Round Two: Divorce

Divorce: Season 1, Episode 2 “Next Day” (B)

I was talking with a friend about the pilot of this show a few days ago and remarking how I didn’t like it. He responded that it might have been because I hadn’t expected it to be funny, and he had laughed a lot at Robert’s actions and the way that he reacted to Frances. I’m pleased to report that episode two is a substantial improvement over the opening installment, and I did find it to be considerably funnier and more inviting despite the continually grim premise. Robert refusing to let Frances into the house or even talk to her was more entertaining this time around, and the way in which he went out of his way to make her feel bad was in a way funny and in another way truly awful. Frances isn’t doing a particularly good job of advocating for herself, swearing loudly when she used the phone in the home of the neighbors they still hadn’t invited over and then saying the wrong thing on multiple occasions. Referring to Jemaine Clement’s Julian based on his homemade granola – which was not a metaphor – turned out to be quite helpful in allowing a clearly jealous Richard to look him up online. By episode’s end, things were going much better with Frances back in the house with a plausible excuse to sleep apart from Richard, and let’s hope that they can be as presentable and parental as possible in front of their children while they work on what their next steps are.