S04.E08: I'm Not the Person I Used to Be

[dubbel zout]

Greg (Skylar Astin) returns to West Covina, which forces Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) to question things she thought she knew about people she has loved in her life. Meanwhile, Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) and Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) make some shocking discoveries while at their high school reunion. 

[Spartan Girl]

"I miss the season one song!" So do I, Other Rebecca.

Loved the meta references that Greg was a "different person." Still wish Santino was back, though.

I guess it was the right thing to tell him about the one-night stand with his dad, but I don't know where they'll go from here. God, the one time Rebecca actually needed Paula's intervention...

[Lunula]

Really disliked NotGreg and hate that the show is spending this much time on a new character with so few episodes left. 

[srpturtle80]

Except he’s not a new character. Still Greg, different actor. Personally I think time needs to be spent on him. I really did feel like he and Rebecca had this amazing connection and it ended so abruptly. While I am sad SF couldn’t come back, I’m ok with the way they are handling it. Doesn’t hurt that I love Skylar...

Edited December 8, 2018 by srpturtle80

[Unraveled]

I love the character of Greg, but having the new Greg is weird. The sarcasm and self-deprecation just wasn't there. Also, if I'm truly being honest, Rebecca and Greg were just so toxic to each other. It's going to be hard to forget the past if they are going to be the OTP to end this show.

Also, Father Bro and Valencia?!? That was a surprising turn.

[Cthulhudrew]

George's song was the best all season.

Still not entirely sold on new Greg (I miss Santino) but I did like his storyline with Rebecca this ep.

ETA: This is my favorite use of Heather's character since probably  season 1. Plus I really enjoyed the bartender running gag.

Edited December 8, 2018 by Cthulhudrew

[possibilities]

I hope they do NOT make Rebecca and Greg the OTP. I am really liking seeing her make good choices and be generally healthy, and I just don't buy the romantic fantasy ending of her and Greg being soulmates or whatever Valencia and Heather were saying.

I'm all for clearing up old business, though.

I loved the "we weren't popular" song and I liked Valencia/Heather/Father Brah. How often does anyone call HEATHER out on HER thinking errors? A great episode for V.

What could Paula have really done to help, though? I think it was actually pretty lucky she didn't get involved. Love her bunny's name, though.

[kit.kat343]

The new Greg lacks all the charm of the original actor, so this plot should have just been dropped since it isn't possible to understand the difference between the character Greg's growth, and the actor's insipid performance.  I'm finding it hard to believe that anyone not drugged would respond to learning an ex girlfriend slept with his father to be, "we've both grown."   It's only been two years, not 20.   If they had been able to get the original actor, this might have been an interesting plot development but as it is this is just a waste of air time.  And its a strange choice, since if the show is trying to prove that two people can change and enter a healthy relationship, they can do that with either Nathaniel or Josh.

[DianeDobbler]

I don't think this worked. We already have two guys Rebecca is kind of being starry-eyed over. If it were the old Greg I would not see the point of bringing him back after two years of growth only to have him doing the same thing as before, hanging out with Rebecca, getting sucked in until she says something that brings it to a halt. So, glad he's sober, but nothing about this is new, after all the hype. I don't know, I was REALLY peeved about that. Maybe in a couple of episodes he could start feeling the old feelings and deal with them, but right away? Come on, show.

Was the entire reason they recast because they didn't think Santino Fontana would be convincing as a guy who would say, "That was brave?" about the dad confession? That's weak. He hasn't changed much at all if the first night they meet again they're about to hook up. It's sad, actually.

I spent most of his screen time watching him make his "Greg" choices, particularly during the song, and wondering if I'd have liked Greg better if Greg had been played by this dude all along. The answer is no. 

I enjoyed the Father Bra stuff with Valencia and Heather, particularly the schtick with the bar glasses. Was wondering why they did it, and I figured to mitigate that Josh and Rebecca had a camp romance during the same time period, and make HIM her true high school love. Which is a cheat, really, because it doesn't matter, or mitigate what Rebecca did. That said, I could see Valencia and Father Bra being in love. Worked for me. They even look right together.

"George" did a great job with his song, and I loved the point of it. All the action the non "popular" kids were having in high school, all the fun. And, as usual, Josh was open to it, which is one of the nice things about the character.

LOVED the Paula stuff. So great to see her do something that had nothing to do with her marriage, her kids, or her past. It's her future, getting into her lawyer Paula groove, and absolutely convincing. Kind of behind the scenes of her getting to be a lawyer. I wish CXG had done more of this with her all along.

