What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 11 “Yakult Leader” (C)

I made my list of shows I was giving up on too early. I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to watch this episode, which sealed the deal for me in terms of a fifth show that I was planning to drop. It’s interesting, because this episode’s random inclusions of Judaism made for the perfect fodder for a post on my Jewish Journal blog, Awards Material, but that’s mainly because they were so incoherent and unexplained. Wilmer Valderrama has been used to much better comedic (“That 70s Show”) and dramatic (“The Dry Land”) effect before, and forcing George to painstakingly pronounce his name just isn’t funny. Dallas allowing yet another person into her relationship is frustrating since it’s happened so many times before, and there doesn’t seem to be anything George can do to get her to focus solely on him and not on the people who want to see them apart. I did enjoy seeing George bond with Dalia, though the content of their conversation didn’t do it for me. Sheila asking Tessa to help set Lisa up was, surprisingly, championed by Lisa herself, and the fact that it was Scott Strauss who turned out to be the internet date made for a few quick laughs and nothing more. Ryan asking Scott how he gets his hair so silky and telling Tessa to break up with him for Scott was admittedly entertaining, but Lisa’s emphasis on her potential mate having several limbs wasn’t. This show can be fun sometimes, but at this point, it’s ceased to be more endearing than bizarre, and I’m done.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 10 “Chinese Chicken” (B)

There are some things I really liked about this episode, and others that just didn’t do it for me. I can’t describe how much I enjoy hearing most of Dallas’ lines, including “Look at the DPI!” and “I can finally print people’s dreams.” That was much more fitting with her personality than, say, Sheila’s sudden and surprising ability to sing, which prompted George to allow Noah and Fred to depart the dad band he had created specifically to escape from the constant nagging of a female presence. Sheila’s comment about Yokos was amusing, but I just didn’t buy that particular plotline. Tessa becoming a football girlfriend tracked completely with this show and its depiction of plastic people, though that’s a part of it that I haven’t always enjoyed entirely. Tessa accidentally disbanding the football girlfriends after she helped one girl realize her name and others realize that they wanted to do other things was expected, and I did like that, after Ryan threw a temper tantrum, he helped Tessa run through paper and acted as her cheerleader. I don’t think this relationship is destined to last, however. Tessa referencing the show’s timeslot during her speech, claiming that there must be something good on Wednesday night at 9:30pm, was funny, and I also enjoyed Lisa’s response to Malik mentioning his lacrosse playing, dismissing him and assuring him that no one had any idea what he was talking about. Ryan, Sheila, and Fred need not be featured so much: let’s see more of Lisa and Malik.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 9 “Junior Secretary’s Day” (C+)

It’s episodes like this that make me doubt my loyalty to this show. Tessa getting her wisdom teeth out seemed like a good setup, having her get hopped up on the pain meds and start thinking that aliens were invading was a little silly. Only on this show could the sight of Fred wrapped in tinfoil and an essence-stealing photograph of George and Dallas actually be real, making Tessa’s paranoia all the more intense. Fred planning a fake business trip to convince Sheila that he was still gainfully employed and that he was once again winning his award was extreme but typical for the wacky Shay family, and it was somewhat entertaining to see Ryan try to be nonchalant about his plan to go over to Tessa’s and Lisa tell George that she really didn’t care. Ultimately, it sounds like Sheila was well aware of Junior Secretary’s Day, likely enamored with Fred for going to such lengths to convince her that he was still successful. The rat poison plot was a bit ridiculous, and while George is usually funny when he’s backed into a corner by his weird neighbors, this wasn’t the most creative instance of that. I’m glad to see that, at Lisa’s urging, Ryan is continuing to pursue Tessa, helping her to wrap a makeshift splint of sorts around her head so that her teeth wouldn’t hurt as much. He may be stupid, but his speech was actually quite moving and passionate, and maybe there’s hope for Ryan and Tessa after all.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 8 “Black Thai” (B+)

