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S01.E04: Nugget of Wisdom

Lisin

By Lisin
in Selfie [V]

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Lisin

Lisin

Eliza accepts Henry’s challenge to do something helpful over the weekend and reluctantly offers to babysit Charmonique’s young son on a Saturday night. Little does she know that young Kevin has a lot to teach her about having fun.
  • Love 1
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Sims Addict

Sims Addict

This show is hilarious.

 

When Charmonique left for her reunion and her son deadpanned, "Get it," I fell out.

 

Damn if he didn't sound like Eddie Murphy under the covers.

 

It's official that everyone jams the same way to "Real Love." How many times have I seen that same hands up, slow bop in the club?

  • Love 9
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twoods

twoods

So true about chicken nuggets- it's my go to food if they don't like dinner.

Charmonique's son is hilarious- his deadpan delivery and ridiculous cry cracked me up.

I liked how they made Eliza smart with telling Henry that kids may want seconds with the vita-nuggets. More of that, please.

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ljp

ljp

So when I saw the name and premise of this show I was horrified. But damn if it hasn't won me over. I think 95% of it is how much I like the two leads, but I've gone from horrified to rooting for it to survive.

  • Love 4
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Kromm

Kromm

I am so in love with this show.  I just love everything about it.

Who knew, of all things, this show would turn out to be a really good Workplace Comedy?

 

I mean it's not what's on the tin, so to speak.

Too bad the ratings are dreadful and the likelihood of renewal not so good.

I actually think some great comedy comes from what a drip Henry is. That's another thing that was only implied by the Pilot that they've really developed.  The show is as much his as Eliza's.

  • Love 4
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Kromm

Kromm

Also, the Charmonique/Eliza relationship is probably even better than the Henry/Eliza one, IMO. Love, love, love that the show developed this rather than just let it sit as the pilot laid it out.


And Charmonique's kid?  They can feed him all the fake too-adult sounding lines they want. It's unexpectedly hilarious!


So when I saw the name and premise of this show I was horrified. But damn if it hasn't won me over. I think 95% of it is how much I like the two leads, but I've gone from horrified to rooting for it to survive.

Henry, and his grilled chicken and yogurt talk can win anyone over.  ANYONE!!!

  • Love 3
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ElectricBoogaloo

ElectricBoogaloo

(edited)

Ha, his yogurt talk was hilarious! Sneaky Greek yogurt!

 

I loved Mr. McMoney's Dwayne Wayne look in the flashbacks, as well as his former occupation designing leather outfits for Jodeci (as well as his admission that he was responsible for a lot of fornicating).

 

Charmonique's kid and his Eddie Murphy crying cracked me up. Every time he started making Eddie Murphy noises, I could not stop laughing. He was so cute as the little DJ for Eliza's dance party too. His very detailed bedtime routine was funny too.

 

I was totally impressed with Charmonique's wig closet even before she told Eliza it was temperature controlled.

 

Loved the discussion about "Working for the Weekend" (and the later discussion about other song meanings). And Samm Levine got to talk! When he got on the elevator, I wondered if he was going to stay silent for the entire series.

 

On a related note, A+ for the music. Last week we got Straight Up and this week we got TLC, Boyz II Men, and Mary J. Blige. Awesome!

 

I only started watching this show because of my John Cho love but it has won me over.

Edited by ElectricBoogaloo
  • Love 7
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Latverian Diplomat

Latverian Diplomat

Hmm, I always thought that "Working for the Weekend" was about the fact that romance and partying is work, in the sense that you have to put effort into it. But the song's not complaining about it, just stating it as a fact of life. In fact it's pretty OK with the whole idea, that's why it's so upbeat.

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random chance

random chance

I loved this episode, and they managed to surprise me too because I was expecting it to end with the chicken nugget vitamins - not go one step further and note that maybe vitamins shouldn't be something kids want to bolt down by the handful. (For that matter they over-vitamin adult foods anymore - like the "healthy" beverages that are loaded with Vitamin A.) John Cho is so adorable, why hasn't he been in a romcom before this? I wish the network would give this show a decent chance.

