(S01E10) The fallout from the dinner party in "Cinderella" hit this week, and it made for one crazy ride. This is also the episode that switched my thinking from "Eddie Izzard, the comic, is doing a great job as Wayne" to, "Eddie Izzard is an actor." The writers heaped a heavy load on his back this week and he answered with what was an amazing performance. Things got off to a great start with Wayne and Dahlia's fight over the drugs that Chunky left behind. It's interesting that he walked in on her before she could decide which way she was going. I think that she would have flushed the stuff eventually, but we'll never know for sure. The chaotic argument after Wayne snorted a handful of the crank was fantastic. Dahlia's reaction, "Of all the assholic things you have done, this is the most assholic." summed it up nicely. That was such a crazy thing to do that it warranted brand new words to describe it.
While it was probably the worst intervention ever, you can see where Wayne is coming from. Clearly he places Dahlia on a pedestal, and the idea of her being an addict is a personal failure to him. They hit on it again later in the episode when Dahlia tells him that everybody knew she was taking the pills, he just wouldn't see it. It's part of the force driving him to make their life as the Riches work. If he can just make it perfect for her, she won't have these problems.
And from there, things really took off. Watching a manic Wayne panic over the realization of just how expensive this new life is was a treat. The fact that the dinner party left his status with Panco up in the air just added to the pressure on his clouded mind. His sudden desperate job search was funny, while also bringing out just how uncomfortable Wayne still is in Doug's skin. The scene with the receptionist at Hayden-Javitz & Associates was particularly good as Doug prattled on and on, making little sense. She was so annoyed with it. It paid off nicely when the managing partner turned out to be Stewart Peel. Wayne was suddenly so elated that he thought he had an answer, and then so crushed as Stewart dropped the hammer.
Meanwhile, with Wayne off on his crank induced adventure, Dahlia was left to hold down the fort at Panco. One thing I was a little disappointed in was the decision to not have Hugh hovering around the office. It would have raised the pressure just a little more as he questioned Doug's whereabouts. I could have even gone for a Doug/Hugh phone call. Despite that missing bit, Dahlia did well covering for Wayne. She showed how much the two of them have in common as she strung them along until she got her opening.
The situation with Cherien's mother came out of the blue and it makes me wonder where they are going with that. As the Malloy's become more and more a buffer family, the money becomes more and more of an issue. Would it be worth the $4300 a month to take in "Grandma" and have her live with them? Dahlia and Di Di both seemed to warm up to her rather quickly. That story also brought up the line of the night as a frustrated Wayne told Marvin O'Keefe that he is causing the supply of Doug Rich to greatly exceed the demand for Doug Rich.
As all of that was going down, lurking in the shadows was Dale. I think we have all known since day one that Dale would eventually find his way to Eden Falls. The big question is what is he going to do now that he knows all about Doug and Panco? He couldn't have been luckier than to stumble across Hartley Underwood. Their scenes together were very good, as each of them felt the other out, trying to gauge whether they were on the same page. It also provided one of the creepiest flirting scenes I have ever seen as Dale admired and caressed Hartley's prosthetic arm.
Not much to do for the kids this week, but they did reinforce the differing paths of Di Di and Cael. As the family worried over Wayne's gig with Panco, Di Di made it perfectly clear that she didn't want to leave this life and go back to the motor home. It's understandable. She's a smart girl, and she is flourishing in this new environment. She recognizes that she has an opportunity here.
In the end, while it probably wasn't the road anyone would have advised for Wayne and Dahlia, this whole adventure was ultimately good for them. It forced them to work out some of their issues, and I think it was the final push that Dahlia needed to actually get straight. They'll be just fine, and their relationship is once again as strong as it ever was. Which is good, because more tough times are on the way. I'm giving this one a 6, out of 7.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-15-2007 @ 10:36AM
Rogphi said...
Another fantastic episode. My favorite moment when Doug was in the Home telling Cherien's Mom he was " Doug Rich, the other inmates cirping in with I'm Doug Rich. Dougs response " what is this, Sparticus?"
