S01E20: More Fang for your Chuck

[The Crazed Spruce]

Quote

Margaret must represent Chuck when he faces 20 years in federal prison after being accused of fixing a cash prize giveaway at the Portland Widows hockey game; Lyle finds a new love interest in a forensic accountant.

 

[AnimeMania]

Laila Robins Returns as Natalie Harris, Margaret's Former Sorority Sister

Desmond Chiam as Peter, Susan's fiancé

Clayton James as Chuck, Todd's brother-in-law

Vinessa Antoine as Alex
 

So Alex is up to no good, I guess that will be a story for Season 2.

[incandescent]

Was Chuck this stupid in prior episodes? I remember him being much more receptive to Todd's shenanigans than Margaret or Alison but not a total himbo. I'll still miss him, though.

[DanaK]

Man, Chuck was a total idiot here; I also don’t remember him being this way in previous episodes.

This was a fun episode and could have served as the season finale

I assumed Lyle was gay but I guess not; the lady is up to no good though

I don’t like Margaret’s boss, she comes across as really stuck up. She needs to dial down the intensity

[Trey]

So, is Chuck what? Gay? Autistic? Something else?

I enjoyed this episode very much.  Margaret's nemesis really does put Margaret on her game.

[cardigirl]

I liked this episode, especially the emotional beats of Chuck being so sad his marriage is over and asking Todd if  he was going to leave too. I didn't especially enjoy that Chuck was made to be so clueless, with no business acumen, and apparently is from a super-rich family.  In the Thanksgiving episode, Chuck came across as a bit more intuitive than he was shown to be tonight. 

It's clear that Allison is really really unhappy. Wonder where they are going with that character? And I loved the eldest son, he was great, hope they show him again. I hope next season will explore Margaret's relationship with all of her children a bit more. 

Next week is the season finale. Should be a good episode, we'll see. Probably will leave us with a cliff hanger. And we'll have to wait longer for it due to the writers' strike. 

[iMonrey]

Allison has always been a wet blanket but if Chuck is this stupid it's no wonder she wants a divorce. I did feel bad for him though when he asked Todd if he was going to leave too.

The ending was a little too Scooby-Doo with Chuck's boss just admitted all this schemes to Margaret. He should have suspected she might be recording him.

Got a big kick out of Todd's fear of spiders. Even the giant mascot spider.

[Daff]

3 hours ago, Trey said:

So, is Chuck what? Gay? Autistic? Something else?

I enjoyed this episode very much.  Margaret's nemesis really does put Margaret on her game.

I took him to be the typical dumb jock. Even his college roommate knew what a simpleton he was/is. You really can’t hate him, though, because he’s kind, generous and caring. And I think that’s why Allison feels so lousy-she knows she’s hurting him, but she can’t stay with him.

[jb1183]

I feel like they did Chuck a bit dirty here. He's had very little screentime so far, but we hadn't seen anything up to this point to imply that he was a blithering idiot with no business sense. It's been consistently portrayed that Margaret and Todd both really like him and that he has been a loving, if not super exciting, husband to Allison. The writing for him in this episode felt like a retcon designed to make Allison's decision to divorce him more sympathetic.

Also, Allison needs some antidepressants. She is so relentlessly mopey, miserable, and whiny that it's actually unpleasant to watch given how upbeat and lively the rest of the show is around her.

[Maverick]

Agents Fox and Carter?  As in Fox Mulder and Chris Cater I assume.  If so, odd to use a fictional character name for one and a real name of the show runner for the other.  

[twoods]

Besides making Chuck a blithering idiot, I do not like that it’s showing Susan second guessing Peter. She has seemed very happy with him and minus the out of the blue kiss, there has been no inkling of her second guessing their relationship. Now we are supposed to root for her and Todd to get together in the obvious cliffhanger next week? No thanks.

Why are they making Beverly crazier and crazier every episode?

Awww I was hoping we would see Lyle dating the forensic scientist, bur she has to be shady too. It’s nice seeing Vinessa Antoine.

[shapeshifter]

On 5/12/2023 at 8:15 AM, DanaK said:

I assumed Lyle was gay but I guess not;

Same. Character makeover maybe?

Are we to assume that Chuck is gay? Was that the subtext of him bringing Todd sandwiches in the night and saying he'd miss him? And Allison saying "it's me" implying she wasn't Chuck's type?

 

Anyway, does this please now mean that Allison can get a character makeover and at least become not so miserable all the time?