  • Love 3
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Dave in Chicago

Dave in Chicago

Has someone alerted Wig Cop that last night they literally had Gillan hang out in a wig closet for much of the episode?  They're taunting us!

 

This show is adorable and probably doomed.  How many more seasons before ABC stops the "bad show name" trend?

  • Love 1
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rubyred

rubyred

I can't decide which cracked me up more: Kevin's Eddie Murphy noises, "Get it!" or "Popo shuttin' us down?" Or perhaps it was Henry and Saperstein's back-in-the-day wigs? Or Henry's inability to resist K-pop?

 

Are the ratings really that bad? Ugh. I really like this show and actually found myself DVRing The Flash so I could watch Selfie live. (Which I would not have had to do if CW were included in the "Start Over/Look Back" options, Time.Warner. Grrr)

  • Love 2
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mamey2422

mamey2422

I echo everyone's sentiments about this episode and just keep liking all your posts. I can't believe how quickly this show as grown on me.

 

 

@rubyred
Are the ratings really that bad?

 

I don't think they're great but they are improving: Ratings: Selfie and NCIS: NO Rise

 

 

ABC’s Selfie was looking good (all things being relative) this Tuesday, rising 12 percent and a tenth to draw 3.8 million total viewers and a 1.1 demo rating opposite the World Series.

 

There is not a new episode next week which hopefully does not hurt any momentum. 

  • Love 1
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Kromm

Kromm

And the show went from cute to great, yay! I loved everything about this one. That kid had me on the floor LMAO.

Every single episode has been good, and this one vaulted to brilliant. I mean this was just funny, funny stuff, a really good show direction, and a whole range of characters (even supporting ones) who have interesting stuff to say and do.

 

Even Karen's wig wasn't so bad (hopefully they'll just have ditched the wig and gone with what had to be medium length hair on her by midseason).

A lot of the comic beats and work environment are reminding me a bit of Less than Perfect.

  • Love 3
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thuganomics85

thuganomics85

OK, I think it now should be a requirement that every episode has John Cho and Karen Gillan hilariously dancing.  Those two really nail down the physical comedy.  Henry not being able to resist the K-pop was the best.

 

Best episode yet.  I think this show really has emerged into something really good.  Henry and Eliza continue to be great together, and they're also doing solid jobs with the supporting cast.  The B-plot with Charmonique was equally awesome.  The stuff with Reverend McMoney was amusing (especially because I think the actor was that guy who use to do those Old Spice commercials), as was the wig room, although I suspect it's unrealistic for a single parent working as a secretary to afford it (but, hey, maybe she's really good at saving money and investing.)

 

The Renee Zellweger bit completely threw me for a loop, since it's only just been getting attention a few days ago.  Talk about striking when the iron is hot.

 

I liked how the chicken nuggets gag wasn't the actual solution, but used for Henry to find a different approach to the problem.  I also liked that Eliza was majorly involved with the new campaign.

 

The stuff with all the songs was great, because there are several times where there is a song I assume means one thing, but after really listening to it, I'm like "Oh, wait!  That's what they're talking about..."

 

Loved it when Charmonique was obviously hinting for Eliza to be the babysitter, and how it went so over her head.  Gillian really sold how oblivious Eliza was to the entire thing.

 

I still worry about the ratings, but I can only hope ABC is patient, and realizes that this is going up against NCIS, The Voice, and one of the most well-received new shows this fall (The Flash), so it's going to have a battle on it's hands.  I really think this show can be great.  Cho and Gillan alone, are making it worth watching.

  • Love 1
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applecrisp

applecrisp

So far this is the new show for me.  I thought I would like Marry Me but don't find it funny.  Gracepoint is good but only a few episodes and very dark.  Utopia is a trainwreck. 

 

Last year there was Trophy Wife and The Goldbergs and maybe others.  Is it too much to ask for a light , funny show that makes you happy?  Comfort TV.

  • Love 1
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ketose

ketose

Best episode yet.  I think this show really has emerged into something really good.  Henry and Eliza continue to be great together, and they're also doing solid jobs with the supporting cast.  The B-plot with Charmonique was equally awesome.  The stuff with Reverend McMoney was amusing (especially because I think the actor was that guy who use to do those Old Spice commercials), as was the wig room, although I suspect it's unrealistic for a single parent working as a secretary to afford it (but, hey, maybe she's really good at saving money and investing.)