Completely Brilliant!! Kudos to Eddie !
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5-15-2007 @ 11:02AM
Grover said...
Yes, I agree with you, Brett, and you Rogphi.. that exchange between the cranked up Wayne and the senile old man left me dying of laughter... first the 'what is this sparticus?' line and then the line that went something like 'You're causing the supply of Doug Rich to greatly exceed the demand for Doug Rich'.... WOW, brilliant!
Eddie Izzard was amazing in this episode
Also, did the kids not have school? Is it summer or was it a weekend?
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5-15-2007 @ 11:16AM
Amy said...
So much to love about this episode! This was the best yet. Eddie & Minnie both deserve Emmy's... and Oscar's and Grammy's and every award that can be thrown at them!!!
I loved Grandma - how Wayne "liberated" her, how they now have a random old person living with them. What did the woman at the nursing home say? "We don't believe in euthanasia, read our mission statement." I loved how Grandma kept saying, "You're not Cherien" over & over until she finally said "Cherien is a bitch." It wasn't that Dahlia physically didn't look like Cherien, but Dahlia was so nice to her - that's what she didn't recognize.
I loved poor Kimmy at the office doing "research" for Dahlia's drug lecture to the kids, and then leaving the message for Doug, and then being on the receiving end of his - how did he keep putting it? - "extreme sex drive"???
I LOVED the receptionist at Hayden-Javitz!! "Um, there's a Doug Rich here with a bunch of crumpled papers to see you."
I loved the priest having an existential crisis and him & Wayne ending up doing shots together. That was priceless!
I loved how Dahlia went to the bar to collect Wayne, and she said, "You don't want your shoes?" That struck me as so funny.
I loved the tender exchanges between Wayne & Dahlia, especially when Wayne realized what she experienced when she used.
And finally - Assaholic = new favorite word EVER!!!
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5-15-2007 @ 11:27AM
theConundrumm said...
Grover...., Dale watched the kids leaving for school... one can only surmise that by the time Dahlia showed up with grandma that they had returned already.... a bit of a stretch I know, but hey....
and Eddie Izzard... wow... I had to pause this halfway through just to check myself... what a performance...
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5-15-2007 @ 11:38AM
Grover said...
@theConundrumm
ah yes, i remember now... I guess it just threw me that they were kind of in the same places there in the kitchen when Dahlia got back with "Grandma" as before they had left for school.. maybe they had a half-day.
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5-15-2007 @ 12:13PM
slutty_whore said...
I couldn't disagree more. This show has no emotional heft and is a let-down all together. I don't get the appeal whatsoever.
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5-16-2007 @ 12:53PM
agentmichaelscarn said...
Apparently we're taking advise from a slutty_hore (her words not mine). I suppose a screen name dedicated to a fictional character of a fictional character from "The Office" can't be much better.
Seriously, though, Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! This episode may very well garner him an Emmy -- if at least a nomination. If not, then I'm not sure what it takes to win one of those. The euthanasia line had to be the biggest laugh-out-loud moment to me, followed by a close "Sparticus".
I really love this show.
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5-16-2007 @ 7:05AM
asm said...
I don't know who created it, but "assaholics" didn't originate on The Riches. King of the Hill uses the term in the episode "It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Neighbor Sings" that originally aired in 2005.
"This Is Your Brain On Drugs" was a topnotch episode. My only complaint is they still haven't truly dealt with the kids and how their new lives are affecting them, but it looks like next week's episode will shed some light on DiDi, at least.
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5-16-2007 @ 8:55PM
Cody said...
Supply of Doug Rich > Demand for Doug Rich. I have never laughed so hard at an economics joke in my life!
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5-21-2007 @ 7:53PM
mamasan said...
Eddie outdid himself in the last episode..I was totally blown away by his permormance. I would love to ask him how many takes it took to get it right...they (the cast) must've been hysterical. Eddie Izzard is a very funny man and an incredibly talented actor! LOVE LOVE LOVE this show!
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