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| Krysten Ritter |
Welcome to the TV Recap column for the ABC comedy Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23. Every Wednesday, I will be bringing you a recap of the most recent episode as well as personal insight into why I find the characters to be an infectious version of what 2 Broke Girls wishes it was. So please join me for a fun season as we deal with the bitch, the Beek, and June as they get into wacky adventures. Also, make sure to check out my columns for Bob's Burgers (Tuesdays) and Parks and Recreation (Thursdays) right here on Optigrab.
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| Left to right: Ray Ford, Ritter, and Dreama Walker |
Before I welcome you to my new column, I thought that I would share some inspiration for why I decided to take this particular show to recap. During the original seven episode run in April, I found myself attracted to the show for many reasons. The most notable is Krysten Ritter, whose work on Breaking Bad was phenomenal and is a large reason season 2 is among my favorite seasons. When it was announced that she had a show, I decided to check it out, and as these recaps will have you believe, I really enjoyed it.
Since recapping is a fairly new prospect for me, I wasn't adapted enough to tackle the first season, and all of my energy was on the HBO show Girls at the time. However, after several series, I have decided to finally give this show a shot. After all, it may have some rough edges, but it has the sassy, rude humor that is missing from TV these days. Also, Ritter is just as excellent at being funny as she is being Jesse Pinkman's girlfriend.
The episode begins with Luther (Ray Ford), Chloe (Ritter), and June (Dreama Walker) looking over a boat floating into the middle of a lake in a park. As June is quick to point out, this is a viking funeral for James Van Der Beek. With the boat aflame, the three look on as the episode flashes back to two weeks prior.
June and Chloe have a moment in which Chloe reveals that June's sweater looks like "a pumpkin made it with a turd." This is the start of a barrage of insults about June's sweaters. Shortly following, Van Der Beek walks into the room holding a letter that is reminding him about how his former show Dawson's Creek was cancelled almost ten years ago. He finds this amusing and begins a downward spiral of nostalgia. It is revealed that the rest of the cast are supposedly game for a reunion, but Van Der Beek is the one hold out.
June sets about trying to convince him otherwise. He even confides in her coworker Mark (Eric Andre) the information, which leads to a debate about why white beans are bad. This eventually results in June making a power point presentation in which she explains why he should do the reunion. Chloe, who is sucking up to Van Der Beek at every possible moment, is trying to distract the events with a laser pointer that she amusing points at her head (which causes her to say 'Indian') and then at her crotch (where she says 'Woman'). Chloe is clearly uncomfortable by the whole events, but June proceeds anyways.
What is discovered is that June is using pathos to sell Van Der Beek on a reunion by explaining how it impacted her and a few of her friends, who were going through similar troubles at the time. This raises Van Der Beek's ego and he decides to go for it. He sets about making arrangements and calling his manager to get everyone in line. He even likes the idea that both women and their daughters will eventually swoon for him.
This causes Chloe to give the big reveal that she has been writing the fan letters. Nothing actually is going to happen. No one has agreed to any reunion. June rushes to Van Der Beek's apartment to tell him the news. During this time, Chloe comes in with a Trent gun and tranquilizes June. He lets Luther go, but not before shooting him down in the lobby.
When June wakes up, Van Der Beek reveals that he knows the truth and that he is still wanting to go with it. Set to jazz music, June and Van Der Beek are seen walking around New York in a very dark colored filter, pondering the reunion. They eventually find it to be a good idea. Van Der Beek calls his agent, and June calls her friends.
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| Left to right: Van der Beek and Busy Philips |
It is eventually revealed the real reason for all of the hate stems from something deeper. During the finale, the cast bought over 140 rowboats, and Van Der Beek didn't pay for any of them. Philips claims that it is too late to repair any of those, as she barely broke even from that expense, and she had to sell her horse Cha Cha. The conversation ends with Van Der Beek feeling bad for ordering the wrong food for Philips and not being able to put together a reunion.
Back at Apt. 23, Van Der Beek and June reflect on how much better things were 10 years ago. Chloe is not interested in any of it and tries to convince them to move on. This doesn't work. It leads Van Der Beek to run into Frankie Muniz in a grocery store. Calling him Malcolm in the Middle, he pleads for him to appear on a Malcolm in the Middle reunion, because nobody would see it coming. Muniz is just confused and tries to end the conversation. Chloe comes and shoots him with a Trent gun. Muniz gives her his shopping list, claiming that it will be valuable one day.
Back at Apt. 23, Chloe has gotten Zack Morris to come by and give Van Der Beek a pep talk. Morris tries to convince Van Der Beek to let go of the past and that everything will be all right. June is kind of turned on by this, but slowly realizes that she is also living in the past as well. She kind of wishes that they would kiss, but it ends with Morris wondering how Van Der Beek knew to call the hug a "celeb bro hug," which was the name of a chapter in Morris' book.
June and Van Der Beek discover that they need to learn to live in the now, and decide to have a viking funeral for Van Der Beek's stuff. It is a somber, yet illegal, sight that sees the boat go up in flames as Chloe reveals that she put some of June's sweaters in the boat. June claims that they were expensive, which Chloe laughs off. The episode ends with the group walking away in slow motion as the boat lets off a huge explosion behind them.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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| Left to right: Walker, Zack Morris, and Ritter |
If there is one thing that I didn't like about this episode, it is that Chloe didn't really fit into the plot for the first half. While she is established to be the drive for the reunion in general, she almost seems to be talking way too much and it seems kind of awkward. True, she does have plenty of funny moments involving a laser pointer, but over all, she seems to be a little bit too much on the mean side. This kind of makes the eventual resolution of moving on seem a little tacked on, despite how interestingly the execution actually was.
I will admit that I don't love this show just yet, but I do consider it to be one with a lot of potential. For starters, it is very witty and takes an interesting approach to the bad roommate premise. I think that in the right scenarios, Chloe can work. She just sometimes seems overbearing, and in this episode, she kind of does. Everyone else actually gets to shine, and good for them. This is their story, after all.
I also enjoy the approach to dealing with the past. The show has always had a sense of self awareness with James Van Der Beek spoofing himself, but it hasn't yet applied it cleverly into the story as it did this week. While my lack of Dawson's Creek familiarity may cause me to not get all of the references, I still am able to enjoy the pandering of the celebrity figure. This is a really strong version of what that running joke could be.
I also enjoy the cameos, who play very well into the Van Der Beek mythology of being a jerk. The Busy Philips cameo is especially a delight, as it is the most ridiculous form of excess that you can think of. Buying 140+ rowboats is a funny concept, but a legitimate enough reason for everyone to dislike him. The Muniz cameo was also nice, if just because there was little to his character and it was more about awkward desperation.
While I may have bad mouthed Chloe initially, I did really enjoy the concept of her carrying around a Trent gun and shooting everyone. It is such a simple premise and she nails it every time. It almost makes you wish that she did that more often in the episode. As usually, she has plenty of snarky wit, but otherwise, she is probably the least appealing aspect of this episode.
If this is a sign of things to come for the season, I am looking forward to it. It has reached a new level of meta and the snark is equally strong. I just hope that the show eventually finds its legs and puts everyone in their place correctly.
Also check out more of my work at http://nerdseyeviewpodcast.blogspot.com/ where I have a podcast called Nerd's Eye View.
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