Gina!!!! What a triumphant return!
Cons:
It was so good to see Gina, truly. I did think it was kind of odd that we didn't have a big group scene with everyone. Gina didn't get to see Holt, Rosa, Amy, Charles... it was just Terry and Jake. I liked what we got, but I wish we could have had more.
Similarly, it seems odd to me that we'd have Gina back for a full episode and there wouldn't be even one reference to the fact that she's a mother. That was one of the big reasons she decided to leave her job, so it felt like a gaping omission for the show to make here.
Pros:
The subplots this week were both really low-stakes, but a lot of fun. First, we've got Boyle and Holt. Holt mistakenly believes that Nikolaj is a genius, and goes overboard in trying to unlock his full potential. Sometimes I get a little irritated with how little this show does with Boyle's character, but I did enjoy seeing him with Holt here. It was nice to see Holt start off judging Boyle as usual, but come around by the end and appreciate how supportive Charles is as a father. Nothing super special going on here, but very sweet nonetheless.
The other subplot was just pure silliness - Rosa has to wear casts on her hands to prevent her from scratching at a poison ivy rash. She gets herself locked in a closet, and while at first Amy keeps waiting for her to admit she needs help, by the end Amy is celebrating her independence and encouraging her to get out on her own. I liked the punchline - Amy and Rosa share a hug and celebrate that Rosa did it all on her own, and then Rosa immediately says she needs to use the bathroom and Amy, in this adorable little voice, says "oh, okay, I'll help you." I like seeing these two women getting a story for themselves, and I appreciated the subversion of the expected message.
The main plot was focused on Gina and Jake's friendship, and it was a lot of fun. Of course Gina became an internet celebrity. It's so on-brand for her. There were just so many hilarious moments - Gina dressed as Moses for a photo shoot, her nonchalance at the death threats, her reaction to getting literally stabbed in the back, her lie about cancelling drinks, the cool fantasy movie that she and Jake are going to write... lots of great comedy.
I appreciate the somewhat realistic, yet still absurd, scene where Gina and Jake are talking about their friendship while they wait for an ambulance to help Gina out with her knife wound. There wasn't any high drama here, as it was clear that Gina wasn't in imminent danger, but there was still an obviously anxious energy to the scene. The way Gina was talking and asking Jake to talk in order to distract herself was exactly the way I behave when I'm in pain.
It looks like Gina has been living her best life, but she's let her friendships fall by the wayside. Whether we get to see a lot more of Gina in the coming episodes or not, I hope that she and Jake manage to do a better job of staying in touch! They have a great, dynamic energy that really adds something to the show.
That's all I've got for this one!
8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'd really appreciate hearing what you think!