S01.E11: That Text Was Not Meant For Josh!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Rebecca mistakenly sends Josh a text meant for Paula and takes drastic measures to ensure he never sees it. Meanwhile, Paula and her husband attempt to rekindle their relationship, only to be thwarted by Rebecca.

 

Promo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnr6jBbKcew

Edited February 9, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

Clip:

Songs:

[Rhetorica]

This I'd why I think a breathalyzer needs to be on phones.

[jecibels]

Love the songs, particularly Rebecca's. I only listened once so I wouldn't completely spoil it for Monday but I'm really excited for this episode. Much as it hurts, I'm particularly fond of episodes where Rebecca hits a breaking point and melts down. Rachel does such an amazing job of it and I find it really touching and relatable. 

[Eyes High]

Rebecca's dress in "You Stupid Bitch" is the single most unflattering thing Rachel Bloom's ever worn on this show.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Eyes High

[Rinaldo]

I don't find it that unflattering, but I have a lousy eye for such things. But if it is, I can see it being deliberate as part of the self-loathing that the number expresses. (The same way that the song is the only time she's called herself fat or said she needs to lose weight.)

[Eyes High]

I don't find it that unflattering, but I have a lousy eye for such things. But if it is, I can see it being deliberate as part of the self-loathing that the number expresses. (The same way that the song is the only time she's called herself fat or said she needs to lose weight.)

 

I agree that it was deliberate, since there's no shortage of cute, flattering outfits for Rebecca the rest of the time, so it's not as if they don't know how to dress her, but still...wow.

[AlliMo]

Dying. Dying over the entire "Text-Mergency" song. "I already put it on Urban Dictionary!"

[Rhetorica]

I would so watch a show about Paula and Scott! Rebecca's number wasn't a bit subtle but it was powerful. When I taught Interpersonal Communication, I had students bring in dysfunctional love songs. Odd how many songs we think are about true love are aggressive and possessive. I'm glad Rebecca showed some self awareness this episode.

[Primetimer]

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend gets its cringiest, but also its most relatable, in an episode that crashes from funny to tragic faster than you can send a text.

Read the story

[SeanC]

Rough day for Rebecca (this was bordering on a 24-style episode at times, given the timeframe of most of it).

 

The funniest part was everybody else at the arbitration immediately agreeing that she should go.  Then augmented further by the tag at the end.

 

Also nice to see the issue of Paula's marriage picked up, since it had been a few episodes since they last touched on that plot.  I'd like to see them return to the idea of Rebecca having to see that therapist (though in some respects Rebecca seeing a therapist is contrary to the show's needs, since she has to work out her issues in the course of the ordinary events of the show).

[dubbel zout]

I loved "Textmergency/Textastrophe."

 

I didn't love Rebecca. She was really awful. 

[Eyes High]

Greg reading Rebecca the riot act was satisfying, although I had the vague sense that I've seen this same scenario on other TV shows. I guess he's over his "Settle for me" vibe.

 

The funniest part was everybody else at the arbitration immediately agreeing that she should go.  Then augmented further by the tag at the end.

 

Yeah, that would never happen. I suppose that was part of the humour.

 

I said this in the 1x10 episode thread but it applies equally here:

I guess I'm sick of the following pattern:

1. Rebecca does something shitty and self-destructive.
2. Rebecca is either caught out or suffers the negative consequences of her actions.
3. Rebecca mopes about what a terrible, unlovable person she is.
4. Rebecca receives unearned forgiveness.
5. Repeat Step 1.

 

Seriously, Rebecca. Stop moaning and groaning about how much you hate yourself and maybe stop doing the shitty, self-destructive things that makes you hate yourself. Go back to therapy while you're at it. Jesus.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Eyes High

[Rinaldo]

I'm figuring that Rebecca is seeing a therapist this whole time, but as always with therapy, it's slow going. No doubt we'll check in at some point.

 

Likewise with whatever is or isn't going on with Darryl and WyJo. It makes sense that followup wouldn't be immediate (and there really wasn't time in this episode anyway).

 

Were the arbitration people who became backup singers people I should recognize?

