What I'm Watching: The Big C

The Big C: Season 1, Episode 9 “The Ecstasy and the Agony” (B+)

It's hard to feel sympathetic for Paul when he manages to react so poorly to unfortunate situations that could elicit a reasonably upset response. Catching his wife cheating on him with a man he met and liked can't be easy, but melting down in front of his boss and newly promoted partner is just inappropriate and stupid. Picking up his son while drunk and having him drive home then blaming it on Cathy is even more despicable. I thought that the good doctor was going to spill the beans about Cathy's cancer to Paul, but instead, he manages to make things worse by demanding a divorce rather than talking to her. It's partially her fault since she didn't tell him about her condition, but I have a feeling he wouldn't have reacted well even if she had been upfront and honest with her at the start. At least Cathy did have the chance to let loose and enjoy her ecstasy-filled evening with Lenny before having to deal with these family issues. On a lighter note, I loved seeing Sean, who has to be my favorite character on the show, interact with Marlene, who's quite a hoot herself. Why he attended the date he set her up on is a mystery, but it was so well worth it to see him appalled by the shocking forwardness of the 80-year-old guy. Marlene telling Sean to stop cock-blocking her was priceless, and I'm so glad that those two characters get as much screen time as they do.