Yes, it was Isaiah Mustafa from the "I'm on a horse" and other Old Spice ads. It's too bad he was one thing that felt off in the episode. Clergymen don't generally seek out high school reunions to criticize women in the class who had children out of wedlock. They'd be way too busy if that was the case. The only point of that was to make Charmonique out to be a great mother. I don't find her a particularly good mother.

 

Otherwise, some funny moments. I have to watch it on look back because of Time Warner's bad relationship with the CW.

  • Love 2
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GenieinTX

GenieinTX

I love this show so much.  It's so charming and sweet.  Oh man, when that kid started making Eddie Murphy noises in bed I laughed out loud.  So damn funny.

 

Whoever asked about Karen's hair above, it's still short.  Like chin length. 

 

And OMG, the end!  Henry seeing Eliza as more than just a friend?  Squee, just a bit

  • Love 1
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DancingD

DancingD

Please don't cancel Selfie! It's the only show on that makes me laugh until I cry. My whole family loves it, even my 23 year old daughter who doesn't like any network shows. 

 

That little kid is hilarious. What great casting, and where did the writers come from? 

 

Guess I'm about to start being one of those obnoxious people who tell other people that they MUST watch a show.

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Kromm

Kromm

(edited)

There's a really funny piece of the Working For The Weekend scene I just noticed.  The woman with the short hair (I still forget her name) silent and grim looking in the background of the whole scene, during the whole initial ridiculous conversation between Henry and Eliza, and then the singing and discussion of the meaning of the song.  She's like the Greek Chorus listening to the whole thing (well, except there's only one of her, not a chorus, and she's conveying what she thinks via her expression, not by saying anything).

 

She does agree later with Henry though that grilled chicken could be fun.

 

Oh, did Previously really miss the boat with not recapping this one?  I know they can't (and don't) cover every episode of every show, but wow.... this was the episode to cover if any of them should have been. For the Working For The Weekend part and Charmoniques' wig closet, and the Eddie Murphy Cry, and Isaiah Mustafa showing up, and the Grilled Chicken and Yogurt expiration date stuff, and the magically timely Renee Zellweger joke, at the very least.

Edited by Kromm
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ketose

ketose

That's Jean! She's the one whose food Eliza was shown stealing last week before she Yelp stalked her and showed up at her Paula Abdul dance class! I loved that she and Henry agreed about the chicken.

It's decent continuity, too. Sometimes a co-worker shows up in a sitcom, never to be seen again. Selfie seems to use the same employees in this company over and over, like a real office.

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Mabinogia

Mabinogia

(edited)

And OMG, the end!  Henry seeing Eliza as more than just a friend?  Squee, just a bit

 

 

I know, right? I usually tend to loath pre-destined couples on a show but these two are just so charming and have such great chemistry together, and quite frankly, though I don't care if they get together romantically (though I would not object at all) I LOVE their friendship. So long as the show doesn't screw that up I'm good with whatever relationship they have. Really, JC and KG are magic together. Brilliant casting.

 

This is possibly my favorite new show this season. Funny because I only watched it because of residual Amy (Doctor Who) fondness and my pentient for liking redheads and really thought it was going to be quite terrible. But damn if this little charmer hasn't won me over. Not every show has to be the best written (though I actually think the writing is pretty damned good for a sitcom) or have the greatest cast (though I LOVE this cast, all of them so far have been golden) or have some horrible will they won't they (though, come to think of it, this show seems to be pointing towards that now), I just want to be entertained. I find Selfie (despite its horrible, horrible name) to be wildly entertaining, something I look forward to watching and utterly charming. It's been a long time since I've found a show charming.

 

Please, please, please keep this show on! With all the crap out there surely there is room for a charming little show about some wacky but incredibly endearing misfits.

Edited by Mabinogia
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jackjill89

jackjill89

I've watched this episodes three times already because there was so much funny I couldn't catch it in one showing. Then I made my daughter watch it again with me because I know she didn't watch it closely enough to catch everything. It's the little things that are so hilarious. I hope the show continues on this trajectory because there is so much here. Charmique's son is so hilarious. I adore the leads. Just too wonderful. 