 

Rebecca's big song was so dire but so awesome. It was presented like Judy (or Liza) at the Palace, wallowing in masochism while her adoring male fans cheer and sing along.

 

But my favorite part of the whole episode (I really did whoop out loud) was Paula and Scott's version of the title song -- 45 minutes into the show! complete with title card! 

[dubbel zout]

Paula and Scott's version of the title song -- 45 minutes into the show! complete with title card!

 

That was very clever.

[tennisgurl]

Paula and Scott doing the whole theme song was wonderful. Plus them rekindling their marriage through Paulas obsession with Rebeccas love life! At least something good happened this week. Really, kind of a depressing episode. 

[OptimisticCynic]

I loved how the judge also left his wife for a prostitute. I wonder if it's the same prostitue from butter advertisement executive.

[Rinaldo]

I was sure someone would jump on this immediately, so maybe it's my own lousy memory. Didn't we see Josh and Valencia move into a detached house? What was this apartment Rebecca broke into?

[adam807]

Were the arbitration people who became backup singers people I should recognize?

 

The judge was Jeff Hiller, who's been in a ton of comedy stuff (I want to say a Snickers commercial a couple years ago?) and was in "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" on Broadway (have the cast album? that's him yelling "I'm the President!").

 

According to the iTunes credits, the African American woman is Ester Dean, who was in "Pitch Perfect," though I didn't recognize her at all!

 

 

I was sure someone would jump on this immediately, so maybe it's my own lousy memory. Didn't we see Josh and Valencia move into a detached house? What was this apartment Rebecca broke into?

 

I'm not sure it was clear it was a detached house. We may have seen the front of that apartment complex. They certainly didn't buy anything (not that one couldn't rent a house or buy an apartment).

[jecibels]

I was sure someone would jump on this immediately, so maybe it's my own lousy memory. Didn't we see Josh and Valencia move into a detached house? What was this apartment Rebecca broke into?

I was wondering the same thing but wasn't sure if I'd misremembered! Hmm. 

 

Oh man I absolutely loved this episode. I think it's gotta be one of my favorites so far. Honestly, a Greg/Rebecca scene after making us go so long without one was enough to make it A+ in my book. Honestly, I try to be neutral but I guess I've just spent too long in the world of fandom to avoid shipping... I love the way Greg handled the situation. I agree that it felt a little bit predictable, but it was necessary. And it feels real and honest that Greg isn't completely over her. 

 

I am so curious about where they'll go next. I am excited about the idea that Josh might finally begin to see Rebecca for who she is. I really hope Rebecca can be honest with him in the next episode... I don't think their relationship can go anywhere at this point if she's not. 

[Snarklepuss]

Loved, loved this episode!  I found lots to relate to in it, from "text-mergency" to Paula and Scott's little sub-plot.  That was almost like a page out of my own marriage, LOL.  And while I've never texted the wrong person on a cell phone, I have IMed the wrong person at work.  Thankfully the message was innocuous and work-related so there was no text-mergency.  But about 18 years ago when I was on a mailing list, people would sometimes mistakenly send private messages to the entire mailing list, and sometimes what they said about other list members was quite shocking!

 

I didn't find Rebecca's dress to be that bad but it didn't do anything for her midsection, which was probably the point, especially given the comment about her weight.

 

Forgive me if I'm being dense or missed something, but where did Scott get the rock in the first place?  Unless he broke into the house he would have had to have found it outside.  So I don't get it.

[jecibels]

Forgive me if I'm being dense or missed something, but where did Scott get the rock in the first place?  Unless he broke into the house he would have had to have found it outside.  So I don't get it.

 

He said he needed to go inside to use the bathroom. So Paula explained to him how to get inside through the sliding glass door and he grabbed the rock from inside the house. 

[Eyes High]

Forgive me if I'm being dense or missed something, but where did Scott get the rock in the first place?  Unless he broke into the house he would have had to have found it outside.  So I don't get it.

 

Paula told Scott he could sneak into the house to use the bathroom by using the sliding door. He entered, found the rock and left.