Only this show could pull off an episode like this and not seem foolish. Mixing dance-offs, toddler training, and a misunderstood kidnapping together turned into a rather odd and entertaining half-hour that really served to show just what life is like in this ridiculous town of Chatswin. There were several familiar guest-stars, starting with the return of Malik’s parents, played by Tim Meadows and Paula Newsome, and including Steve Little, best known as Stevie from "Eastbound and Down," as Danny G, Dalia’s dance teacher. Tessa being frustrated that Dalia got a new car for a subpar score on the SATs was understandable, but usually she’s much better at hiding her feelings from others and reserving judgment for her quizzical looks and voiceover narration. George and Dallas spending so much time together has clearly changed that, and it’s interesting to see this new, more competitive side of Tessa. While her dance-off with Dalia was amusing, I think that the fact that they both recognized that they hand ruined their parents’ relationship was much more profound and engaging. George and Dallas’ dance-off was awkward and uncomfortable, far from the smooth style I would have expected from both members of the couple. I liked having Mr. Wolfe involved in a different way with the show, even if his plotline was entirely preposterous. Ryan’s Eugene Goldfarb act was great, and I’m glad to see that his family’s understanding of and appreciator for his love of chocolate pudding skins were able to convince him to come home and end all this highly entertaining nonsense.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 7 “Krampus” (B)

It’s about time that Tessa’s mother came back into the picture, and this was definitely the way for it to happen, with George giving Tessa what should have been her dream scenario only to have her discover that it wasn’t what she wanted. To her credit, Malin Akerman does a magnificent job of echoing Tessa’s feelings about most things, allowing her a picture of herself in the mirror, one with which she wasn’t too happy. George, without Tessa there to make him think sensibly, did something unexpectedly sweet for Dalia and Dallas by helping to get Carmen come back to them, but Jill was enough of a catalyst to get Carmen to reconsider who she wanted to work for after her parental inabilities and her rude treatment of the hard-working maid. It will be good to see Dalia get out of the rut she’s been in for a while now, and I’m sure that watching Noah struggle to raise his child without a dutiful helper will be plenty entertaining. Ryan finding out that he was adopted was worse than the Shay family could possibly have imagined, and I enjoyed how poorly he reacted to being called by his first name, almost considering that worse than his adoptive last name. Malik finding him with his family was fun, and I like that Tessa turned right around as soon as she got home to go back out and help bring Ryan home. Tessa’s unexplained attraction to Ryan is sweet, and I’m eager to see how this unlikely romance plays out going forward.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 6 “Friendship Fish” (B-)

This episode had its appeal, but it was hardly the most creative or fulfilling installment of this show. It’s interesting to see just how much George has changed during his time in Chatswin, and having him spend an entire episode trying to prove that he’s still chill to his old friends wasn’t necessary. Painting Dallas in a negative light also didn’t feel right since, vanity and all, she’s always been the most endearing character on the show. It was extremely satisfying, therefore, to see her rock her presentation assistant job with George, creating a border and helping to sell his talents. Fred and Noah did a marvelous job of being as embarrassing as possible to George in front of his New York friends, and Fred’s obsession with imitating a greaser was particularly entertaining and odd. This show sure knows how to pick random traits out of a hat, namely the bizarre reactions expressed by Lisa and Malik after their break-up. Lisa smoking a fish in her closet to excess and Malik sculpting Lisa’s head on a daily basis were both equally strange, though the latter didn’t put anyone in the hospital. Tessa’s obsession with her tablet made sense since she doesn’t spend much time socializing with anyone on a regular basis. I was surprised to see Helen back so soon but without her daughter, who it seemed might have left a mark on Tessa when she had her stay overnight. I guess her return will be saved for a rainy day when Tessa truly needs her.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory (Thanksgiving Episode #1)

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 5 “The Wishbone” (B+)

The major development of this episode was a long time coming, and it didn’t end up being a letdown. It was difficult to watch Tessa and her grandmother wait for her mother to show up when all evidence indicated that she wasn’t coming at all, and having her show up at George’s house in Chatswin and run in to hug Dalia was a real shake-up. Malin Akerman was a great choice to play Tessa’s mother Alex, who was exactly what was expected based on the descriptions Tessa had from finding her stuff and from George. Her pretending to fall asleep on the floor while Tessa was talking about her life was a highlight of their interactions, and it was good to see Tessa not letting her completely off the hook for being so absent from her life. It’s no surprise that their closeness bothers George, and I’m sure that her staying the night won’t lead to a serene morning. Dallas firing Alan because she wanted to cook dinner with George was entertaining, and I like how George ended up inviting him over and then having to hire him to help him. Events at the Shay household were rather dramatic, with Sheila inviting Malik and causing Lisa extreme agony. They got much worse when Sheila accidentally saw Malik naked and they both went to great lengths to justify its normalcy – my favorite was Malik’s defense, repeated by Fred, that he was born naked. It’s a shame that this incident seems to have caused the end of Lisa and Malik, but I’m hopeful that there’s plenty more sarcastic romance to come in their future.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 4 “Foam Finger” (B+)