Edited December 8, 2018 by DianeDobbler

[bettername2come]

Valencia and Father Bra was great. Especially when she called him the only non-creepy priest she knew. He really is the best guy on the show, which makes me sad that I always forget he exists. Seriously, why are you suddenly making me ship her with a priest this late in the series (of holidays)?

I love that for all Josh’s naivety, self-centeredness and poor decision-making, he’s a genuinely nice guy who’s always growing. And I suddenly want a “Meet Rebecca” style song about Josh. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm glad Valencia told Heather that she was back in California for the holidays because when she showed up at Home Base, I was like GIRL, you flew all the way across the country for your high school reunion? I was cracking up at the series...of holidays going from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day. Yes, it's totally normal for someone to go home for three months. And it's totally normal for business school to have a three month winter break!

Skylar Astin's voice has a timbre similar to Santino's so there were moments where I thought he sounded passably close to Greg 1.0, but my main takeaway was how glad I was when Rebecca pointed out to Valencia and Heather that her relationship with Greg was terrible and toxic and that they fought all the time. That's definitely not the kind of history that should make you want to jump back into a relationship with someone. Although I totally understand and appreciate that the show wants to give Rebecca closure with all of the characters we have met, part of me wishes that Rachel and Alanna had just said, "Okay, Santino is busy doing Tootsie, so Greg will not be a part of the final season."

Valencia and FATHER BRAH? I am now thinking about every time he gave Josh relationship advice about Valencia.

Josh seems like a pretty good roommate. He makes breakfast and leaves Poo-Pouri in the bathroom along with Rebecca's favorite part of the paper. No wonder Hector's mom liked having him around!

I did feel bad for him when Hector told him that White Josh had actually been elected prom king because he seemed pretty crushed, but I wasn't at all surprised that he bounced back quickly with his love of magic.

[BonnieD]

I assume they're heading in the direction of no romantic couple at the end. Rebecca has given lip service to finding herself as a solo person yet she's still looking for a "one and only" kind of romance. Should end with her being finally TRULY content to be alone. I'd like that.

[Corgi-ears]

10 hours ago, Cthulhudrew said:

George's song was the best all season.

It was a straight-up steal of homage to "Hollaback Girl." 

This show is really, really not interested in writing for half of Valencia's bisexuality, eh?

[GenieinTX]

I liked it.  I think the "greg is different" gag went on a bit long, but I laughed at all the "rest of the series" jokes.  I'm so sad that OG Greg was busy, but I'm glad they brought Greg back. 

I too think they will end the series with a "I choose me" situation.   But how interesting that the guys around Rebecca are growing.  Nathaniel has his own life now, Josh is seeing that the world doesn't revolve around him, and Greg - well, we'll see how he turns out. 

[dubbel zout]

5 hours ago, DianeDobbler said:

I enjoyed the Father Bra stuff with Valencia and Heather, particularly the schtick with the bar glasses.

Same here. All of it was delightful, especially Valencia telling Heather to check her gender bias (?). And a note to Heather: Not all sherry is gross; ask for a nice, dry amontillado next time!

42 minutes ago, GenieinTX said:

I liked it.  I think the "greg is different" gag went on a bit long, but I laughed at all the "rest of the series" jokes. 

I thought the "Greg is different" stuff and the "rest of the series" joke went on too long, but if it's contained to this episode, I can deal.

9 hours ago, possibilities said:

What could Paula have really done to help, though? I think it was actually pretty lucky she didn't get involved. Love her bunny's name, though.

I agree. I liked watching her live the highs and lows through the text messages. One thing Rebecca does is lean a bit too hard on others to tell her what to do, so I thought it was important she deal with the evening on her own, however it turns out.

5 hours ago, DianeDobbler said:

Was the entire reason they recast because they didn't think Santino Fontana would be convincing as a guy who would say, "That was brave?" about the dad confession?

No. It was a scheduling issue.

[iMonrey]

I'm with DianeDobbler on this one, I don't think it quite worked. While I got a kick out of the meta jokes about Greg looking completely different and nobody could tell except Rebecca, the fact is that there is no emotional punch to Greg's return if he's played by someone new. Would have felt completely different if it had been Fontana. 

The songs just are not doing it for me this season.

[Totale]

Since the show is going away for a month maybe they think we'll forget which Greg is which by then.

[alrightokay]

This was my favorite episode in a LONG while--omg, GEORGE is such a gem.  His magic club, his "Hollaback" song (so perfect, since the unpopular kids were showing how they were actually better off than the cool kids), his taking Josh under his wing--all adorable.  Heather and Valencia were fantastic together, and the resolution of V-Father Brah's ill-fated romance was very sweet.  I also loved Hector's anguish over his inability to extend the school lunch hour.  All of the supporting players are just spot-on, with Heather/Vella being comedy gold. 