[wayne67]

It was so good to see Josh sort of getting a clue about Rebecca's behavior at long last. Hopefully he won't do the standard thing of forgiving her immediately because she starts crying or spinning another sob story. This is the second time she's been trespassing like a loon.

 

It was also good that Greg got a chance to vent about Rebecca using him as a consolation prize any time Josh rejects her because it's not really fair on him. 

 

I'm really getting over the rinse and repeat nature of Rebecca's obsession and self pity sessions. 

[arc]

Were the arbitration people who became backup singers people I should recognize?

Connie was Briga Heelan, who had a star role in "Ground Floor" and a couple of guest roles on a few other Bill Lawrence sitcoms like "Cougar Town" and "Undateable".

 

 

But my favorite part of the whole episode (I really did whoop out loud) was Paula and Scott's version of the title song -- 45 minutes into the show! complete with title card!

Agreed, that was amazing.

 

 

It was also good that Greg got a chance to vent about Rebecca using him as a consolation prize any time Josh rejects her because it's not really fair on him. 

Like he said, this was partly on him.  He doesn't have to leave Heather's place in a way that goes by Rebecca's back yard. (To be honest, that seems like a kinda sketchy townhouse setup to me. I would have thought the townhouses wouldn't have gates in their backyards that can be opened from either side unilaterally.)

[wayne67]

Like he said, this was partly on him.  He doesn't have to leave Heather's place in a way that goes by Rebecca's back yard. (To be honest, that seems like a kinda sketchy townhouse setup to me. I would have thought the townhouses wouldn't have gates in their backyards that can be opened from either side unilaterally.)

 

Yeah at least he's being honest about that. He does keep getting sucked into her psycho drama even though he knows he shouldn't. Hence why he had been trying to avoid her since the beach party. 

 

Admittedly that town house set up seems weird since from what little we saw of the outside there was a wall blocking sight of the glass door hence why Rebecca was doing the panicky backtracking explanation to Josh about guilty vandals. I don't know. I guess it doesn't really hold up to much scrutiny.

[vibeology]

The sad thing is if Rebecca had just waited outside for Josh to come home and explained that she sent him a very personal and embarrassing text by accident, he would have let her delete the text because that's who Josh is. He has shown himself to be a kind and understanding person and I can't imagine him refusing her if she had just asked instead of crossing the line of breaking into his house.

Rebecca's Stupid Bitch song was one of the most powerful things this show has done. Her pain and self-hate was so real and raw. The to follow that up with the powerful moment with Greg was incredible. All episode long there was this sense of wacky hijinks that came crashing down in those last few minutes. Rebecca is in a very dark place and has been for the entire run of this show and probably long before that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Hooray for the return of Father Brah!

 

I loved that everyone in arbitration immediately agreed that the most important thing to do was to stop their pesky legal matter so that Rebecca could go delete her text from Josh's phone. Sending a text/email/other message to the wrong person is something that 99% of people can relate to because usually when it happens, it is so embarrassing.

 

While obviously just about everything that Rebecca did in this episode was wrong, I liked that the series of events showed us the slippery slope from being giddy about Josh saying he had a great time at camp with her and accidentally texting him instead of Paula to panicking when he found her in his house and making up a terrible cover story and then trying to cover it up by having Paula throw a rock through her door.

 

One thing that I liked is Rebecca realized that ALL of this her fault and she never once blamed Paula for throwing a rock from inside her own apartment through the door.

 

I also really liked that both Scott and Paula were able to admit that they almost cheated without it erupting into a huge fight. It looks like they are finally getting their relationship back on track. I don't blame Scott for being afraid Paula was cheating on him - he has seen her getting a million texts and then running off, which would be pretty suspicious to most people.

[Whimsy]

I also really liked that both Scott and Paula were able to admit that they almost cheated without it erupting into a huge fight. It looks like they are finally getting their relationship back on track. I don't blame Scott for being afraid Paula was cheating on him - he has seen her getting a million texts and then running off, which would be pretty suspicious to most people.