The budding relationship between Dallas and George continues to be unique and entertaining, with Dallas proving too eager to declare pleasure achieved and leaving a confused George unprepared to become the talk of the town for his manly abilities. Dallas bringing in a choir to the bedroom was extreme but typical, and, as was the case in the previous episode, it’s most fun to see Dallas and George at their most truly intimate and romantic, which only happened in the last scene with the return appearance of the #1 hand. I liked their general nonchalance in informing their daughters about the fact that they were dating, and it’s nice to see it go over as something relatively casual and expected. Watching Dalia spiral downward and die her hair brown was wonderful, mainly because Tessa had to take an interest and intervene to show her that she shouldn’t be put off by the early wedding of her father and his bride, Dalia’s supposed best friend who doesn’t even speak English. Tessa is skilled at sarcasm, but it’s refreshing to see her succeed in a more dramatic and heartfelt setting too. Lisa taking charge of the KKK girls after they were abandoned by Dalia was amusing, and this show always seems to find a way to incorporate absolutely ridiculous elements like Kamantha and her two almost identical friends and make them work. We haven’t seen much of Malik or Mr. Wolff lately, but it’s good to see the rest of the cast doing extremely well on their own.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 3 “Ryan’s Song” (B+)

Dallas and George as a couple has been brewing for some time now, and there was some risk that getting them together could have ruined this show. Fortunately, that’s far from the case, as their first date was a massive failure due to the grossly unequal efforts put in by both participants. Dallas making a big entrance and inviting her life coach to dinner were enormous missteps, and George didn’t do himself any favors by forgetting just who it was that he was taking out on a date. Dallas’ response to his description of “meats” was terrific, and I loved their final scene out in the rain. George telling Dallas that she was the prettiest she’d been all night was sweet, and it was quite entertaining to watch the umbrella go up and down after George told her she was bossy for suggesting that he should have dropped the umbrella when he kissed her. Noah’s trip to the opera with Carmen, complete with sandwich, mustard, juice box and pickle, was a hoot, and I just hope that his fascination with his maid doesn’t turn into a problem for his already strained marriage. Tessa getting scared by the awfully-named Hillside Electrical Strangler plumber was amusing, and having a smitten Ryan run over to talk about his problems was great. Tessa correcting Ryan to tell him that she’s only attracted to him because he was holding a baby was funny, and that’s another couply dynamic that I think is stellar and so unique to this show.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory (Halloween Episode #2)

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 2 “The Witch of East Chatswin” (B+)

I don’t usually love when Halloween episodes add a supernatural touch to otherwise normal shows, and as a result, I wasn’t entirely sure about how the Halloweening of this installment would play out. Fortunately, as tends to be the case with this show, it actually worked fairly well, and featured yet another “Saturday Night Live” alum, Rachel Dratch, in a fun role. Tessa has always been established as the only sane person in Chatswin, and therefore it makes complete sense that she would be a good candidate to receive the wisdom of the one feminist in the whole suburb. The flashbacks to the horrible, witchlike things she did to Sheila as a child were amusing, and the angry mob with Mr. Wolff at the head provided an entertaining if slightly terrifying image. Lisa was the best part of that whole plotline, playing into Tessa’s uncertainty with fantastic determination. The brief bit about Malik and Ryan wearing the same costume was funny, and I think just the right amount of time was spent on it. Noah dressing up as George for Halloween was hilarious, and, the voice aside, he definitely blew George’s Noah costume out of the water. Watching Noah’s George get treated differently at the bar was great, but the best part o George’s Noah was Dalia’s conversation with him, which prompted him to ask out a very pleased Dallas. I’m extremely excited to see where that relationship goes, and I’m sure that it will be a delight to see them give dating a try.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory (Season Premiere)