I actually thought Skylar Astin did a good job incorporating some of Santino Fontana's mannerisms into his portrayal of Greg, and I'm glad CEG is addressing this major part of Rebecca/the show's life.  Astin's not as strong a singer as Fontana is, but he was likable, and I'm intrigued by where the show will go from here.  I don't want Rebecca and Greg to get back together; I just think it's good that she's now seeing Josh, Nathaniel, and Greg as complicated individuals, and not just as fantasies (heroes or villains) or as the solutions to her problems.

Edited December 8, 2018 by alrightokay

[srpturtle80]

Rene Gube posted the letter Valencia wrote to Father Brah on IG if anyone is interested..

Apparently it was written by their script coordinator so that it would elicit a reaction while being read onscreen.

Edited December 8, 2018 by srpturtle80

[Irlandesa]

I loved Greg--both the character and the actor.  So even though the series was still terrific in Season 2, I loved the character so much that I still felt something was missing by his absence.  Especially when it came to Josh and Rebecca's wedding.

I was somewhat nervous to watch this episode.  At times, Skyler did eerily have similar mannerisms and speaking voice to Santino.  It reminded me a bit of when Penn Badgley would hit a narration section of the TV series You and I'd feel like I was listening to the audiobook version Santino voiced.  And the show still has his "voice" in terms of writing.  But even though I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, it still doesn't feel necessary or like it's filling the space that Santino's Greg created when he left.  In fact, I felt there was a bit of oversimplifying and retconning the past and Rebecca sleeping with Greg's dad was the end of that story. I think it was supposed to be and then they changed their mind.  I did think it's weird that I don't recall seeing Skyler's name listed in the credits.

I enjoyed Valencia and Heather together even though I would have thought the Father Brah stuff would have come up sooner given he's Josh's good friend and Josh & Valencia were engaged. 

It was good to see White Josh again in the context of his friend group.  Even though I like him and Darryl together, he's great in this context as well.  I do think this was the best use of Heather too.

So while I have nitpicks, it is my favorite episode of the season.

[possibilities]

I think that fact that Rebecca is having the same exact swoony feelings over all 3 of her past lovers is a signal that none of them are "meant to be" -- she's still getting perspective, and I like seeing her soberly pull herself back from the brink each time it happens. Even with Heather and Valencia encouraging her to go down that road, she was able to remember it's BS.

Of course, I don't write the show, so maybe they really are going to pair her off with one of these guys. But I hope not. The fact that all of them seem equally viable, though in totally different ways, is kind of a statement about "one soulmate meant to be" though, in that clearly it's not true, and basically seems to imply that what's really necessary is not some kind of destiny, but a combination of opportunity and maturity. V and Bra probably could have worked out, but they missed their chance and that's ok. She's happy with Beth and he's happy as a priest. And Rebecca couldn't be with any of those guys as long as both she and they were basically immature or unbalanced. But now that they're all getting sane and healthy and turning into actual adults, they all make more sense and seem more viable than even before.

I kind of find it optimistic to think that it's not magic, it's maturity, that makes a relationship work.

[DianeDobbler]

Oh that letter is heartbreaking. And so sincere. 

I figure Valencia never mentioned it because the writers only this season invented it. AND she thought she'd been rejected. She's proud and fairly private, and least that's my take on her. Anyway, 

There were things I was interested in seeing another actor convey with Greg that didn't happen, so there's that. Even the stuff that Aline Brosh McKenna said WAS there in Astin's performance (as, supposedly, not in Fontana's) wasn't.  

I basically agree with Vulture's recap of this episode:

Vulture review

I kind of get the point of all of this now - they want ALL of "Rebecca's" guys in the picture so whatever happens at the end, there's no "But if Greg were here..." or something else. But I think it undermines his "growth" to have him immediately get sucked in. Ditch his reunion, and he's still all about Rebecca. To me, for any of the guys to work, a re-set would be needed. They're over the dysfunction that characterized the relationship in the first place, and found they could connect on a more authentic level after spending time together. Also, I know she's the lead, but IMO Rebecca as played by Bloom is less plausibly intoxicating to so many arrested development men. She's not projecting the same energy she did (which is both a plus and a minus), she looks different, dresses differently, etc.

[Cthulhudrew]

I liked the way they handled the Valencia/Father Brah story this episode, I just think it doesn't really fit with the previous several seasons. She was suddenly so nervous to be around him at the high school reunion, yet it isn't like the two of them never had contact at all in the intervening 12 years is it? Is this episode really the first time the two of them shared the screen together? (I really can't recall.)