 

This actually bothered me.  As someone who has been married for over 20 years, if my husband had said that he “almost cheated” would be devastating to me.  Think/fantasize about other people?  Yes, of course.  Who hasn’t?  But “almost cheat”.  That’s a whole different level.  I hated it when Paula almost cheated and I hated when Scott admitted to the same.  I guess if it works for these two crazy kids it’s ok.

 

I melted when Greg came rushing in and was so concerned about Rebecca and was trying to take care of her.  I like seeing the caring side of Greg. 

 

Small nitpick- there’s no way that bag would’ve had Josh’s name on it.  It was delivered to Rebecca’s house and I absolutely guarantee she paid for it.  But, that lead to the very necessary scene with Greg and Rebecca so I guess I’ll forgive it.  After all, with all the other craziness in this show, that’s the least crazy.

 

I actually didn’t like that everyone in that arbitration immediately said to stop their legal proceedings and helped Rebecca.  I liked that, for the most part, work for Rebecca has been pretty straight forward and not really part of her Josh drama.  They’ve shown Rebecca to be (mostly) competent at work.  I like that she has two sides and is successful in one while a wreck in the other.

[Chicago Redshirt]

Rebecca's dress in "You Stupid Bitch" is the single most unflattering thing Rachel Bloom's ever worn on this show.

She was still hot.[/shallowpool]

 

Dying. Dying over the entire "Text-Mergency" song. "I already put it on Urban Dictionary!"

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=textastrophe

 

Nothing for textmergency, though....

 

Also nice to see the issue of Paula's marriage picked up, since it had been a few episodes since they last touched on that plot.  I'd like to see them return to the idea of Rebecca having to see that therapist (though in some respects Rebecca seeing a therapist is contrary to the show's needs, since she has to work out her issues in the course of the ordinary events of the show).

 

I think what she needs is to start seeing Father Brah. Either in a counseling sense or a romantic sense.

 

Small nitpick- there’s no way that bag would’ve had Josh’s name on it.  It was delivered to Rebecca’s house and I absolutely guarantee she paid for it.  But, that lead to the very necessary scene with Greg and Rebecca so I guess I’ll forgive it.  After all, with all the other craziness in this show, that’s the least crazy.

 

I could absolutely see Rebecca ordering this as meal for "Josh" because of her obsession with Josh. The same thing that would have her accidentally text Josh because she was thinking about him. 

 

They could have just had Greg pick up on the iced wine as a clue that Josh was there.

[Wax Lion]

I could see putting Josh's name on the order as an exercise similar to practicing signing Mrs Josh Chan.

 

I'm going to spend the rest of the season guessing who will be the third person who left their spouse for a prostitute. That joke's gotta come in three, right?

 

I do appreciate this show's willingness to resolve a story and see where that takes them. A lesser show would have dragged out stories like Paula's unhappy marriage or Rebecca lying about why she moved.

[Jesse]

I actually thought Greg said the glass of wine with ice "had Josh's name all over it," like metaphorically. Total classic Chan. 

[Eyes High]

It was also good that Greg got a chance to vent about Rebecca using him as a consolation prize any time Josh rejects her because it's not really fair on him. 

 

I'm really getting over the rinse and repeat nature of Rebecca's obsession and self pity sessions. 

 

It isn't fair to Greg, true, but he's part of the problem. Why deliberately go by Rebecca's when he has a girlfriend? He's well aware by this point that Rebecca is hurtful and drags him thoughtlessly into her drama without any consideration for his feelings. If he gives her any opportunities to do so, that's on him. To be entirely fair to Rebecca, had Paula shown up, I also think Rebecca would have begged her to stay with her. I don't blame Greg for getting angry, though, or for failing to pick up on Rebecca's hint that she was at risk of self-harming (her insistence that she couldn't be alone).

 

Even though I don't think Rebecca was looking for romantic validation from Greg, someone on the AV Club thread commented that Rebecca probably would have slept with Greg (or at least tried to) if he had stuck around, if only as a coping mechanism. I agree.

 

I'm over Rebecca's self-pity as well. It's put up or shut up at this point. Either she fixes her behaviour, or she loses the right to wallow the next time she fucks up.

