Take Three: GCB

GCB: Season 1, Episode 3 “Love is Patient” (C+)

This show is definitely trying to be as over-the-top and wild as possible, as evidenced by the married couples present at the singles event at the church and Amanda’s withholding of milk from Sharon until she confronted Zach about kissing her. This is the perfect show to follow “Desperate Housewives,” and therefore it might have some success since that show is headed off the air at the end of the season. This episode expands the plot of the show considerably by revealing that, prior to his death, Bill came down to Texas to convince Ripp to invest, and now Ripp is trying to figure out what Amanda knows about what Bill did with the money. The direction of the show has been transformed dramatically by Ripp and Carlene’s conclusion that, due to some creative interpretation of Amanda’s words, Bill must still be alive. It’s nice to see that, frustrations aside, Blake does make Cricket happy, and she’s able to get her happiness elsewhere. Having her fitness instructor’s fiancée’s company bought up and torn down was quite a show of power, and while Carlene is clearly the queen bee of the pack, Cricket can be just as aggressive and unforgiving. It’s fun to see Tyler Jacob Moore, who plays Tony on “Shameless,” as Pastor John, once again the cleanest and kindest person among much more devious people. The cleverest and most cutting insult delivered by Carlene in this hour, and immediately criticized by Pastor John, was her message to “take the sin out of single.”