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 1 “Homecoming” (B+)

It’s great to have this biting comedy, which quickly improved after a disappointing start last year, back on the air and in a fitting time slot immediately after “Modern Family.” Tessa’s summer in the city provides the perfect opportunity for a tough transition back to the suburbs, obsessed with ideas of her mom as she settles back into life in Chatswin. George’s awkwardness about the whole thing was typical, and it was nice to see him reach out and comfort her when it looked like she wasn’t going to perform in the Fall Follies. I liked her singing of the film’s theme song at the very end, and it’s fun to see her indulge in her passions. Noah and Dallas warring over Carmen was very funny, complete with a gold Corolla (promotional consideration by Toyota) and Dallas’ unsuccessful attempts to destroy a delicious gift that only got tastier as she cooked it on the grill. Playing rocks, paper, scissor for her was an amusing end to the whole debacle. Dalia’s speech to Carmen about always considering her a nanny even if she cured caner was highly ineffective but completely typical of the dim-witted blonde. Lisa was brilliant in how she tried to blackmail her parents into giving her attention over her adopted brother, but Sheila struck back with an even more terrifying reality. I laughed when Fred walked in and couldn’t understand why Lisa and Sheila were sitting down unless it was a meal, and watching the shed that literally housed all of their secrets burn down at the end of the episode was satisfying.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory (Season Finale)

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 22 “The Motherload” (B+)

Unlike most of the other episodes in this show, this one felt very consequential, in that several revelations really stuck and are sure to have an effect on how things play out next season. The town’s tradition of honoring Mother’s Day above all else led to entertaining plotlines for single mother Dallas and the more familial Sheila. Dalia going to Israel with her father so that her Mother’s Day wouldn’t be ruined was unfortunate for Dallas, but she still performed admirably in the 5K, even if she got injured midway through, which led to an odd hallucination involving a speaking Yacolt. Fred giving Dallas the water meant for Sheila was not a good move, but he redeemed himself with James Ingram, even if that turned out to be more awkward than anything else. Lisa’s blood-assisted discovery that Ryan, and not her, is adopted is sure to prove transformational if she’s ever able to tell him and he actually believes her. The dead snakes and live guns in Jill’s baby nursery were terrifying, and it’s no surprise that Eden went into false labor because of how stressed that made her. She’s still an oddball, playing sounds from Occupy Wall Street for the baby and such. Tessa not getting the internship throws a wrench into her future plans, but something else just happened along at exactly the moment she needed it: a female family member. I’m interested to see where this show, which has become one of my favorite comedies this season, goes when it returns this fall, fortunate enough to remain in this very same time slot.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Cheryl Hines as Dallas

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 21 “The Great Compromise” (B+)

It’s no surprise that Eden’s presence is stirring up trouble at the Altman household. Tessa is already unhappy enough being plucked out of the city and stuck in the suburbs, and so Eden’s food and anti-Internet stance didn’t help matters at all. Encouraging her to go to Manhattan to hand-deliver her application for a Village Voice summer internship changed things in a major way, and seems to have gotten George rather riled up since the last thing he wants is for Tessa to go back to New York. I hope that it does work out and she gets it, and I’m curious whether this show, which was renewed yesterday for a second season, will skip over the summer or take some time to experience Tessa the commuter, living her dream while coming home to her nightmare. If Eden doesn’t last as George’s housemate and girlfriend, he still has a whole lot of chemistry with Dallas, as they discovered that they were quite good at solving problems together. Dallas sitting down to watch “The X-Files” in the episode’s closing moments was very funny, as she expressed horror, presumably at Mulder because he wouldn’t kiss Scully. Dalia’s kleptomaniac kangaroo is turning out to be a nuisance, something which shouldn’t come as a shock. Sheila’s continued meddling in the Noah’s surrogacy is making him crazy, but he seems to have calmed down to an okay point. Lisa and Malik’s journey towards finding summer plans was an entertaining subplot, and it’s good to see their relationship continuing to work out.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 20 “Hear No Evil” (B+)

