S02.E10: Will Scarsdale Like Josh's Shayna Punim?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

When Rebecca attends a family Bar Mitzvah and sees her Rabbi, she realizes she still has far to go on her search for happiness.

Promo:

[wonderwoman]

Sad to say, since Greg left, my interest has waned, but ain't going to miss Patti LuPone as a rabbi doing the hora with Tovah Feldshuh!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Clip:

[Primetimer]

Will it leave her high-flying adored, or crying for Argentina?

View the full article

[swimmyfish]

I know they're fictional people, and the story is probably not going in this direction anyway, but if Daryl cheats on White Josh with Nathaniel, I *will* cut a bitch.

[zibnchy]

I don't think it is Daryl who is going to cheat. Also I can't imagine any scenario where anyone would cheat on White Josh with anyone, much less Nathaniel. I can imagine cheating on Nate with WJ. Anyway I think Daryl and WJ are OK.

Wait! They're fictional?

Edited January 14, 2017 by zibnchy

[sarkygal]

Patti Lupone. Tovah Feldsuh. Dr. Akopian. Some smidgen of self awareness from Rebecca and the 2nd funniest song of the entire series. This might be the best episode of CXG ever. I've already watched it twice.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Awwwww, the look of shock, amazement, and pride on Dr. Akopian's face as she realized that Rebecca was having a breakthrough was so sweet!

Hee, loved Father Brah's frank assessment that spending a weekend with a bunch of old people was basically a guarantee that Josh was going to be called oriental.

One of my favorite emotional moments this week was Valencia's conversation with Rebecca. She was honest about how she felt instead of being passive aggressive, and she had sincere concern about Rebecca because she knows that she has a difficult relationship with her mother. She tried to warn Rebecca that Josh is (1) all over the place and (2) not a salve for her life. She was really mature about the whole situation.

Oh, George. "I brought gummi vitamins"? That's why no one likes you!

Heather's brief appearance this week was awesome. Not only was her Soul Train dancing hilarious, but she was not lying when she gave Rebecca and Josh her Vox supported opinion about their need to plaster their relationship all over the internet. One of my friends and her boyfriend used to post all kinds of obnoxious lovey dovey crap on FaceBook constantly, gushing about each other and being ridiculously schmoopie. First of all, they lived together so I always thought why don't you just say these things to each other in person instead of posting them on FB? But secondly, I knew that their relationship was really shaky behind closed doors. They broke up several times (resulting in one of them moving across the country to stay with her family and then moving back in with him and then moving back across the country again when they broke up AGAIN and then moving back in with him) and she told me that she couldn't tell her other friends about the things he had done (which included breaking into her place because he was jealous in the days before they moved in together) because everyone thought they had the perfect relationship. They were so concerned with cultivating this image of their relationship to hide the fact that they had a lot of issues. I don't think Rebecca and Josh's relationship is as one sidedly abusive as that one was, but I do think that they were overcompensating. Heh, but I did love the running joke about all of the places where they had announced their relationship (waze, draw something, open table, etc).

Edited January 14, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[HunterHunted]

I loved that everyone in their lives told Josh and Rebecca that they were overcompensating by oversharing: Heather, Paula, Father Brah, Valencia, Dr. Akopian, and Nathaniel. I would also have been fine with the folks at the boba stand saying it too.

The only person that I would never say is overcompensating for the deficiencies in his relationship by posting a ton is Darryl. I'm sure he updated his relationship status on everything the moment he and White Josh started dating. Darryl is basically a puppy. He's ebullient about everything.

[quangtran]

The "finished quick, rotten lay" callback was especiaily fun because only the people who watched the clean episode version and the dirtier online version would get the joke.

A few years ago I accidentally fell off a treadmill, smashed my face on the floor and lost a front tooth. When Nathaniel started running, I was like "don't trip, don't trip, don't trip, don't trip." And then he did.

Quote

(waze, draw something, open table, etc)

I just assumed the writers made those up because I've never heard of them before.

Also, the whole Oriental runner reminded me of the time back in the old Twop boards where some Asians were lecturing other Asians as to why it was an offensive terms.

[Corgi-ears]

9 hours ago, swimmyfish said:

I know they're fictional people, and the story is probably not going in this direction anyway, but if Daryl cheats on White Josh with Nathaniel, I *will* cut a bitch.