 

Rebecca's Stupid Bitch song was one of the most powerful things this show has done.

 

"You Stupid Bitch" is a good example of how this show has been hamstrung by airing on the CW as opposed to Showtime. The language in the song--"poopy little slut," really?"--was awfully tame compared to real negative self-talk. In reality, negative self-talk is less "poopy little slut" and more "shitty fucking whore" (which also fits the stress pattern of the lyrics). I would love to have a dirty version of "You Stupid Bitch."

 

I melted when Greg came rushing in and was so concerned about Rebecca and was trying to take care of her.  I like seeing the caring side of Greg.

 

It's nice to see that side of him, given how obnoxious Greg can be most of the time.

 

Anyway, I liked the short scenes that Greg had with Rebecca. I like how the show touches on friendships that are not necessarily healthy, because in real life a lot of friendships can get really toxic, even if the people care for each other. So that's why it is refreshing to see this portrayed on television, because friendships are rarely portrayed that way.

 

Greg's torch for Rebecca is realistic and very sad. He's smart enough to see that she's bad news, that she's not into him, that she's using him as a human security blanket, etc. etc., but not only can he not help himself, he knows that he can't help himself. He tries to steer clear of Rebecca but winds up getting sucked back in. It's got to be an incredibly frustrating situation for him, since he sees himself as smart and above the other people whose foibles he mocks, to realize that he's as blind and vulnerable as the rest of them.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Eyes High

[Rinaldo]

I was sure someone would jump on this immediately, so maybe it's my own lousy memory. Didn't we see Josh and Valencia move into a detached house? What was this apartment Rebecca broke into?

Replying to my own question, to say that I was totally wrong about this. In the moving-in scene from last December, we saw them moving into this apartment building. Don't know what I was thinking.

 

I agree that "poopy little slut" is a momentary misstep in the song, just because "poopy" is a dopey kindergarten-sounding word. It sounds silly rather than transgressive. Even though it's not a "naughty" word, I think "crummy little slut" would have sustained the mood better.

[blixie]

 

Rebecca receives unearned forgiveness.

I honestly can't think of when that's happened, I've never seen her earn unearned forgiveness. Paula was mad at her once, but for no good reason (Paula is a TERRIBLE friend/person too she's encouraged Rebecca's obsessions to benefit her own empty life), so I don't think she needed forgiveness, and I can't think of when Greg has forgiven her, either he gives her no end of shit about being hung up on Josh, while also toying with his feelings for her. Josh hasn't forgiven her because he rarely even perceives her behavior  to be problematic, and in this episode when he finally DOES see her for her lies/manipulations he does not forgive her at all.

 

I can only think of how often she's called out, by Valencia, by Heather, by Darryl on the bus, by her mother, by Greg ect. Paula and the Textmergency are the only time I can think of her being totally enabled when she's being horrible manipulative.

IDK I realized the reason why I love this show and Rebecca is that she is an example of the female fuck up and a strong mirror image to one of the best/worst examples of that character: Mavis Gary form Young Adult. Now it's certainly more challenging to have that kind of character in continuing narrative as opposed to a 2 hour movie, but I like that Rebecca is kind of awful, and I like that Rebecca may never learn or change or at least not in any straight foward a to b to c way.

[Eyes High]

I honestly can't think of when that's happened, I've never seen her earn unearned forgiveness. Paula was mad at her once, but for no good reason (Paula is a TERRIBLE friend/person too she's encouraged Rebecca's obsessions to benefit her own empty life), so I don't think she needed forgiveness, and I can't think of when Greg has forgiven her, either he gives her no end of shit about being hung up on Josh, while also toying with his feelings for her. Josh hasn't forgiven her because he rarely even perceives her behavior to be problematic, and in this episode when he finally DOES see her for her lies/manipulations he does not forgive her at all.

I can only think of how often she's called out, by Valencia, by Heather, by Darryl on the bus, by her mother, by Greg ect. Paula and the Textmergency are the only time I can think of her being totally enabled when she's being horrible manipulative.

