What I’m Watching: 2 Broke Girls

2 Broke Girls: Season 1, Episode 9 “And the Really Petty Cash” (B+)

It makes sense that Caroline and Max’s first big cupcake job would involve some demeaning behavior, both planned and unplanned, and wouldn’t actually result in fiscal fruition. Much as he may be oddly charming, Johnny really is not a good influence on Max, compelling her to make bad decisions and not enabling her to focus on what she really wants. Fortunately, Caroline is keeping an eye on her best friend, with layered remarks about being out of pie when she sees that Johnny is taking advantage of Max and hardly breaking up with his present girlfriend Cashandra. Needing to circulate and actually give out the cupcakes was a bit demoralizing, not to mention unproductive, and I enjoyed that they both let loose and just got messy, creatively finding a way to take home the $500. Cashandra’s comment about preferring chocolate cupcakes to vanilla was rather harsh and somewhat unnecessarily cruel. I did like that the spell Johnny cast over Max made her nice, unable to present witty retorts at every opportunity, which understandably got Caroline worried. It’s a shame that Caroline had to shell out the $500 they made to buy Johnny’s painting of the two of them kissing, but I suppose that Max’s foot going through it, however manipulated, was therapeutic. On the supporting side of things, Oleg was actually helpful for once in trying to get Johnny to notice Max, and the brief interaction between Han and Earl was mildly amusing, as we got to see a bit into Han’s past.