What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 7 “Sweet Sixteen” (B+)

It’s a rare occasion that we get to see Tessa display some actual enthusiasm for something. She’s not the type of person to want a big, splashy party, but Dallas is exactly the type of person to want to be involved in planning one, even if it’s not for her. I enjoyed just how manipulative she was with getting Tessa to do what she wanted, and suggesting Dahlia as her party planner was the ultimate surprise. I did like the unusual showcase for Dahlia, who was able to be more than just a one-note joke with her back-scratching pencil and severe party planning aggression that involved getting Malik and Lisa, better known as Tessa’s only friends, out of her own party. The sight of Tessa dancing awkwardly to the terrible music all by herself was somewhat uncomfortable, but it’s nice to see her embracing her free spirit. For someone who used to be excellent at playing a crazy person (on “Six Feet Under”), Jeremy Sisto sure is good at playing a frightening person being assailed, or in this case, tended to, by a crazy person. I’m increasingly impressed with his comic abilities and timing. Finding a gray hair on his chest and throwing out his back served as great catalysts for a terrorizing show of care by Sheila and a fortunate rescue by Dallas that enabled him to daringly break out of the house and go be there for his daughter when he thought that he would need her most.