IDK I realized the reason why I love this show and Rebecca is that she is an example of the female fuck up and a strong mirror image to one of the best/worst examples of that character: Mavis Gary form Young Adult. Now it's certainly more challenging to have that kind of character in continuing narrative as opposed to a 2 hour movie, but I like that Rebecca is kind of awful, and I like that Rebecca may never learn or change or at least not in any straight foward a to b to c way.

Characters of either gender never changing or learning anything from their mistakes makes for shitty, boring storytelling. It's one of the reasons Weeds was a terrible show, and one of the reasons people got sick of Don Draper's shit. They're called character arcs for a reason. I saw an article recently about how no one wanted to play Noah in The Notebook, because the character had no discernible arc.

Rebecca was forgiven by Greg after the vegan debacle by the end of 1x05; they're downright chummy in 1x06, and in 1x07 Rebecca complains about Greg texting her all the time. Unearned forgiveness.

Rebecca was forgiven by Josh for lying to him about her reasons for moving, even though everyone else was properly appalled, and he was the only person whose forgiveness she cared about. Unearned forgiveness.

Also all of the instances where Rebecca fucks up at work and worries about but never suffers the consequences.

Rebecca is caught out in her lies and abandoned by both Greg and Josh. Sure, they're mad at her now, but even now she has Paula soothing her and promising everything will be okay. I have no doubt that they'll both forgive her, because there is a definite pattern, and it's getting repetitive.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Eyes High

[lovinbob]

According to the iTunes credits, the African American woman is Ester Dean, who was in "Pitch Perfect," though I didn't recognize her at all!

I loved seeing Cynthia-Rose pop up on this show!

"You Stupid Bitch" is a good example of how this show has been hamstrung by airing on the CW as opposed to Showtime. The language in the song--"poopy little slut," really?"--was awfully tame compared to real negative self-talk. In reality, negative self-talk is less "poopy little slut" and more "shitty fucking whore" (which also fits the stress pattern of the lyrics). I would love to have a dirty version of "You Stupid Bitch."

Agreed, but at the same time I was thinking, this show airs at 8 p.m.? (It does, right?) Awfully early for a song like "Stupid Bitch" and a lot of the other content on the show. I'm not a prude and I love the show, but considering that 8 p.m. is prime time for kids, and the show seems like it could be light and fluffy, it's a little risque for the hour.

[AllAboutMBTV]

 

Rebecca's Stupid Bitch song was one of the most powerful things this show has done.

That was nearly as difficult to watch as the creepy drug-dealer scenes on last week's "London Spy." (What? I have very catholic tastes. And I still have to watch the last episode of "War and Peace.") Anyway, that was rough stuff.

 

I get that Rebecca is self-aware enough to sing a song like that and that she is, perhaps, making baby steps in working on her issues (through the therapist I'm assuming she's still seeing). But, c'mon, show, the character is becoming awfully one-note with the wacky I Love Lucy hijinks (that's two breaking-and-enterings now, right?) and how it all comes right(-ish) at the end, even though Rebecca never seems to learn anything much. And still nearly everyone continues to enable her special brand of crazy. I get that there may not be a show without her crazy (or that it wouldn't be *this* show), but there needs to be some forward movement otherwise it's just rinse and repeat.

Great to see more of Paula and Scott (their recitation of the theme song was the best), and, hey, there's Father Brah! More counseling sessions, please. And I MUST know what's going on with WhiJosh and Darryl! (I was all Sad Trombones when I didn't see the actors' names in the opening credits.) Is it wrong that I want to see more of the secondary and tertiary characters and less of the lead?

 

Also: Mmmm... Fondue...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Agreed, but at the same time I was thinking, this show airs at 8 p.m.? (It does, right?) Awfully early for a song like "Stupid Bitch" and a lot of the other content on the show. I'm not a prude and I love the show, but considering that 8 p.m. is prime time for kids, and the show seems like it could be light and fluffy, it's a little risque for the hour.