But wouldn't it be awesome if the love triangle in the back half of this season,

Spoiler

preview of next week notwithstanding,

turn out not to be between Rebecca/Josh/Nathaniel, but Daryl/WhiteJosh/Nathaniel?

Edited January 14, 2017 by Corgi-ears

[sadiegirl]

1 hour ago, quangtran said:

The "finished quick, rotten lay" callback was especiaily fun because only the people who watched the clean episode version and the dirtier online version would get the joke.

 

Can you either share the joke or point me to the dirty version - because I'd like to know the whole story!  Thanks.

Poor Dr. Akopian.  Her interjections while Josh was getting ready to propose were fantastic.  That is how I would have reacted as well.  Neither one of them is ready for a relationship, much less marriage.

[possibilities]

Josh becoming buddies with Rebecca's mother was not something I would have expected. That it started because he's "very good at defrosting" was both appropriate to his character and a little offensive to hers, but clever enough that I let it go.

Loved the hora. But I love the hora anyway.

Love Father Brah. Perfect mix of wisdom and cynicism. Also, him looking for his weed stash with binoculars? Perfect amount of funny and surprising and "makes perfect sense!" These writers win at craft as well as concept.

Love Valencia. Love Heather.

I was yelling right in step with Dr. Akopian: No! Stop! Just like if Josh and Rebecca were dogs about to run into the street. Also: the Garfinkel ring is quite garish for an engagement band. I wonder what Josh's parents will say, and how he got it out of pawn. Does he actually have savings? Or did Rebecca's mom give him the cash?

[adam807]

  6 hours ago, quangtran said:

The "finished quick, rotten lay" callback was especiaily fun because only the people who watched the clean episode version and the dirtier online version would get the joke.

 

Can you either share the joke or point me to the dirty version - because I'd like to know the whole story!  Thanks.

Poor Dr. Akopian.  Her interjections while Josh was getting ready to propose were fantastic.  That is how I would have reacted as well.  Neither one of them is ready for a relationship, much less marriage.

The "clean" version of the lyric in JAP Battle (that was on the show) was "finished quick, rotten lay." The "explicit" version available on iTunes and elsewhere was "small dick, rotten lay." A small change but one that made a real difference to the new scene!

[PodcastTown]

Suck it haters!!! Josh/Rebecca shippers!!!!

[MrsR]

A funny Holocaust song. Genius.

[Empress1]

8 hours ago, quangtran said:

I just assumed the writers made those up because I've never heard of them before.

I use Waze constantly - it's a navigation app. Open Table is a restaurant reservation app. Not sure about Draw Something, but these are not apps where someone's relationship status has reason to be mentioned.

The hora scene gave me life. And I felt weird about laughing at Nathaniel saying "I'm so sad" with a busted tooth and blood on his face, but I did.

Dr. Akopian's slow realization was also gold. " ... Go on ..." But then her hopes were dashed. Her collapse in defeat was hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Rebecca and Josh SO need to be single; this shit is doomed.

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

Also: the Garfinkel ring is quite garish for an engagement band. I wonder what Josh's parents will say, and how he got it out of pawn. Does he actually have savings? Or did Rebecca's mom give him the cash?

I don't like the ring at all but it clearly means a lot to Rebecca, which is the most important thing. (My friend's engagement ring is an heirloom from her husband's family. She adores it and it has a great story behind it, but her sister stumbled over it like "Um ... wow!" when she saw it - it's not a pretty ring.)

[dubbel zout]

Rebecca looked great at the bar mitzvah. I loved her dress and hair.

The feud between Rachel and Audra is epic. Long may it reign. And of course Josh and David instantly bond. Hee.

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

Dr. Akopian's slow realization was also gold. " ... Go on ..." But then her hopes were dashed. Her collapse in defeat was hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time.

I know. Poor Dr. Akopian. But then, Rebecca was never serious about therapy in the first place.

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Heh, but I did love the running joke about all of the places where they had announced their relationship (waze, draw something, open table, etc).

Open Table was my favorite place to post a relationship status update. 

The stuff at the bar mitzvah was fun but I'm still not loving Nathaniel. 

And as much as I still do enjoy the series, I really missed Greg in this episode.  I missed the acid his tongue could have poured onto the Josh/Rebecca lovey dovey stuff.  Others did a good job but they didn't quite hit the spot.  I thought of him during the Valencia scene.

