Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: I See You (4x06)

Um guess what? This episode was very good. Shocking, I know.

Cons:

Not really, no. Maybe there's a little bit of a sense that this episode could have been plopped down anywhere in the season? Obviously there's moments of growth, but this episode doesn't really comment on Paula's son leaving, or Heather getting ready to move, or Darryl's kinda-sorta-second-breakup with White Josh. It's like this episode exists in a bubble. I'm not going to say that this is a horrible thing, by any means. Just something to point out.

Also, I miss when we had two full-blown musical numbers (at least) in every episode. I get the sense that the longer season means there's less money to produce music for each episode. We only really get one song in this episode, plus another little one right at the end. Both are great, but I want even MORE!

Pros:

This episode features three pairs of characters meeting up for various reasons, going on long-ish drives, and learning something about each other. The pairs are somewhat random, the specifics are quite different in each case, but over-all the theme of the episode is reflected in the title: "I See You." Each person involved here has to come to a realization and learn to see someone in a more complex way. And it's all so freakin' beautiful.

First of all: "Trapped in a Car With Someone You Don't Want to Be Trapped in a Car With." What an amazing title. What an amazing song. What a great Beach Boys parody. I loved every second of it. Sometimes the songs on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend are insightful and deep, and sometimes they're just funny and a great setup for the basic plot. This song was the latter, but it was the best version of the latter I can imagine. Also, despite my complaint that there seem to be less songs this season, I am loving the fact that there are more big group numbers. This was incredibly fun.

Rebecca and Darryl are one of this episode's three pairings. They're the least random, and their road trip to go try some good ribs at a restaurant is actually planned. Rebecca was hoping for a light-hearted outing without talking about her emotions, which she has to do all the time in therapy. She tells Darryl this, but he can't help but talk about emotions anyway. The two fight, but then make up, and end up having a wonderful time together. At the end of the night, they almost kiss, but in the end they discuss that this was just a weird moment, and everything is put right.

See, I almost put that near-kiss into the "cons" section of the episode because it made me PROFOUNDLY uncomfortable. But I think it was meant to. It didn't happen. And also, if it had been played for laughs, we would be making a joke out of Darryl's character. What's so absurd about Darryl being desirable? Rebecca even says as much when they have a conversation about the moment back at Darryl's house. He's a great guy, and Rebecca is glad to know she's capable of being attracted to someone who isn't inherently bad for her.

I also love how this episode talks about mental illness and sort of examines the line between excuse and explanation. It's great that Rebecca lays out her boundaries for Darryl, and it would be nice if Darryl were a little better about listening to what Rebecca needs in that instant. But also, Darryl is a nice and supportive friend who has always been forgiving of Rebecca's occasional rudeness, and in this instance, he stands up for himself. Rebecca's personality disorder might explain why she's sometimes a difficult person, but it doesn't excuse her from all responsibility for her behavior. I loved the balance here, because after they make up, Darryl puts in the effort to give Rebecca the carefree day she was looking for, and they have a great time.

Next up is Paula and Josh. This plot thread was maybe the most forced, and was probably my least favorite out of the three, but it was still definitely a good story. Paula is procrastinating on studying for her law school finals. She hires a "bro with a truck" to go pick up a desk for her so she can have a proper studying space. Turns out, the random bro is Josh. Paula spends the car ride annoyed at his constant yammering, but in the end it turns out that Josh is taking his therapy seriously, and he even has enough insight to recognize the prolonged trip to pick up a desk for what it is. Again, just like with Rebecca and Darryl, we have a character failing to see the complexity and growth in another character, but then gradually realizing the error of their ways. This is a pairing that has no reason to spend time together. It was fun to see Paula grow and start to regard Josh as something other than an object or a mild annoyance. Also, the woman with all the creepy figurines was just the right mix of funny and creepy.

Finally, we have Nathaniel and Heather. This pairing is completely random, and ended up being so insightful. Heather picks Nathaniel up on the side of the road from where his car has stopped. Heather doesn't like Nathaniel, Nathaniel is rude to Heather... what else is new. But we then learn that Nathaniel was heading to the beach to scatter the ashes of Heidi, his beloved au pair. This was probably the most interesting match-up, because Heather wasn't seeing the more complex, teddy-bear-like side of Nathaniel, sure... but we also can't blame her for being annoyed with his rudeness and his privilege. Understanding that even rich white straight men have emotions is not the point of this plot thread. Because... duh. But Heather realizing that she judged Nathaniel and dismissed him out of hand is a good lesson for her that change happens slowly. And Nathaniel admitting that he wishes he could change too, and actually taking Heather's words to heart, shows that he's willing to put in the work.

I actually got all worked up during Nathaniel's break-down. He was crying over the death of a woman that meant a lot to him, but more than that, he was crying because he finds it difficult to form loving connections with people. Heidi is dead, Rebecca has left him, and he is so lonely. Hearing him admit that made me start to cry. I don't know if he and Rebecca have a chance, but I do think he has a chance to find happiness, and I'm rooting for him all the way.

The second song of the night was Darryl singing to his mustache, which he shaves off during his trip with Rebecca. Seeing Darryl without it was odd, but I also love the symbolic resonance of the moment. Darryl is moving on to a new stage in his life as a single parent. It also speaks of the coming end to the show - how strange seeing Mr. Whitefeather with a clean-shaven face!

In all, I'm as pleased as ever with this episode, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

9/10