Considering that this is the same show that had "The Sexy Getting Ready Song" in the very first episode and followed that with "Feeling Kind of Naughty" and "Sex with a Stranger," I would say they established from the beginning that this is not a show for keeps kids. Gossip Girl had threesomes and all kinds of stuff at 8pm almost ten years ago on the same channel which almost seems worse since GG was marketed toward teens and tweens.

Edited February 9, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[PodcastTown]

So if Josh and Becks do finally hook up, will that be the end of the series? Or are the show-writers going to stretch this thing out for like 6 seasons? 

[dubbel zout]

she never once blamed Paula for throwing a rock from inside her own apartment through the door.

 

Nitpick: It was Paula's husband who threw the rock from the outside. He found the rock inside the apartment, though.

 

I didn't find Rebecca's dress to be that bad but it didn't do anything for her midsection, which was probably the point, especially given the comment about her weight.

 

I thought Rebecca looked great in the dress. She's short-waisted, which is one reason the dress didn't do much for that area. 

 

I actually didn’t like that everyone in that arbitration immediately said to stop their legal proceedings and helped Rebecca.  I liked that, for the most part, work for Rebecca has been pretty straight forward and not really part of her Josh drama.  They’ve shown Rebecca to be (mostly) competent at work.  I like that she has two sides and is successful in one while a wreck in the other.

 

I laughed that everyone immediately put the hearing on hold, but I agree that it was disappointing Rebecca is letting the Josh stuff creep into her work life. I suppose she has to really hit bottom with it, and having it completely take over her life is the only way to show that.

 

I think what she needs is to start seeing Father Brah. Either in a counseling sense or a romantic sense.

Father Brah is a Catholic priest, so let's hope he doesn't see Rebecca in a romantic sense.

 

Also: Mmmm... Fondue...

 

I really hope Rebecca didn't throw it away. What a waste!

[Irlandesa]

Rebecca was forgiven by Josh for lying to him about her reasons for moving, even though everyone else was properly appalled, and he was the only person whose forgiveness she cared about. Unearned forgiveness.

I mostly agree with your premise except here. Josh is still relatively naive about why Rebecca moved to West Covina. She convinced him that she was chasing the happiness of the town. He still doesn't know that it was for him. That's why deleting the text was so important to her. So no need for forgiveness from him because up until this point he doesn't even recognize the tip of her iceberg.

But I do think she gets passes in other aspects of her life. I think it would have showed how destructive her obsession is starting to get had her textmergency fouled up the case for her client because she was so distracted instead of them all being on board with her admitting she was planning a b&e.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Nitpick: It was Paula's husband who threw the rock from the outside. He found the rock inside the apartment, though.

Yes, we know what really happened, but Rebecca didn't know that when she was talking to Paula the next day. All she knew was that she asked Paula to throw a rock through her door and then Josh found her own rock inside the house, so she must have assumed that Paula was the one who made the mistake of using one of Rebecca's rocks which is what tipped Josh off to the craziness. I was actually steeling myself for Rebecca to blame Paula which would put her at three for three driving away people in her life in less than 24 hours.

ETA: I realize the wording in my original post wasn't as clear as it could have been. I meant the rock that Scott threw was from inside Rebecca's apartment, not that he threw the rock while inside her apartment.

Edited February 9, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[SeanC]

I think what she needs is to start seeing Father Brah. Either in a counseling sense or a romantic sense.

I guess the latter would be Rebecca's own version of The Thorn Birds?

Edited February 9, 2016 by SeanC

[SmithW6079]

So if Josh and Becks do finally hook up, will that be the end of the series? Or are the show-writers going to stretch this thing out for like 6 seasons? 

I think they're going to be lucky if they get a second season.

[blixie]

 

But I do think she gets passes in other aspects of her life. I think it would have showed how destructive her obsession is starting to get had her textmergency fouled up the case for her client because she was so distracted instead of them all being on board with her admitting she was planning a b&e.

 

Eh I think the show is musical comedy and thus departs from traditional realistic portrayals of the world, it's a lot of heightened magical realism, but for me more then enough of these characters give Rebecca more then enough shit MOST of the time that I'm unbothered when something like the Textemergency shows up, I thought it was about how lawyering is a high stress job and that their all one little bit away form snapping in their personal lives, and given that I have a cousin who is great at being lawyer but has hated every single second of every single one of her four different lawyer jobs well I just thought that bit hit the magical nail on the magical head.

