TV Recap: Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23 - "Mean Girls..."

Left to right: Fiona Gubelmann, Jessica Blair Herman, Amanda Perez,
Dreama Walker, and 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.

Left to right: Ritter, Walker, and Liza Lapira

Thank you for joining me. I apologize for the long absence. During this time, I am well aware that Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23 has suffered the terrible cancellation due to schedule mishandling. However, we are riding out the last few episodes with high hopes, even if they are not quite in an order that makes sense to the overall narrative. Also, if you would like to join the cause for trying to rescue Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23, check out this Facebook page.

The episode begins as per usual with the optimistic voice over of June (Dreama Walker) as she walks through New York. She talks about being happy and how she can now jay walk without getting ran over. She also admires that she has a friend in her roommate Chloe (Krysten Ritter), who hasn't appeared in a picture with her, but stocks up her yogurt after discovering that she is really into blueberries. As June eats her yogurt, she talks with Eli (Michael Blaiklock) about how today is going to be a great day because after spending too much time trying to get a Wall Street job, she is finally having a Girl's Day Out with Chloe. 

Chloe, who appears hungover, wakes up off the couch and under her is a guy, who remains asleep. When June suggests that they go somewhere, Chloe suggests New York murder site bus tour (lead by Amir Talai). They discover a lot of sites and as the guide is showing them to random spots, he cracks a few jokes. When June is caught laughing, the guide stops and says that murder isn't funny. During the tour, the group stops off at Just Beans, where Mark (Eric Andre) is busy serving food. Chloe supposedly tried to flush down marijuana in the bathroom, which captures Mark's attention. 

Meanwhile, Chloe meets up with James Van Der Beek, who is about to start a mentorship program with a child. Chloe takes this opportunity to hook up with two busboys with the goal of turning them into busmen. Meanwhile, June is at home with the table all prim and set up for dinner with her friend. Chloe misinterprets that and doesn't come home until way late. At which point, June yells at her and Chloe reveals that she is nothing more than a roommate. This causes June to talk to her parents (Eve Gordon and Peter MacKenzie). During that time, her father cracks a joke about the girl getting murdered in the park, followed by the suggestion of sending her a rape whistle. He just hopes that she doesn't get raped next to a marching band. June takes this opportunity to find a Pilates class.

Meanwhile, Van Der Beek is meeting his child, who is the small and chubby Kim (Taylar Hollomon). She wanted a different celebrity, but after Van Der Beek convinces her that it is more about mentoring than the celebrity, the two begin bonding. However, as they head to the subway, they run into some bullies. Van Der Beek backs out of the subway when he realizes that they are tough, leaving Kim to fend for themselves. 

As Chloe wakes up on the couch, June comes striding in with her friends in pink shirts dubbed the Hotties 4 Pilates. There's Carmen (Amanda Perez), Ashley (Jessica Blair Herman), and Stephanie (Fiona Gubelmann). Almost immediately Chloe doesn't take to them and thinks that they are too catty, only complaining about menial garbage. In walks Robin (Liza Lapira) with groceries. She immediately defends Chloe and suggests that the other girls dress like her. After an attempt to side things over with drinks, Chloe just makes everyone madder. However, when one forgets their jacket, Chloe takes it, suggesting that she has unfinished business with them. 

On the news the next day, June and Chloe watch the news to discover that a missing girl who looks similar to Stephanie has been murdered in the park. June automatically accuses Chloe and things begin getting hot. Chloe confides in Van Der Beek, who just happens to be busy trying to figure out ways to better mentor Kim. After Chloe finds out, she begins acting crazy, forcing June to take fake passport photos and being drunk on the floor, all to mislead June into thinking that she could have done it.

In his last ditch effort, Van Der Beek buys Kim a nice pair of clothes and hopes that it somehow raises her self esteem. The bullies are still picking on her. Suddenly, Kim decides to blame him for the wardrobe. This begins to get her respect. It is then decided that the only way to fully earn their trust is for Van Der Beek to appear to be the weakest. Thus, Kim punches him in the stomach until she is finally accepted. 

Chloe begins panicking and talks to June about possibly going down to the crime scene. In this time, the truth is slowly revealed. June doesn't believe that Chloe did the murders for many reasons. Notably, Stephanie was on a trip after her boyfriend proposed to her. Also, Robin has been stocking up on blueberry yogurt for June, though with intention of having it for Chloe. With everything cleared up, Chloe is bummed out that Stephanie isn't dead, but is kind of happy that June is her friend for helping her through this fiasco.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Left to right: Taylar Hallomon and James Van Der Beek

If there is one downside to season two, it has been the excessive orders appearing out of order. While this isn't nearly as oddly placed as "the Scarlet Neighbor..." episode in which Mark is somehow dating his girlfriend the week after hooking up with June, it still has a lot of the problems that faced the first season. The broad characters and trashy jokes are still problematic, though not as bad as some other episodes. The notable problem this time comes in the form of a spew of morbid humor, notably the murder and rape jokes. While they aren't exceptionally inappropriate, they still feel oddly placed in the context, notably in which a father jokes about rape in front of his daughter and mother, which makes the murder jokes that come after the credits a little more tolerable. Luckily this element ends quickly, but it is the unfortunate aspect of the show's attempt to be edgy. It quickly clears up with the second half.

However, this episode feels out of place notably because the mean girls aspect was better done in the "Paris..." episode, in which the work place served as a compelling place to have it out. Here Chloe just feels like the bitch who wants to be nothing but the bitch. The rest of the Hotties 4 Pilates are fine characters, though the one obsessed with La Bamba feels oddly shoehorned in. They serve the purpose of shallow characters meant to enrage Chloe. However, the quickness of this all just feels like it was established for no other purpose than to get to the next act.

Also, this is back when Eli was a pervert in a bad way. In this episode, he was writing erotic stories about Chloe and June and wanting them to kiss. I must admit that in light of the episodes that followed, it is nice to see that he finally matured to a somewhat reasonable sidekick role. Dispensing advice just makes more sense. However, I must admit that Robin is an okay character, though I still feel like she needs to develop as a character beyond the obsessive that she is. Season two has provided some insight into this, but not enough to make her seem as evolved as others.

The story itself is one that shadows the genius of the show to come. It may be full of tasteless murder jokes, but the way that it is shoehorned into the third act is rather impressive as a plot device. While it is a little too ridiculous to think that Chloe could have been a murderer for a minute, the way that the ending turned into a mystery reveal was an excellent moment that shows the early stages of the show's genius writing. 

On a side note, I do enjoy the more subtle mean girl side of Chloe. She is somehow against the shallow girls while herself having some of those tendencies. Though not enough to murder. Chloe's behavior has been erratic during the entire show's run, but I feel like a more grounded, reasonable Chloe is my favorite. Also, I do not necessarily feel like she is ruining June's life this week so much as trying to better it. In that regards, it dampened the plot a little, though almost made it seem sweet that the two ended up bonding over perverse grounds.

Also, what was up with Kim's only salvation being to beat up James Van Der Beek? I get that there needed to be something to humble him, but it felt very quick and his subplot was lazy in comparison. I get that the show tried to show all sides of mean girls, but this needed more time to develop and there is never a sense like anything important happens for most of their time together besides talking about how scary bullies are.

I will try and get the other episode done on Thursday. After which point, I plan to try and cover what little left (IMDb claims that there are two more to air) in a reasonable fashion, followed by a retrospective of the series.