It’s always great when a show puts its extended ensemble to use to create a truly entertaining and multi-faceted plotline about Eden’s pregnancy. Noah being so possessive is not helping anyone, as he’s managing to alienate Eden and George, stir up jealousy in Jill’s mind, and get Sheila involved since she’s apparently seen the same thing happen before. Noah at his wildest and most energetic seems to be the best use of Alan Tyduk on this show, and I’m glad to see him spotlighted so regularly. Eden continues to be extremely likeable, and she and George appear to be a good match. While George was so focused on his girlfriend, however, Tessa went and got her own life, investing herself far too much in her work at Dallas’s store, turning for a short time into an obsessive saleswoman after the promotion and wardrobe change Dallas bestowed on her. As is to be expected, Dallas isn’t too thrilled about George having a new girlfriend, but she’s being mature and keeping her comments to a minimum. Tessa and Eden would actually get along, but something tells me that George having Eden move in without first talking to his daughter is going to start things off on the wrong foot and create some serious drama between the two women and the men caught in between them. The show only has two episodes left, and has yet to be renewed for a second season. I really hope it is since it’s become one of my favorite comedies of this year.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 19 “Entering Eden” (B+)

Talk about a double entendre for a title for this fabulous episode. I didn’t even recognize Alicia Silverstone, who was last seen in a starring role on television in 2003’s “Miss Match,” as Eden, the woman that immediately attracted George’s attention at the organic farmer’s market. I didn’t connect the dots that George’s new gal was also Noah’s surrogate, and that reveal was handled quite well with an awkward realization at dinner and subsequent severing of ties between George and the girl that dubbed him George Foreman when she couldn’t remember his real last name at the hospital. I’m glad that she’ll be back as George pursues a relationship, but I suspect he’ll have a tough time keeping things from getting physical, and that’s sure to cause some friction between him and Noah. It’s fun to see a bit of Mr. Wolf’s relationship with Alan, and the disappearance of Yacolt paved the way for them to have an important conversation about how they display themselves a couple. Tessa teaming up with Dalia to go find him, complete with a slow-paced chase through a parking garage, was a great instance of them working together for a common good, namely Dallas’ happiness. Dallas continues to be a spectacular character, and hearing her introduce the joystick-controlled video surveillance system Steven installed to track shoe removal in the house was great. I guess Eden being in the picture negates the immediate possibility of George and Dallas happening, but she seems to be doing just fine on her own.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 18 “Down Time” (B+)

It’s been almost a month since this show last aired, and it’s always a delight when it returns. This episode actually wasn’t so Tessa-focused, but that’s quite alright since this show has some seriously entertaining supporting characters. Lisa and Malik’s relationship meant that, advances from Evan aside, Tessa was pretty much on her own. The best part of that was that Ryan got curious and came over after spying on Tessa and noting that was eating an alarming amount of butter. His comments about the food on her pajamas were appropriately inane, and entirely hilarious. I liked that Tessa actually seemed to have a nice time and even let Ryan feel her up after he so kindly requested to do so following their evening together. Noah’s broken bed provided the perfect opportunity for him to be featured and for Dallas to tag along on the men’s outing. Her bed-top meltdown in front of annoyed salesman Jonathan Slavin from “Better Off Ted” led to an instance of one of my favorite things on TV shows: when characters that never interact get the chance to do so. Noah consoling Dalia and buying her Kangaroo Jack rather than the “Hangover” monkey she wanted was great. Meanwhile, George did a good job convincing Dallas that sometimes it’s important to pull it together for the sake of your kids, and Dallas’ homecoming demonstrated that she was ready to be there for her daughter, while simultaneously getting excited about being able to create an entirely new wardrobe.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 17 “Independence Day” (B+)

One of the best part of this show has always been the relationship between Tessa and George. Her very logical arguments about his parental protection led to a good fit of rebellion by Tessa. Calling George a dictator wasn’t her nicest moment, though Noah didn’t exactly do a good job of coming up with a euphemism. I enjoyed Dallas’ explanation of the Help Wanted crystal sign, which had nothing to do with the fact that she was planning to hire someone but instead was a piece of art for sale. Tessa didn’t prove to be such a great employee, though her advance and her signing bonus enabled Tessa to pay for that scooter without gas from East Chatswin. Lisa’s reaction to Tessa going to East Chatswin was quite funny, and her pulling out a pack of cigarettes was definitely the high point. I’m curious whether her meaningless poem about the void left by her mother’s absence is going to lead to the appearance of her mother, and who might play her. Dallas’ reunion with her sorority sisters was full of drama, especially when it was crashed by Tulsa, the uninvited widow that may or may not have been the one that slept with Steven. Dalia’s request for a Hangover monkey was quite amusing, and it’s that kind of humor that makes this show simply unique and irresistible. George’s meeting with Mr. Wolf was a prime example of how this show is able to be create hilarity out of the simplest and most mundane of conversations.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 16 “Poetic Injustice” (B+)