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FurryFury

FurryFury

Wow, this was the funniest episode yet. I laughed quite a few times. Quick pacing, lots of great cast interactions.

 

I'm not yet sold on Henry/Eliza romance-wise, though. They make great friends, but it doesn't always translate into great lovers. Whatever, I can give them a chance.

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JustaPerson

JustaPerson

I was a little confused, do Freddie and Eliza still have their thing going on? There was no reference to it, except for that small shot after Eliza and Henry's presentation. Henry's line about the red headed Korean children cracked me up.

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crazycatchick

crazycatchick

I only started watching this show because of my John Cho love but it has won me over.

Me too! And I actually thought the pilot was cute, hated the second episode, skipped the third, and decided to give it one more try with this episode...and loved it. I really like that the "clueless girl babysits" plot wasn't typical sitcome. It was great that he helped her by making the living room a club and being the DJ. I also liked that despite that, there were still normal problems with the kid going to bed, the mom calling telling the sitter what to do, and then going back to what she was doing instead of rushing home because she left the kid with someone incompetent. Also, the "get it" "I will" between Charmanique and her son was hilarious. 

 

On a shallow note, I loved Eliza's dress. 

 

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Kromm

Kromm

Me too! And I actually thought the pilot was cute, hated the second episode, skipped the third, and decided to give it one more try with this episode...and loved it.

I didn't mind the second episode that much.  But I definitely thought the third episode, that you skipped, was pretty good.  There's a joke involving a blind guy that I know pissed off a few people, but there's also a really hilarious bit of physical comedy with Karen Gillan in a dance class, some decent humor milked from Yelp, and Henry (like in episode 4) actually seems to get the funniest gags, with some humor about "breakaway suits" that's VERY funny.

 

Ep 3 is Hulu-able, so I'd recommend investing the half hour.  It's not quite as sharp as Ep 4, but it's close.

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lassiecat

lassiecat

Finally caught up- loved the kid and Henry's salad plans!

One thing that threw me was the flashback with the boss and Henry. Based on previous eps I saw Henry as someone who had not been with the company forever, like they had brought him in the last few years to spice things up brand-wise. The boss didn't seem to have any sort of familiar relationship with Henry (like when he read in the magazine that Asians like to hug and Henry just went with it to make him happy).

I do like the idea of the two of them having a past and a close relationship, like the elders of the company, so I hope they continue down this road. I feel like they haven't quite figuered out the boss' backstory yet.

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kassygreene

kassygreene

Damn this show deserves to live!

 

I watched every episode of Trophy Wife last year, and of The New Normal & Go On the year before, because they had talented casts and concepts that weren't awful.  But none of them quite hit the mark, and I often found myself speculating on just how much each of those 5-15 second visual gags cost to produce.  Selfie has the same kind of visual gags, but I'm not being distracted into wondering about the logistics.  I haven't even had a "Hey It's That Guy" moment, which McMoney should have inspired.

 

If you aren't geo-locked and have a cable provider on ABC's list (must verify to watch - ugh), the first four episodes are available at ABC's Selfie page.

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ratgirlagogo

ratgirlagogo

 

This is possibly my favorite new show this season. Funny because I only watched it because of residual Amy (Doctor Who) fondness

Yes, it was Karen that made it a go for me because of loving her on Doctor Who.  This is before I even knew John Cho was on it, so that cinched it for me.  It's completely charming and I don't have the slightest clue why it wouldn't be doing better in the ratings - I didn't even know until today when I read about Manhattan Love Story getting cancelled that it was considered iffy.

  • Love 1
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solea

solea

I will echo everyone else.  This show is completely charming and silly.

I tuned in for John Cho and Karen Gillan, though with some trepidation regarding the premise and the (uhg) title.  I'm so glad I did!  It's getting better with each episode and though the actors sell it, the writing is actually funny.  Something that most sitcoms fail at.

The line where Henry talks about using the chicken he grilled two nights ago was hysterical.  It's the "two nights ago" that makes this line LOL funny.  Not sure why, but that's smart comedy writing.

