TV Recap: Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23 - "Whatever It Takes..."

Left to right: Eric Andre, Dreama Walker, Krysten Ritter,
Liza Lapira, and Tom Lennon

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.

Left to right James Van Der Beek and Missi Pyle

For those that thought that the last episode was too kind on disabilities and shortcomings, I would like to introduce you to "Whatever It Takes...," an episode that may not be as blatant about its small characters, but takes the extremes more for laughs. This is notably done in the guise of Tom Lennon (who seems to be playing "that wacky guy" in EVERYTHING, and that includes TV and movies), who is the victim of head trauma and as a result, cannot function like a normal person. However, is it capable of overcoming the rest of the episode?
The episode opens with June (Dreama Walker) standing in a crowded room being introduced by Mr. Sharpe (Bruce Davidson) as she is being inducted as a new staff member on Wall Street. The voice over by June explains that this is the end of the story and that she wants to explain how she got there. This includes drowning Chloe (Krysten Ritter) in a bottle of Smirnoff against her will. It may seem odd now, but she starts from the beginning of the episode to help make things more clear.
June is seen in her apartment sitting on the couch answering questions from a game show. Meanwhile, Chloe is seen constantly coming in and out of the room in different outfits. No word on how much time has passed, but the time lapse indicates that June has been sitting there, eating food for days, all to the tune of Lykke Li's "Get Some." It is an excellent start to the episode, even if it only explains that June eats, cooks, and goes to the bathroom.
This causes Chloe to get upset and decides to have a talk with her. Chloe demands that she doesn't waste her time sitting on the couch watching game shows all day. Meanwhile, June doesn't like Chloe partying so much. Chloe claims that she is out connecting to other people in order to further her career. June wants to be more successful, but she feels like she needs to do it on her own terms. 
During a conversation over the computer with her mother (Eve Gordon), they begin to talk about how they don't need to call each other every day. This seems unsettling to June's mother at first, but is quickly blown over when James Van Der Beek comes into the room. June's mother is excited to see him and the two begin talking, notably about his upcoming stint on Dancing with the Stars. Since her mom is an expert, they discuss statistics and that it should be easy for him to win, even though he doesn't know who his partner is. They decide to leave that for when the episodes air in order for dramatic effect.
Chloe is tired of having June sit around, so she drags her to NBK Tavern, where she flirts with a bunch of people before she decides that they are too douchey. She demands Chloe to let her go home, but she is buzzed and looking for someone to have sex with in the kitchen. She eventually finds that person in the guise of Hot Trip (Jason Olive). After a raucous night, it almost seems like Chloe can do anything, including getting June a job for Hot Trip's father, Mr. Sharpe. 
The next day, Robin (Liza Lapira) shows up looking for Chloe. She is introducing a new drink that mixed expired Mexican nasal spray and pomegranate juice in a concoction called Mind Bang. This basically constitutes with a result of feeling like your head exploded. This is immediately followed by a confirmation call from Mr. Sharpe's office about June's interview, which causes her to be ecstatic and for Chloe to reveal all of the details on how she landed that deal.
During the interview, Mr. Sharpe is very friendly and states that after a few background checks, she could very well have the job. This is June's dream, as she has wanted to work on Wall Street for years. Mr. Sharpe claims that it is because of Chloe being friends with his son Trip. However, Trip isn't some sexy black man, but a mentally incapable white man (Tom Lennon) who puts stickers on his tie and talks about sex in an almost preschool way. The reason for this condition is because Trip got beaten by someone who he smarted off to one time too many. This has caused Mr. Sharpe to be very sympathetic towards Trip's recovery and constantly is pointing out ways that he has improved his condition.
June comes home, happy to tell everyone that she has gotten the job and may start on Friday. She explains that Trip is a little... peculiar, but Chloe considers that to be a compliment and describes that he looks hot on the floor of a kitchen with crumbs stuck to his butt. Van Der Beek shares that Chloe often goes into these phases where she drinks excessively and has martini goggles, where certain people look more attractive. Meanwhile, Van Der Beek is talking to June's mother, who is enthusiastic about his Dancing with the Stars probability. When June interrupts, her mother says that they don't need to talk every day.
At rehearsals the next day, Van Der Beek finally meets his partner, Angie Betancourt (Missi Pyle). This doesn't go over well, as Angie is a narcoleptic, easily distracted person who has lost on the show a record eight times. Almost immediately following the first rehearsal, he goes on a quest to find a way to replace her, even asking Dean Cain to trade his partner for Van Der Beek's time share. It is eventually discovered that Angie is also shooting a movie in Greenland, but she just needs financing. 
Trip comes over to see Chloe, and he continues his rambling in-cohesiveness, including "My body makes salt." They are intending to have sex. The following morning, June figures out a way to remove Trip from Chloe's bed before she wakes up sober and sees that she is dating a mentally handicapped person. Why is this? Because Trip is Mr. Sharpe's son, she wants everything to work out until she lands the job and gets the payroll that she desperately wants. She tells this to Mark (Eric Andre) at work the next day, which prompts her to invite him to come out with everyone for a night on the town. 
The following night, Mark, June, Chloe, Robin, and Trip go out to the Meat Market. The only catch is that June forced Chloe to drink a bottle of Smirnoff on the basis that she doesn't want her sober. Also, Robin gave her a glass of Mind Bang just to help out. When they get there, it is only moments before Trip drops his pants and waves his hands in the air. Mark is concerned when he sees Chloe fumbling around, but when June promises that she'll get him a job, it almost solves everything. 
The next day is the day when June is officially inducted into the group. In a big celebration that involves wine glasses and toasting, a crowd is cheering this accomplishment. Trip is off to the side as well. Chloe shows up sober, thinking that she has been drinking too much. She took her martini glasses off and decided to put on her money glasses in order to see Trip for what he is: rich. However, this goes south immediately when it turns out that Trip has a wife and kid that was made when he climbed on his wife and a kid came out. Also, his turtle died, which gives Mr. Sharpe a sense of improvement, as Trip can now recognize mortality.
Chloe doesn't care until June decides that enough's enough. She demands that Chloe stop seeing Trip as a money magnet who can fly her to Barbados on a jet and see him as he really is. This turns out to be a hideous, Tim Burton in the 80's special effects type of creature with bulging eyes. They depart in which June loses her job and Chloe has managed to become sober. The episode ends with Van Der Beek and Angie talking about why she needs to back out of Dancing with the Stars: to shoot her movie in Greenland. Things are going well for Van Der Beek after all.