16 hours ago, jb1183 said:

Also, Allison needs some antidepressants. She is so relentlessly mopey, miserable, and whiny that it's actually unpleasant to watch given how upbeat and lively the rest of the show is around her.

I'm okay with Allison being a bit of an Eeyore, but I do not want to watch a comedy where every time a certain character comes on the screen I have to worry if there's going to be a suicide on or off screen.

 

 

20 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Got a big kick out of Todd's fear of spiders. Even the giant mascot spider.

Yes. Marcia Gay Harden is a great actor, but Skylar Astin is on that level too, IMO.
The only reason this show might not survive (even though it's been renewed) is because both of them could get poached for enough money and opportunity to offset contract buyouts if the Writers Strike isn't resolved soon enough.

 

 

6 hours ago, twoods said:

Why are they making Beverly crazier and crazier every episode?

I think part of it is that they haven't ever decided exactly how Beverly's character fits into the cast ensemble. 
Without Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin, I'm not sure that the writing is strong enough for the show to have been renewed. 

Tristen J. Winger (Lyle) holds up his end of a scene nicely too, even though they haven't quite figured out his character either.

[Daff]

9 hours ago, twoods said:

Why are they making Beverly crazier and crazier every episode?

Standing in the doorway like that, threatening, and kind of out of it I had two thoughts: zombie (of which I know naught) or vampire. Heavy makeup played a role, here. Hard to believe she’s in charge, either way. Or, will we find out she’s spending her days in her office, drinking?

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Daff

[iMonrey]

Quote

Are we to assume that Chuck is gay? Was that the subtext of him bringing Todd sandwiches in the night and saying he'd miss him? And Allison saying "it's me" implying she wasn't Chuck's type?

No, I think Chuck brings snacks to Todd in the middle of the night because he misses Allison and is lonely. He is also afraid Todd will eventually leave too and then he will be even more lonely. I do feel kind of bad for him. He just seems so nice but hapless.

Allison seems to blame Margaret for her marriage to Chuck, as though she was pushed into it against her will. But if she allowed herself to be talked into it, that's really on her. Margaret isn't that domineering, and Allison has agency.

Edited May 13, 2023 by iMonrey

[twoods]

That seems to be Allison’s Eeyore personality- blame everyone else for her life except herself. Woe is her for marrying a nice guy who tolerated her family, woe is her for being forced into being an ER doctor and making a difference to society, woe is her for getting drunk and having to do community service, etc.

[seacliffsal]

Gee, I just don't like Allison.  I don't feel sorry for her one bit and I think I'm supposed to feel sorry for her.  I feel sorry for Chuck as his wife knew she didn't love him (or probably even like him) but married him anyone, had him come to every family dinner, was moody and grouchy all of the time (at least for as long as the show has been on), etc.  I think Todd should rent a guestroom from him (upgrade from the garage) as they seem to have a nice friendship.

A big NO to a Susan and Todd romantic relationship.  She seemed way happier with Peter than she ever looks in her scenes with Todd.

In spite of all of that, I enjoyed this episode and continue to enjoy the show as I really like the main characters.

[AnimeMania]

Yes, Todd should move into the big house and Chuck and Todd should be roommates. This way Chuck gets to stay on the show and they could have a great fun fratboy friendship in the new mancave they create from all the alimony that Allison will have to pay Chuck.

[jb1183]

14 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Gee, I just don't like Allison.  I don't feel sorry for her one bit and I think I'm supposed to feel sorry for her. 

Agreed. It does feel like we're supposed to sympathize with her, but her endless pity party for herself and blaming other people for her life choices does not make for a likable character. She's honestly doing Chuck a favor by leaving him.

[Bulldog]

Allison really is this show’s Zoloft blob. 

[tinderbox]

Why turn Chuck into a complete idiot?  I realize the character was never properly fleshed out but this reveal was unexpected.  I’d rather the show dump Allison.  She’s awful to watch.

[AncientNewbie]

Maybe Chuck is just so lost and adrift by the separation that he's lost his spark at work. And life. I don't mind the Kind Himbo variation on the character, other than it seems a departure from what we saw before. I would actually love, as someone suggested above, if Todd became his roomie. It sort of fits with the endless messed up family dynamics that he would live with his sister's ex in order to make his life easier, without seeing the issues for others. 

Without turning this into my memoir, because I have great hopes of it someday selling for at least .99 a copy...I do get Dr. Eeyore. She seems to have always done things because they were expected of her and now she's an adult with no idea who she really is. It seems all the Wright kids deal with some family issues in unhealthy ways, so her version at least makes sense as the middle child/daughter. 