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ketose

ketose

ABC should just put some cheap reality show to Tuesday at 8 and move Selfie to a less competitive time slot. I haven't watched an episode "live" yet and probably can't until the CW and NBC are in reruns.

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Kromm

Kromm

(edited)

Yes, it was Karen that made it a go for me because of loving her on Doctor Who.  This is before I even knew John Cho was on it, so that cinched it for me.  It's completely charming and I don't have the slightest clue why it wouldn't be doing better in the ratings - I didn't even know until today when I read about Manhattan Love Story getting cancelled that it was considered iffy.

1.) The timeslot competition is viscous.

2.) The name is very off-putting for a giant group of people who hate social media.  They assume the show glorifies it rather than criticizes it.  Or even if they do realize that, a lot of people seem to have the attitude that they'd rather not hear about the subject at all.

3.) A hook that MIGHT appeal to a lot of people--the My Fair Lady one--isn't really that obvious from the title or I bet even the default promotion for the show. That said, there's likely a whole other group who DO get the references who assume it will make it a "chick" show (and groups of both male and female viewers that hate those).

4.) New sitcoms are often challenged to get ratings anyway these days.  A show has to kind of stumble into water-cooler appeal, like The Big Bang Theory, or be over the top gross and stupid, like Two and A Half Men.

Edited by Kromm
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mamey2422

mamey2422

@Kromm

3.) A hook that MIGHT appeal to a lot of people--the My Fair Lady one--isn't really that obvious from the title or I bet even the default promotion for the show. That said, there's likely a whole other group who DO get the references who assume it will make it a "chick" show (and groups of both male and female viewers that hate those).

 

I was talking to a group of friends about this show over the weekend who had not watched it but knew it as the "My Fair Lady Show" which I thought was interesting. Despite the off-putting title I queued it up on the DVR because it had decent reviews leading up to the season and I had some residual goodwill for Emily Kapnek and Suburgatory. I did not make a connection to My Fair Lady. 

 

Emily Kapnek defended the title in this article, which is a good read about the show: 'Selfie' Creator Defends 'Provocative' Title: It's a 'Very Rich Area' to Explore

 

"Selfie is a very provocative word," Kapnek told reporters Tuesday during Television Critics Association summer press tour. Rather, Kapnek felt the term was a direct descriptive to who Eliza is at the start of the show. "For us, it speaks to the disease that Eliza has in that she's consumed by this world. ... It's a descriptive word for us," she said, adding that John Cho's Henry, who serves as an adviser to Eliza, is "equally" as self-obsessed. "It felt natural to call it Selfie."

 

 

Does anyone know how old Henry is supposed to be on the show? I was surprised to read that John Cho is 42 years old as he looks so youthful. I wasn't sure if there was supposed to be an age difference between the characters (like I believe there was in My Fair Lady) since Eliza is a twenty-something. 

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photo fox

photo fox

Henry says he fits "squarely within the parameters of Generation X."

There are a lot of definitions of GenX, but the latest birth year I've seen is 1984, which would make him 30. The earliest end date I've seen in 1976, making him 38. Since he's "squarely within" those years, I'd interpret that to mean he's GenX by every definition, so born in 1976 or before.

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Kromm

Kromm

Kapnek's analysis of the term is correct.

 

Where she went really wrong was assuming that uninformed people could see through the title, without viewing the show first I mean, to get over the hump of watching it and understanding it's critical of that mindset rather than celebrating it.

 

It's like a defining P.R. concept--if you have to EXPLAIN something, you've already lost a lot of people.  They just won't care.  They won't even give you a chance, but make the judgement just based on what they see on the can.

  • Love 4
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xander874

xander874

(edited)

 

I don't know why ABC gives their funny comedies such bad names (Trophy Wife, The B in apartment 23..)

Don't forget Cougar Town (one of my favorites). It is annoying they don't realize that these "cool" terms like selfie have shelf lives and will be old hat in 6 months.  I just hope others get past the name and watch.  John Cho is so wonderful playing the uptight guy and I love that they are building a community of supporting characters. Creating a world for the characters is always a good idea in my opinion and helps me enjoy the show more.

Edited by xander874
  • Love 3
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