Take Three: Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral: Season 1, Episode 3 “We Broke” (B)

I may not remember much about the 1994 movie that spawned this series, but I was able to immediately recognize actress Andie MacDowell, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film, as Ainsley’s mom, who had to spell out the fact that she was cutting her daughter off unless she opted to move home. Her complete inability to realize the lavishness of her spending did put her in this position, and it’s a relief that she finally worked up the courage to fire the entirely useless Tony #1 after taking inventory and learning that Tony #2 did every single thing the two of them were supposed to do. I predicted that Maya would show up at Gemma’s after Ainsley kept bailing on plans with her without any notice, but it was her husband Quentin who really stepped up to be there for his wife and then made sure Ainsley stepped in line to act like the friend she needed. This show needed a funeral, but Quentin dying is going to crush the already-sensitive Gemma, whose father’s self-made wealth has made her a lifelong target of the heiresses who look down on her. Maya sure is bold, demanding a job from one politician, played by Alex Jennings from “The Crown,” only to storm out of the interview and then get another one that she decided to quit since it was becoming clear that she was hired for the wrong reasons. Accepting a half-salary job is the least of her worries now since her mortal enemy isn’t going to make life easy for her. Kash keeping his job so that he can make the money he needs to support his father feels like a palatable development, even if it’s not what he wants. Duffy may have taken the news that his new girlfriend hated his novel poorly, but they seem to have made up pretty well. His friends were sweet to devote their game time to reading his book, but Craig drew the focus away pretty quickly to a part of his life that will likely take over with Zara gone for good.