I do not care for the name partner, but that's probably because I also don't like that the writers don't seem to know how law firms work. Margaret is already a partner and bringing in 1/3 of the firms revenue? When we saw 10-12 partners in the conference room previously when expelling the embezzler? Firms would be knocking down her door to recruit her and her book of business. Her current firm would not be treating her like Cinderella, pre-makeover, just because she used to be an assistant there, unless they wanted a large part of their own income to walk. 

[Daff]

I really don’t think the writers suddenly wrote Chuck “dumb” for this episode only. I can’t remember any specific statements from past episodes, but my general impression over the season, based upon conversations during family gatherings was that the rest of the family ignored his contributions because it was just too taxing to interrupt the discussion to clue him in. (Of course, always showing us Allison’s obvious disgust and eye rolls). He always seemed to misperceive the point and the facts. He always seemed to be lacking general basic knowledge and common sense;  but having a good heart, that made him terribly naive.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Daff

[shapeshifter]

On 5/15/2023 at 10:27 AM, AncientNewbie said:

I would actually love, as someone suggested above, if Todd became his roomie. It sort of fits with the endless messed up family dynamics that he would live with his sister's ex in order to make his life easier, without seeing the issues for others. 

I would be fine with this scenario of Todd being roomies with his sister's ex. As you point out, it fits the show's family dynamics.

And much better than the creepy, in-the-closest-to-himself, slash vibe I perceived. Hopefully that won't be a running "joke."

[eel21788]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:45 AM, seacliffsal said:

Gee, I just don't like Allison.  I don't feel sorry for her one bit and I think I'm supposed to feel sorry for her.  I feel sorry for Chuck as his wife knew she didn't love him (or probably even like him) but married him anyone, had him come to every family dinner, was moody and grouchy all of the time (at least for as long as the show has been on), etc. 

We really don't know much about what Allison was like prior to her marriage except for being an overachiever.

I can't count the number of coworkers I've had who were always fun to be around and seemed very happy with their lives until their first day back at work after their honeymoons. Somehow, the day after their weddings they had turned into Allison and stayed that way until the divorce which usually happened 2 to 5 years after the wedding. They didn't go back to their former selves, but they moved towards the middle of the spectrum instead of being at the extreme end of the misery scale. People who try to claim that marriage doesn't change you are liars.

Edited May 16, 2023 by eel21788

[snarktini]

I do feel sorry for Allison! She has an overbearing, interfering mom constantly criticizing her choices. My god, Margaret couldn't even go on a covert mission in her grown daughter's house without rearranging the furniture because it was wrong.

So, yeah, Allison should have had agency in her life. But I feel for how she has no idea who she is or what she wants, because she followed the script that was pushed on her -- a high-status job, a perfect marriage, stability and success above all else -- but it wasn't hers. I know a LOT of women like this. They were told if they made the "right" choices that's what would bring happiness. They don't even know they can do something else. If you're wired to people-please (and raised by someone who reinforced that) it's a heavy weight to throw off.

The older brother, for me, brought into focus that Margaret had no intention of letting them be their own selves. Because he wasn't "smart enough" to be the doctor they wanted him to be, they shipped him to military school, which he resents to this day. So then all focus turns to making sure Allison fulfilled that destiny instead. And as is often the case, the daughter was the most vulnerable to parental pressure. Todd was the one who broke free (and he never hears the end of it either)

Edited May 17, 2023 by snarktini

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, snarktini said:

The older brother, for me, brought into focus that Margaret had no intention of letting them be their own selves. Because he wasn't "smart enough" to be the doctor they wanted him to be, they shipped him to military school, which he resents to this day. So then all focus turns to making sure Allison fulfilled that destiny instead. And as is often the case, the daughter was the most vulnerable to parental pressure. Todd was the one who broke free (and he never hears the end of it either)

This is why I want more scenes of all the siblings without Margaret. I want to hear candid, honest conversations about what it was like for each of them, how each one saw themselves, how each one saw each other, and what role Margaret played in that. These conversations can only happen when Margaret is out of the house. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'm pretty sure they've always shown Chuck to be a rather dim, even in quick cuts or a few lines during the family dinners. 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'm pretty sure they've always shown Chuck to be a rather dim, even in quick cuts or a few lines during the family dinners. 

Chuck's teachers and school test scores may have indicated he was "dim," but we know better. 😉