TVSquad

(S02E12) You'll have to forgive the lateness of this review folks. I've been on a business trip for the past week and the hours I worked were crazy. I missed pretty much every TV show I like. That being said, I finally got to see this episode (thank goodness for ABC's online video player) and all I have to say is wow. This is precisely the way this story needed to be told and it's exactly the type of episode that What About Brian needed for a recharge. Despite the recent string of decent episodes, this show is now officially back on track and I'm excited to see how it develops during the rest of the season.

Marjorie is back, so the big question is what does that mean for the show? She's been gone since the second episode of the season and Brian and Co. have found their groove in the meantime. I think we can rest assured that the transition of Marjorie's return was smooth and the tension that came along with it was not only expected, but also welcome. I don't want to say What About Brian had been getting stale (it did... a little), but the show needed this.

So how has the dynamic of the show changed? Logically, I think. It makes sense that Marjorie's return leads directly to the final tipping point of Adam and Heather's marriage. It was rushed, and even though I support it, you knew it wasn't going to last. Heather clearly hasn't opened up to Adam. Could she possibly have been married to this Schmitty guy? Something happened, that's for sure.

To counteract that, what's the first thing Marjorie does when she has a minute alone with Adam? She opens up to him, breaks down crying, and asks for a second chance. Again, I like Heather, but I don't see her as the type to fight for Adam. She's going to let him go and the Adam/Marjorie relationship seems like it will be back on.

There's one very positive thing we can take from all this and it's essential because I think it's something that the writers of the show could have easily fallen into. There's no reason why Marjorie couldn't have come back looking to get together with Brian. That's not the route that was taken and it's smart because we're finally returning to the premise of the show -- something that's been lacking all season.

The title of the show says it all and the ending of this episode was perfect. Adam makes it clear that he's considering Marjorie's plea to get back together, Brian is completely surprised, and then Adam runs off down the beach leaving Brian alone. What About Brian?

Sure, he's progressing along with Briget but it feels doomed doesn't it? I loved how they brought back "the six week curse," which he subsequently overcame by asking Briget to move in with him. I honestly think it would have been easier for him had Adam rejected Marjorie for good. But he didn't and now they're all back in the same boat. Briget might as well be Car Girl or Lisa B. or any of the other girls he's been with in the past. The simple fact remains that none of them are Marjorie.

Elsewhere, the stories are progressing as you'd expect. The situation with Dave and Deena's daughter is tragic but it's bringing them closer again which is good. I'm still not sold on Nic's predicaments though. I don't like the new "manny" storyline. She's going to fall for him and I think that's a little corny to be honest. But regardless of how I feel about any of that, Marjorie overshadowed all of it. As I said, I'm liking this show all over again.