S02.E09: Secret Santa

[MarkHB]

Along with most human life, the virus wiped out normal traditions and holidays. As Christmas approaches, Carol spearheads a “Secret Santa” gift exchange to spread some festive cheer.

[Galileo908]

Christmas makes Carol go Full Crazy and I love it.

 

Todd got Gail the ZZ Top car?! That was definitely on the same level as Carol getting Oprah's studio audience chair and JLo's dress. I loved all the gifts, actually. Of course Tandy is stuck with the afterthought gift. But I thought Tandy blowing up Pitbull's yacht was dumb, the group could've used that to go somewhere else. But there might be more where that came from, they are in Malibu after all.

 

So what the hell happened to New Phil? Did Tandy poison him? Was the shards of the Hope Diamond put in his drink?!

 

One of the space worms was still alive?! I'm guessing Space Miller somehow survives a fall back to Earth.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Wait a minute -- they don't seem to be able to scavenge for food or viable energy sources, but Carol manages to find an infinite amount of Xmas crap, including a giant inflatable Santa hovering over the house.  WTF ?

 

Wow -- the Secret Santa presents were kind of stupid, including blowing up Pitbull's yacht -- since Pitbull is Florida-based, did Phil drive to Florida and sail it all the way around the South America ?  And wasn't Oprah's studio in Chicago, so where the hell did that chair come from ?  And was that actually J-Lo's dress or did Erica just manage to somehow find a copy in a store somewhere ?

 

When did Tandy grab the Hope diamond ?  When he was in Washington -- the 1st time ?  Or the 2nd time ?  Or did he swing by and pick it up on the way to pick up Pitbull's yacht from Florida ?

 

Where are they getting beers that haven't gone skunky after 3+ years ?

 

The bit with Tandy's brother on the space station was pretty stupid -- it was so obvious after the airlock opened that he was attached by a tether, so he's going to be fine.  And why was he headed out the airlock -- to kill himself ?  Why doesn't he take the emergency Soyuz capsule that is always attached to the ISS in case of emergencies and just take his chances on the surface ?  And that's not how airlocks work in space. Man, the writers on this show are stupid.

 

 

I somehow doubt that New Phil is allergic to wicker (his Secret Santa present).  Though it does look like a bout of appendicitis which is basically a death sentence for this group of idiots.

Edited December 7, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[possibilities]

I love how it's possible to just take the treasures. That's the kind of thing I want this show to play with. I realize there's some suspension of disbelief regarding logistics, but I'm okay with that, because it's fun to think about them just looking for the most outrageous thing to plunder. And it's not even plunder, when there's really no one left to "own" things. That fantasy element is what intrigues me about the show, and I guess it would be too expensive for them to really exploit the options, because it would mean shooting on a lot of different sets.

 

And I liked that Todd and Erika went all out for their gifts, and Phil still likes blowing things up (though I don't blame everyone else from being upset to see that yacht "go to waste"). And Carol got Melissa the boots she wanted, as well as the ones Carol would have wanted. Everyone was great, even Gail's on-going lack of forgiveness of Phil. I like the show best when it's fantasy-based, and not all bickering. Tandy is still annoying as hell, though, even when he's actually trying to be nice. I don't blame New Phil for being averse to him, even if New Phil is also an obnoxious dick. It's like they're both awful but in different ways.

 

I don't know how Mike is surviving all alone up there. That's known to drive people crazy. But also, isn't he going to run out of supplies soon? His horror at leaving behind the live caterpillar was touching. I assume he'll get back by his tether, but I don't know how much longer they can play out the "lost in space" plot. At some point, he has to re-establish contact with Earth. Someone ought to be able to figure out how to land him-- he said he doesn't know how, but aren't their manuals or something? If the ground crew knew he was up there, they'd surely figure it out. But communication is the problem. And he also doesn't know if he'd survive on Earth anyway. As far as he knows, he'd just die like he thinks everyone else did. So for him to try to land doesn't really make much sense at this point. But if he knew his brother and some others were alive? Then it becomes much more of a gamble worth taking. And I think he'd shake up the group dynamics very well. As an astronaut, he's likely fairly competent as a person, so would give new Phil some competition in the technical skills department. But he's Old Phil's brother, so there's that as well. And whoever Todd doesn't choose, surely would be hooking up with Mike in no time, right? But, not thinking there are any survivors, I can see Mike's argument for suicide. He can't spend the next 50 years in solitary in that capsule, even if he did have supplies to keep him going.

 

Why are they not living in the solar house?

[jumper sage]

Oprah's studio!

 

Stupid football, I completely missed the ending.

[Rinaldo]

Tandy is still annoying as hell, though

He is, but I find Carol more so. In fact, I always find that actress annoying, in anything she does. I guess this personality is her stock in trade, but I don't understand why it's supposed to be appealing or enjoyable.

[tominboston]

 

Though it does look like a bout of appendicitis which is basically a death sentence for this group of idiots.

 

Nah, assuming that it's appendicitis (my guess too), they're going to grab a surgical textbook and some instruments from a hospital and perform a successful do-it-yourself appendectomy. That's no more far-fetched than most of the other stuff that happens on this show.

 

I'm still trying to figure out how Astronaut Mike learns that his brother and a few others are still alive in Malibu, though.

[qtpye]

Nah, assuming that it's appendicitis (my guess too), they're going to grab a surgical textbook and some instruments from a hospital and perform a successful do-it-yourself appendectomy. That's no more far-fetched than most of the other stuff that happens on this show.

 

 

Gail will be able to do it drunk.