Rating: 2 out of 5

I really hope that this isn't the direction that the show is going. Will Chloe forever date weird guys that have some sort of defect in order for June to progress her story, and then not to? I am sure that the show has never been one to progress June beyond the broke girl that works at a coffee shop, but it almost seems like a tease to do it in this way. Also, it almost is done too obviously. Basically, June has a changing of heart and Chloe doesn't drink that much, therefore they can see the picture better. It is an obvious formula and one that the show has done better in the past, but here it just gets buried under some problems.
I will overlook the capital greed concept, which is one of the show's more shallow aspects, but is kind of logical, considering almost every character's goal to overcome struggles (which this show is very much about). In fact, the way that they moved June from being sexy man hungry a few episodes back to career hungry is a nice touch, though is one that is still hidden under some shallow behavior. She keeps her roommate drunk with the intention of finally making a lot of money.
Of course, the most obvious problem with the episode is guest star Tom Lennon. Being a fan of the State, I tend to see Lennon in things regardless on intention of seeing it for him. It seems like with each passing year, he manages to squeeze his way into supporting roles in everything. Don't forget, he got a ten second part in the Dark Knight Rises. Now, how do you do that? Still, when it comes to comedy, he seems to be accepting of playing the broad, wacky characters that don't always work. Every comedian tends to have a shtick, and I shouldn't claim Lennon on this new discovery, because he's been doing it for years.
However, the jokes that are given to him in this episode are problematic. He drops his pants! He talks like a preschooler! He puts stickers on his tie! This is such an illogical character that having him work for Mr. Sharpe almost seems unnecessary and exists for no other purpose than for a wacky plot line. There is nothing subtle about him and his insistent shouting almost seems like a distraction and a desperate way of the show saying "we have jokes!" It is kind of annoying and too lowbrow. Add in a drunk Chloe and you have a formula that is somewhat recycled, but in a more annoying fashion.
Even Angie is kind of a stretch. I get that we needed a character that Van Der Beek couldn't work with, but it almost seemed unfair to put two mentally incompetent characters in the same episode for broad humor. Who is this show trying to impress by constantly pointing out people who collapse without warning? Angie is more effective than Trip in that she serves a more logical purpose, but in the show's growing desire to make fun of handicaps, it seems unfortunate. Still, I like the way that she was written off at the end. It was simple and sweet.
If I sound like a curmudgeon with this episode, it is because I want better from it. This is a more sophisticated and better written attempt at being edgy than 2 Broke Girls, and I would hate to see it fall below the quality line to be a direct clone. Moments like the opening scene in which a time lapse happens over Lykke Li's "Get Some" is amazingly effective, and almost reminiscent of Ritter's days on Breaking Bad. I doubt it will work as a mainstay feature, but it is still proof that this show could be so much more.


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