This episode was a bit peculiar, but it still proved to be quite funny by shifting the focus from some recently highlighted players to people like Fred and Sheila. Fred reading Sheila’s diary and discovering her fantasy about George being covered in oil resulted in some hilarity, namely his trying and failing miserably to grow a goatee. The funniest part, of course, was that it wasn’t even George Altman but George Stephanopoulos, whose last name, I’ll admit, I don’t know who to spell either. Tessa’s obsession with the new poetry teacher who preferred Dalia’s airy observations to her English prowess was not unlike her, and I like how we never actually found out the reason for Ms. Evans’ favoritism but instead had our lead character get schooled by Dalia, who simply told her that her need for her approval was dumb. My new official favorite part of the show is single Dallas, who has her fun but shines most in moments where she stands up for herself in even the most only subtly suggested of situations. Her response to George’s correction of her language was particularly brilliant, asserting her status as a full-grown woman with the right to use the wrong word if she wants. Having Dallas and George get together would be great, and surely isn’t too far off, but it’s sort of nice to have them in this will-they-or-won’t-they stage where they’re just flirting and having fun with each other, neither eager to be the one to make the first move.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 15 “Fire with Fire” (B+)

This episode was a whole lot of fun because it brought together characters that don’t usually interact, and even shone a bit of a spotlight on Noah’s family. Not fixing the shower turned into a much bigger situation, and Dallas’ flair about her divorce started to inspire Jill to consider leaving her hapless husband. That provided the proper inspiration for George to realize that he gets jealous when he sees Dallas with someone else, which in this case was Wilder Valderrama’s obnoxious South American Yani, obsessed with dressing all in white. Fortunately, George was able to convince Noah to make a big show of his love for Jill, which actually wowed Dallas more than it did Jill. George paying for Dallas’ drink was a sweet gesture, and I’m hopeful that it leads to more in the future, though I sort of love the flirtation as it is. Dalia befriending Lisa to get back at Tessa for dating Scott Strauss was actually quite hilarious, inspiring Lisa to ditch her old pals and Tessa to come up with the perfect revenge strategy – get Kimantha to take Lisa’s place nad make her jealous. Ultimately, it was Malik who seems to have drawn Lisa back to her proper place, but the whole situation provided the framework for a very funny and surprisingly complex scenario as stated by Dallas: when George and Dallas got married, they would ship Tessa to an all-girls boarding school, where she would fall in love, then Dalia would steal her girlfriend and marry her, with Tessa serving as the caterer.

What I’m Watching: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 14 “The Body” (B+)

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Lisa’s brother Ryan, and he definitely brings down the average intellect, though no one in this episode comes off as terribly smart. His victory dinner for wrestling allowed Lisa to shine, constantly ignored by her parents in favor of her brother and his esteemed body. His injury, and all of the funeral parallels, were amusing, and it was nice to see Lisa finally get what she wanted, or at least come close to it. For the record, venison marinara doesn’t sound too appetizing, and neither does tuna with shells. George gave an entertaining and extremely misunderstood pep talk to Ryan, and it’s always a treat to see George do some good old introspection. Tessa running for school office was never going to result in a win, but I do like how it turned out, with Tessa agreeing to drop out in exchange for having her opponents hire Lisa as their campaign manager, mainly because Dalia got bored. It was sweet that, though she was ignored, Lisa still got her favorite meal, thanks to Ryan and his time spent living her life and realizing what it’s like to be unpopular and in a wheelchair. One of the things I love most about ensemble shows is when characters that rarely interact get a chance to spend time together, and therefore Dallas’ visit to Noah’s to get her teeth whitened was very welcome. Dallas does look good with super-white teeth, and I wonder if finally expressing her true feelings to George is next on her list.