[DrLar]

Awww a little baby worm! hurray for asexual reproduction worms! (or previous RIP worm managed to do it)

 

Man with all the explosions Phil's causing down on Earth, Mike should have seen one by now and I thought he was going to see one instead of the worm

[Seelouis]

I was expecting Carol to put up an over the top, garish Christmas display that was so bright it could be seen from space.

[cpcathy]

I am hoping that the blown up Pitbull yacht can be seen from space.

[peeayebee]

Awww a little baby worm! hurray for asexual reproduction worms! (or previous RIP worm managed to do it)

 

Before Terry the Worm died, something came out of it, which must have been the baby worm.

 

I liked this. I liked the gifts. Very creative. Carol's bedazzled boots were crazy! Like something from Kinky Boots. I'm glad Melissa actually liked them. Erica's gift was great, esp the J-Lo dress. I loved Carol's reaction to it all. Melissa's gift to Todd was very sweet, as was Phil-2's sonogram gift to Erica. (I wonder if they can use the machine to see what's up in Phil's gut. I hope it's not an adverse reaction to the paper Carol made everyone eat.)

 

Phil's gift to himself was perfect, esp when he blew it up.

 

I was pissed at Gail for not getting Phil-2 anything, but that made sense.

 

I can't imagine what's going to happen with Phil's brother. How will he get back down to Earth?

 

The ruffled blouse that Carol was wearing in the first scene looked like a blouse my sister had in the 60's or 70's. 

 

I wish Phil didn't feel so slighted not being thanked, but I guess it's realistic that he hasn't completely changed character. 

 

I loved the little houses hat that Carol was wearing with the J-Lo dress.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm still trying to figure out how Astronaut Mike learns that his brother and a few others are still alive in Malibu, though.

 

I am hoping that the blown up Pitbull yacht can be seen from space.

 

I'm thinking that he spots the giant inflatable Santa hovering over top of the house, and figures that it has to be people.

[CMH1981]

I loved Carol's bedazzled boots for Melissa, but I especially loved how she got regular non-bedazzled boots as well.  I love that Carol can be self-aware like that, knowing she and her sensibilities might not be everyone's cup of tea.  I was glad that Melissa accepted the boots w/ an open heart and we even saw her wearing them.

 

Gail stiffing Phil like that was such a bitch move, I understand why she did it, but I was still pissed.

[MarkHB]

Was anyone else waiting for Melissa, when she was contrasting herself and Todd, to stop dancing around the issue and finally use the word "Grinch"?

 

They did a good job with the worm in the space station.  Right after Mike says something about the worm eating its own poop, we saw the worm eliminating something that seemed like a poop-punchline.... except it turned out to be an egg!

[Rockstar99435]

I love how it's possible to just take the treasures. That's the kind of thing I want this show to play with. I realize there's some suspension of disbelief regarding logistics, but I'm okay with that, because it's fun to think about them just looking for the most outrageous thing to plunder. And it's not even plunder, when there's really no one left to "own" things. That fantasy element is what intrigues me about the show, and I guess it would be too expensive for them to really exploit the options, because it would mean shooting on a lot of different sets.

......

Why are they not living in the solar house?

 

 

Yeah, I want to see more of the group having fun with that. In the first season, there was the scene when Carol wanted all of the wedding rings. I love that stuff. I was trying to figure out if Melissa's present to Todd was a real crown and scepter with actually jewels or plastic one liked they'd actually have in High School.

 

I think they're not living in the solar house because it's small. I think it's just one or two rooms, not really a whole house.

 

I laughed so hard when Phil blew up the yacht that I had to rewind the DVR to catch what I missed. I thought it was great. And it's not really a waste. There are most likely a ton of abandoned boats and yachts, just like there are millions of houses, that they could party in if they wanted to. Pitbull's yacht doesn't have anything they can't get somewhere else. 

[AZZURRI06]

I think it is a nice touch to have the show `up to date`, with Christmas approaching. I don`t really think too much about the logic of the situation, I can fully understand why some people would question certain aspects but I just go with the flow. When Melissa gave Todd his prom present I was half expecting her to produce a pig, remembering the story he told her in season one and also because she is still angry at his bacon antics. Tandy stepping out from the tree was hilarious as was his song, it is nice that the group are starting to get along, it will be interesting to see whether Todd goes back to Melissa and consigns poor Gail to more fun time with her broken Gordon dummy. Please bring poor Mike back to earth, maybe a Christmas Day star in the east type arrival?

[legaleagle53]

When Melissa gave Todd his prom present I was half expecting her to produce a pig, remembering the story he told her in season one and also because she is still angry at his bacon antics. 

 

I can top that.  For some reason, I half expected an hommage to the infamous prom scene from "Carrie."

[DittyDotDot]

With this show, I realized I'm very easy. The minute Phil stepped out of the tree, I was in. And the jingling away later had me in stitches.

 

I'm not too concerned with how they got the presents, but enjoyed how they all gave something the recipient would want. And, what the actors did with those moments are gold, if you ask me. Carol's excitement at looking under her Oprah chair was especially endearing! Of course The-Jackass-Formerly-Known-As-Phil got himself a big old explosion, of course! ;)

 

Did anyone else expect that sonogram to reveal Erika was not actually pregnant? Not that I think Erika was lying, but with all the stuff going bad this season, I thought they might pull a "the pregnancy test was bad" on us. Glad that's not the case, though.

 

Perhaps New Phil is having "sympathy" pregnancy pains?

[dcalley]

Where are they getting beers that haven't gone skunky after 3+ years ?

You can store (some) beer for years. However, I'm pretty sure they're drinking beer that would not age well.

 

I liked how Gail dipped her slip of paper in wine before eating it.

Edited December 22, 2015 by dcalley