You're the Worst 5.5: "A Very Good Boy"

Chris: “A Very Good Boy” is the continuation of something we’ve seen throughout the show since the beginning, Jimmy’s reluctance to any personal growth despite all the evidence to the contrary. Jimmy has taken many strides on a variety of subject personally, most of which seem to have happened without him actually noticing it but as soon as someone points it out, he rejects the claim and become obsessively determined to prove them wrong and often leads to him both making a huge mistake (getting a BJ from the florist) and having a revelation that he’s okay with the progress he’s made. It’s like a few steps forward while taking a step or two back at the same time and, of course, Jimmy is more than likely going to justify it by saying something along the lines of “it’s okay because it made me realize…” as if it excuses the mistakes he’s made. This is ultimately why Gretchen and Jimmy are likely doomed because after a while, both of them are going to grow tired of the same repeating slip-ups or continuing defying reality.

Joel: Jimmy’s “growing up” that has been alluded to over the past several episodes has now been dragged to the forefront of the show’s conversation. Jimmy is apparently horrified to learn that he is a good person, and sets about doing everything that he can to rectify this situation. This is the crux for Jimmy’s entire episode here, with Jimmy trying and failing to do every “bad boy” thing that he can think of. It’s a testament to how well the show has been able to develop the characters over the past four seasons that Jimmy is unbelievably struggling with trying to do bad things to other people. Earlier in the series I would have had no problem believing that Jimmy could have stolen someone’s computer, or yelled at a small child, yet now when he struggles to accomplish any of these societal missteps, I don’t have a problem believing that he can’t bring himself to pull it off. There’s no easy spot in the series to point at and say, this is where Jimmy grew as a person, and even if there was one great example, there would be a dozen other examples of where Jimmy’s personal growth backslid, yet somehow, we have a Jimmy that’s a little bit better of a person than before. (Emphasis on little bit. This is still a show about very bad people.)

Gretchen meanwhile learns that with her new promotion that she fell into comes with additional responsibilities attached. Gretchen is always falling upwards, from admitting that she accidentally got this promotion, to mentioned that a similar set of events is what got her the earlier job in the first place. The show tries to have a moment it’s highlighted that Gretchen is her own worst enemy and she could really be something great if she applied herself to her work. That may be true, but honestly we’ve never seen any actual examples of that. Yes, we’ve seen moments (in very early seasons) where Gretchen is actually invested in the success of her clients, and works hard at her job, but the show has shifted from that version of Gretchen. Just last episode we see Lindsay doing a better job at Gretchen’s job after having it for less than a day. Meanwhile Gretchen continues to fly by the seat of her pants and find success that way. When pressed to come up with a new act, she just talks about the last youtube video she saw, and it’s likely that Nock Nock will become a hit, and another success story in Gretchen’s falling up saga.

While the two main characters had their own independent stories to tell, the most interesting bit of the show was the C story where Edgar and Lindsay try being a real couple. It doesn’t work, but I feel like we missed a lot of comedic opportunities to see this couple fail beyond one awkward dinner moment. In traditional You’re the Worst fashion, Edgar and Lindsay’s couple story skews the traditional romance story where Friends with Benefits discover that they’ve always loved each other. Instead we get a pair of friends who give the idea of being a couple an honest try, discover it doesn’t work for them and are able to mutually agree that they need to explore other avenues for romantic companionship. It’s not the way these stories are “supposed” to go. All of the pieces are there for a very traditional “best friend/sidekick” romance in a rom-com, but here we get to explore the idea and take it in a different direction. When You’re the Worst is focusing on stories like this, it’s when the show is at it’s best and I wish Edgar and Lindsay’s romance storyline had gotten more than the C storyline in one episode.

Alexa: This week, it’s Jimmy trying to escape the clutches of adulthood kicking and screaming as Gretchen points out what we’ve seen unfold so far this season - that Jimmy is responsible now, and even kind of nice (or at least nicer than he used to be). But upon hearing this, he once again starts to slip into the kinds of behaviors he thinks he should embody, like being a somewhat mature person is some sort of weakness. This time, though, Jimmy’s conscience actually gets the better of him. He can’t bring himself to do things he used to do without batting an eye, like belittling people just going about their daily lives. It’s indicative of his growth throughout the show, and ultimately he finally does realize he’s happy with his life. But his fixation with being a “bad boy” leads him to make a huge mistake that could seriously damage his relationship with Gretchen. Despite his epiphany, their future could hinge on how he handles this misstep. I definitely have concerns about that thanks to a flash forward that shows Gretchen checking into a hotel alone, where she seems to be at peace. Perhaps Gretchen is about to do some serious growing up of her own after the pep talk from her new boss. As much effort as Gretchen puts into lying and slacking off, I can certainly buy into the idea that she could be successful if she channeled that energy into her work. Elsewhere, we get an unexpectedly quick resolution to Edgar and Lindsay’s friends-with-benefits relationship. Desmin Borges and Kether Donohue play off each other beautifully in this storyline. Though they’re not meant to be together romantically, Edgar and Lindsay clearly care about each other a great deal, and their decision to part ways to search for real love is sweet and sincere. Even though this phase of their relationship is over, I hope the show continues to elevate Edgar and Lindsay’s friendship.