[tennisgurl]

Wow, Rebecca really was a huge buzzkill. I totally do know people like that though, who go on about how everyone is awful and just pretending to be happy at parties and events, while they sit there complaining and acting superior to everyone, while being more miserable than everyone. You can only blame so many of your problems on being Jewish Rebecca. I really want to send this episode to my Jewish cousins. They're a blast! Of course, they're west coast Jews, so maybe its different? I`m Catholic, so I cant say I know all the subtleties, we have our own cultural hang ups! Has it been established that Rebecca is an atheist? Joshes parents probably wouldn't be thrilled about that. I guess Rebecca is more of a cultural Jew than a religious one. So, like most Jewish people on TV. 

Poor Dr. Akopian. I was right there with her, from her excitement at Rebecca getting closer to a breakthrough, to her shouting NOOOO at Josh proposing to Rebecca, to her frustration at the end. They are so not ready for marriage! If this episode proves anything, its that Rebecca has some huge issues she needs to work out, and being with Josh is just highlighting what a mess she is. 

Josh really is just a big puppy. This episode actually shows how Rebecca and Josh could actually be a good couple, if they worked out a ton of their issues. Josh is a little dim and does not really know much outside of his bubble, but is super happy and positive, while Rebecca is really smart and knowledge, but is rather insecure and cynical. They could balance each out, but I have no idea if that would actually happen.  

 Father Brah is awesome. That is all. As is Heather and her soul train. I miss Rebecca/Heather/Valencia as a girl group, even if we only had them for a short while. 

The whole running joke about Josh and Rebecca overcompensating their relationship all over social media was funny because its so totally true. And yes, Waze, Open Table, and Draw Something are all real (I use all three), and yes, no one uses them to post about relationships. Josh does have a gift for hashtags though :)

Edited January 14, 2017 by tennisgurl

[Lebanna]

The Garfinkel engagement ring is hilarious as, after it was pawned and Josh was ring shopping, I was sure that Josh was going to somehow get hold of it and give it to Valencia. So it figures that it served the exact same purpose in an unexpected way.

Doesn't everyone have furniture in their parents' house that reminds them of their past major anxiety disorders? So true.

[Eeksquire]

Can we talk for a moment about Darryl becoming Nathaniel's surrogate dad? For all the cynicism this show has toward Rebecca and her parents (see also: Heather and her parents and Josh and his dad), it's really smart about showing Darryl as a good parent - he loves his daughter (not in a creepy way!) and supports her snail obsession in a 100% real and unironic way and now he's being supportive to Nathaniel notwithstanding the fact that Nathaniel immediately tried to screw him over.

I love Darryl. I am Team Darryl.  "You're a good kid." Aw - that's just what Nathaniel needs to hear! 

[BoogieBurns]

22 hours ago, Lebanna said:

Doesn't everyone have furniture in their parents' house that reminds them of their past major anxiety disorders? So true.

There is this hideous overhead lamp thing with 5 bulbs at my Dad's house. It was added to our living room when he married the she-devil and just thinking of the lamp this moment makes me consider taking a Xanax. So, yes!

20 hours ago, Eeksquire said:

Can we talk for a moment about Darryl becoming Nathaniel's surrogate dad?

It's similar to Paula's role with Rebecca in the first season. The comforting parent they never had. 

Edited January 15, 2017 by BoogieBurns

[Bruinsfan]

Josh winning over Mrs. Bunch gave me my first glimmers of hope that his and Rebecca's relationship might actually be able to work at some point. If he can deal with the amount of concentrated crazy that was in that house...

[Snarklepuss]

14 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

Aline Brosh McKenna revealed on Twitter that Scott Michael Foster actually has a fake tooth which they capitalized on for this episode.

I could tell that he really had a missing tooth in that scene!  Flashbacks to "The Hangover".

I loved this episode.  There was so much to love - From Heather to Rebecca's mother to my personal favorite - Darryl.  I split my sides at the potty innuendo.

I also loved the Soul Train bit.  The '70s hair and clothing were very true to period.

Perhaps the show is getting its groove back somewhat since Greg's departure.  I hope so.  It looks like they're setting up Nathaniel to provide a little diversion from Josh for Rebecca.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Bruinsfan said:

Josh winning over Mrs. Bunch gave me my first glimmers of hope that his and Rebecca's relationship might actually be able to work at some point. If he can deal with the amount of concentrated crazy that was in that house...

You're not the only one that has said this but these two episodes have actually pushed me in the opposite direction. 