 

I think what happens is that the other characters are less "forgiving" her then just tolerating her because they like her enough to overlook her obvious failings, and I do to so it's no big for me while I watch.

 

 

Characters of either gender never changing or learning anything from their mistakes makes for shitty, boring storytelling.

 

Which is why I qualified by statement that I don't need her to change and grow in any linear straightforward way, I need her to change and grow in reasonably realistic way, and most people change VERY SLOWLY and incrementally, which I think she has done this season. It's fairly persistent problem on any long running series, how much to let you characters accumulate experience and learn, and I ain't mad at this one when we're on like episode 11 of the first freaking season.

 

Oliver Queen on the other hand needs to WISE THE fuck up already.

 

If I want to see any of the characters change more it's Josh, which this episode did much to mend, his willful obtuse blindness to Rebecca's heart eyes is at least partly about the fact that he returns her affections/attraction, that he isn't perfectly happy in his relationship with Valencia. If he can pretend that Becca didn't move to West Covina because she's still into him, he can indulge that friendship w/o feeling like it's a betrayal of Valencia. 

Edited February 9, 2016 by blixie

[PodcastTown]

What a bummer, this is a great show that deserves a larger fan base. 

I think they're going to be lucky if they get a second season.

What a bummer, this is a great show that deserves a larger fan base.

[Wax Lion]

I kind of want Greg to sing a reprise of the bitch-song once he screws up with Heather. I think it would fit his character and Santino would kill it.

 

That would be amazing.

 

I hope Scott gets involved in one of Paula's schemes. (ETA: Like directly co-plotting not throwing a rock without knowing why.)

 

Couple other touches I liked:

 

- Rebecca breaking into Josh's phone was a great character moment, that she would know Valencia's birthday and the last 4 digits of Josh's SNN says a lot about how smart and obsessive she is.

 

- Rebecca's drink in the last scene is a Mocha Loco. In a city with a large Asian population with enough people from Hawaii that's probably a pun on Loco Moco, a popular breakfast in Hawaii.. Nice touch.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Wax Lion

[wayne67]

I honestly can't think of when that's happened, I've never seen her earn unearned forgiveness. Paula was mad at her once, but for no good reason (Paula is a TERRIBLE friend/person too she's encouraged Rebecca's obsessions to benefit her own empty life), so I don't think she needed forgiveness, and I can't think of when Greg has forgiven her, either he gives her no end of shit about being hung up on Josh, while also toying with his feelings for her. Josh hasn't forgiven her because he rarely even perceives her behavior  to be problematic, and in this episode when he finally DOES see her for her lies/manipulations he does not forgive her at all.

 

Honestly it's less about what she's currently been allowed to get away with, the stalking, breaking and entering, spending large amounts of money just to be near Josh, the infiltration of his friend group and more that its probable that by the end not only will Josh ditch his current girlfriend for her. He'll completely be fine with all the lies and erratic behavior because he likes her too... *GAG*

 

It just brings back too many bad memories about watching Ally Mcbeal where she'd hallucinate in open court and everyone would be like oh you're so wonderful and magical. Everyone enabled her psychosis. It was worrying. The constant back and forth I need a man, oh here's a perfectly good one, wait he's bisexual, I can't deal with that was also terrible. 

 

Personally there's only so much "I'm doing incredibly stupid things over and over again and end up feeling miserable because it's all so juvenile" that I can stand before all that negative reinforcement has to have some sort of effect on her behavior. It's not that she hasn't become a perfectly rounded person by episode 11 it's that I think she's actually get more erratic and obsessive over the season. 

[wonderwoman]

"That (bitch Song) was nearly as difficult to watch as the creepy drug-dealer scenes on last week's "London Spy." (What? I have very catholic tastes. And I still have to watch the last episode of "War and Peace.") Anyway, that was rough"

I'm with you on "London Spy." Tough to watch; glad it's only 5 episodes.