trying to help her friends the way her mother always did, with a take-no-prisoners attitude toward life itself. Gretchen gives what she considered “motherly” advice to each of the other three character, with varying degrees of success. What I really enjoyed about this episode is that it didn’t necessarily paint Gretchen’s parenting strategy as a universally terrible one. Sometimes, like with Edgar for example, Gretchen’s pushing blew up in the worst possible way, taking something Edgar loved and turning it into something he hated, while getting him caught up in something he wanted to avoid. However, Jimmy is a character that desperately needed the tough love approach, as his “It’s all writing” declaration has obviously been an excuse to goof off. Jimmy actually seems to have a good day as a result of getting his internet taken away. (I could have watched an entire episode of Jimmy trying to play basketball) And it’s really Vernon of all people who was able to masterfully bring forward some of Jimmy’s father issues.

Ultimately the episode ends up with Gretchen talking to her therapist again, bookending the episode and keeping the throughline of the whole thing about Gretchen and her personal struggles. By putting the entire episode between the two therapy sessions (the scheduled one at the beginning and the forced one in the restaurant at the end) it feels like Gretchen is reacting directly to the events of the episode as she talks, leading to a much more natural segway to her “lightbulb” moment of therapy, in a fantastic way that wouldn’t have worked if this episode had been structured in any other way.