I think the last time I thought that these two could have something real was during their reprise of the "West Covina" song in Season 1. 

But overall, they just seem like a mismatch and seeing them back together has done nothing to change my opinion on that.  Last week we already saw cracks in their relationship from her seeing him as the less-than-intellectual he is to trying to explain to him how she wanted to recreate the fight scene she had with Nathaniel (without spelling that out.)  Sure, part of her dissatisfaction is the fact that she needs to be happy with herself but some of the stuff, especially last week, was about more than that.

And I think this is an issue with him as well.  As we've learned, he's a serial monogamist. 

[Eeksquire]

Does anyone know how many episodes this season will be? If it's only 13, there's a LOT of plot to fit in the next three episodes... Do we think they will try and squeeze in a wedding for the season finale?

[dubbel zout]

13 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

Josh winning over Mrs. Bunch gave me my first glimmers of hope that his and Rebecca's relationship might actually be able to work at some point.

And that's what made me think the relationship is doomed. Rebecca wants someone who will commiserate with her about her mom, not tell her her mom has a point.

12 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

I also loved the Soul Train bit.  The '70s hair and clothing were very true to period.

I had a bit of PTSD. (I'm old.) I loved Heather saying, "I'll just Soul Train out."

[Snarklepuss]

1 minute ago, dubbel zout said:

I had a bit of PTSD. (I'm old.) I loved Heather saying, "I'll just Soul Train out."

LOL, me too!  I yelled out "I had those jeans!" when Heather was dancing.

[Rinaldo]

15 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

Josh winning over Mrs. Bunch gave me my first glimmers of hope that his and Rebecca's relationship might actually be able to work at some point. If he can deal with the amount of concentrated crazy that was in that house...

It's a believable extension of what we saw back in Episode 3 (Rebecca's housewarming) and intermittently since then: that one of his best points is his (quite uncalculated) gift for making people feel better and giving them the support they need.

3 hours ago, Eeksquire said:

Does anyone know how many episodes this season will be? If it's only 13, there's a LOT of plot to fit in the next three episodes... Do we think they will try and squeeze in a wedding for the season finale?

According to Deadline, it's 13. I usually try not to speculate, since those who make the series are so much smarter than I am, but what I'd imagined for the end of the season would be not the wedding itself, but one of the preceding events (announcement party, shower, bachelor/ette parties, etc.). But I expect to be happily proven wrong, as I so often have been.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

We'll Never Have Problems Again:

Remember That We Suffered:

[piperkat]

 I want Father Brah and Rabbi Patti LuPone in a scene together. That is all.

[kieyra]

I love this show so much I have to dole it out to myself in ten minute increments. It's like television heroin.

[Phishbulb]

I liked the idea somebody here had (sorry, don't remember who) that the season would end with a wedding and then the theme song/opening credits sequence for next season would be a cheesy "Too Many Cooks"-style parody of family sitcoms with a married Rebecca and Josh and little sequences of all the cast members doing various wacky things.

[kieyra]

Am I the only person here who had most recently seen Patti Lupone on Penny Dreadful? Quite the 180. 

[paramitch]

On 1/14/2017 at 1:22 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

(Edited for space)

Awwwww, the look of shock, amazement, and pride on Dr. Akopian's face as she realized that Rebecca was having a breakthrough was so sweet!

One of my favorite emotional moments this week was Valencia's conversation with Rebecca. She was honest about how she felt instead of being passive aggressive, and she had sincere concern about Rebecca because she knows that she has a difficult relationship with her mother. She tried to warn Rebecca that Josh is (1) all over the place and (2) not a salve for her life. She was really mature about the whole situation.

I loved, loved loved the scene with poor Dr. Akopian and Rebecca. Beck's moment of revelation was gorgeously played by Bloom, as was Dr. Akopian's dawning hope (and frustration). A fantastic scene.

I am also so, so glad the show finally made Valencia a person, a real character, this season -- the actress is lovely, and so nuanced when she's given something worthy to enact. It's just wonderful to really know her as a person. The conversation with Beck in which she actually shows real concern for Rebecca (over Josh, it should be noted) was one of my favorites of the entire season. And she was RIGHT. Josh cannot be alone. He cannot exist alone. Josh forms his entire life on support systems.

Yet as others have pointed out, Josh is really charming. He's not smart. But he has a high personality IQ and I love it when he shows his best side, when he's supportive and warm to strangers, to people feeling lonely or sad, to people uncertain of response. Which was why he was perfect to Rebecca's Mom (and seriously funny and adorable), and I got why he was so smooth with her -- it's just his superpower. He genuinely cares about people, and I absolutely adore that. Josh can be a superficial character on CEG but -- man -- he's kind. He's kind. And it is visceral and natural; it's who he is. I just love that. It's the only thing investing me at all in him with Rebecca (or in him as a character).

On 1/14/2017 at 5:02 AM, sadiegirl said:

Poor Dr. Akopian.  Her interjections while Josh was getting ready to propose were fantastic.  That is how I would have reacted as well.  Neither one of them is ready for a relationship, much less marriage.

So true. I just wish she'd burst into song!

On 1/14/2017 at 5:25 AM, nosleepforme said:

Loved the episode, I thought it was a pitch-perfect episode with major character growth and setbacks for Rebecca, two pretty great musical numbers (with surprisingly a lot of dancers/extras) and the fun dynamic between Josh and Rebecca's mother. Also enjoyed the return of Audra Levine, though I wish she would have had a more prominent role.

I loved this episode and agree with everything you posted (as well as being fortunately and unfortunately haunted, yet again (and giggling at) "Period Sex," the almost CEG number! Hee! Even better that it was Tovah singing it. So so wrong. So awesome.

On 1/14/2017 at 6:04 PM, Eeksquire said:

Can we talk for a moment about Darryl becoming Nathaniel's surrogate dad? For all the cynicism this show has toward Rebecca and her parents (see also: Heather and her parents and Josh and his dad), it's really smart about showing Darryl as a good parent - he loves his daughter (not in a creepy way!) and supports her snail obsession in a 100% real and unironic way and now he's being supportive to Nathaniel notwithstanding the fact that Nathaniel immediately tried to screw him over.

I love Darryl. I am Team Darryl.  "You're a good kid." Aw - that's just what Nathaniel needs to hear! 

Thank you for pointing this out! I really found myself invested here, and loved the way it worked out. Darryl is his own superpower -- his ability to empathize. He's such a lovely character (he's my favorite by far on CEG) and I loved that his character was given a worthy (wacky) storyline that also let him save the day simply by being who he was/is.

I get that Nathaniel is a fast-track-TV-element but he's already proving that he's more than just a mean pretty face, so I'm kind of okay with it. Darryl is magic. And the moment he realized all the poor Nat needed was reinforcement and support was so moving. Darryl is just so wonderful. He will be the parent or friend you never had, the one who says, "Don't leave, you hurt my heart." He will speak his feelings. He will make everything okay, darn it.

On 1/16/2017 at 3:50 PM, kieyra said:

I love this show so much I have to dole it out to myself in ten minute increments. It's like television heroin.

I feel the same way. My favorite favorite emotion about this show is the way it surprises me in my cynicism. It will frequently seem to support existing tropes or cliches but then always, always, always (fucking always) comes through and shows us that yes, Rachel and the writers know exactly what they're doing, who their characters are, and what they're creating.

I adore the show more today than I ever have, and salute everyone involved. I'm so delighted with the edges, the unexpected directions, the ways it explores the love found in friendship just as intrinsically and essentially as it does romantic love, ambition, and more. 

I also can't believe I got to see Patti LuPone and Tovah and Bloom (and cast) sing "Remember That We Suffered" -- so brilliant and nuanced, and so very very funny. It's a theatre fan's dream.

But I still don't want Rebecca and Nathaniel to get together. Even if it appears inevitable. (I will never love the show more than the moment in which they do NOT get together and acknowledge that.)

I don't just want this to be avoided for its predictability but because despite the rules of television, Rebecca does NOT need to find love. She needs to find herself. And love and understand that self that she discovers.

Edited January 20, 2017 by paramitch
missing words, aghghgg

[DearEvette]

Late to the party, but holy cow this episode was perfect.  Patty Frickin Lupone!  The hora song and "did we mention Hitler?'  Josh winning over Tovah Feldshuh.  Valencia, Heather and Father Brah -- smallish but perfect scenes.  Darryl making a breakthrough with Nathaniel.  SO much win and then... Dr. Akopian was the cherry on top. 

[xander874]

We are totally going to see a Rebecca/Nathaniel kiss before the season is over. Even though I sorta kinda root for Josh/Becs, I don't see them being happy for too long and he is obviously there to a spoiler.