[dubbel zout]

Father Brah was going to marry Josh and Valencia, right? So I'd think she'd have met with him offscreen at least once. Under those circumstances, though, I can see why there was no mention of their past. 

A high school reunion can bring up weird emotions, especially the first one. You're still closer to those years than you are away from them.

[sweetcookieface]

Quote

 

I loved Greg--both the character and the actor.  So even though the series was still terrific in Season 2, I loved the character so much that I still felt something was missing by his absence.  Especially when it came to Josh and Rebecca's wedding.

I was somewhat nervous to watch this episode.  At times, Skyler did eerily have similar mannerisms and speaking voice to Santino.  It reminded me a bit of when Penn Badgley would hit a narration section of the TV series You and I'd feel like I was listening to the audiobook version Santino voiced.  And the show still has his "voice" in terms of writing.  But even though I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, it still doesn't feel necessary or like it's filling the space that Santino's Greg created when he left.  In fact, I felt there was a bit of oversimplifying and retconning the past and Rebecca sleeping with Greg's dad was the end of that story. I think it was supposed to be and then they changed their mind.  I did think it's weird that I don't recall seeing Skyler's name listed in the credits.

 

This mostly sums up my feelings. Greg was my favorite male character on the show – I thought Santino had the funniest facial expressions, delivered his lines with the perfect mix of snark and bemusement, and had incredible chemistry with Rebecca. I actually see some similarities in the new actor’s portrayal – e.g., he speaks with a similar intonation – but his Greg comes across a lot blander and more understated. Maybe he'll grow into the role. 

Quote

 

The songs just are not doing it for me this season.

 

I just rewatched a bunch of Season 1 episodes and was thinking the same thing. The beginning of the show had such an incredible run of songs - "West Covina," Sexy Getting Ready Song,"  "Feelin Kinda Naughty," "I Have Friends," "Face Your Fears," "Settle for Me," "Sex with a Stranger"... and those are just from the first four episodes! This season, the only standouts for me have been "Don't Be a Lawyer" (had this stuck in my head for weeks), "Trapped in a Car," and now George's song - "While You Were Popular." (I thought the other song this episode - "Nice to Meet You" - was sweetly charming, although I don't know that it will stick with me.)

[Yeah No]

I would think Valencia would be too weirded out to to let Fr. Brah marry her and Josh if this was their history.  She didn't know at that time whether or not he had read the letter.  For me it's just an example of a show rewriting history to make for what they see as a more interesting present.  It's not necessarily a bad thing in this case, but it does involve some suspension of disbelief.

Same goes for the new Greg, but in that case it really fell flat for me.  I guess we're supposed to think the Greg that's grown so much that he looks like a completely different person would not have that original snarky edge to him anymore, and be able to deliver lines so earnestly one might think he'd had a frontal lobotomy.  Yeah, no.

[TheOtherOne]

"And are these your relatives?"

"Are these my relatives? What kind of gene pool--?"

I found the episode really funny, which I appreciated. The Valencia/Brah plot was an obvious retcon that doesn't really fit (and makes them look kind of shitty), but the final scene between them was so well done and tender I was able to forget that in the moment.

[DianeDobbler]

I really didn't feel the earnest part of Greg. Or any of the softer, kinder, more compassionate qualities previewed by the show runners for this episode. Same dude, less resonant, because different actor.

Father Bra was going to marry Josh and Rebecca. Valencia and Josh never managed to get engaged, although she made a last ditch attempt to prompt him to do it at his sister's wedding (the same wedding where Greg got drunk and acted extra-misanthropic). 

Valencia said to Heather that they never acknowledge what happened and only say hello when they cross paths. That works. That accounts for when they've been in the same space, and there's nothing else to cover really.

[SmithW6079]

3 hours ago, Cthulhudrew said:

I liked the way they handled the Valencia/Father Brah story this episode, I just think it doesn't really fit with the previous several seasons. She was suddenly so nervous to be around him at the high school reunion, yet it isn't like the two of them never had contact at all in the intervening 12 years is it? Is this episode really the first time the two of them shared the screen together? (I really can't recall.)

Yes, that was unbelievable to me too, that suddenly she was nervous about Father Brah. Loved all the Heather/Valencia scenes.

I thought NuGreg was fine. 

I enjoyed all the meta jokes about the "series" and the "finale," but I think the Greg jokes did go on a little too long.

Josh has stepped up his hotness factor this season. 

[mrsbagnet]

13 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I would think Valencia would be too weirded out to to let Fr. Brah marry her and Josh if this was their history.  She didn't know at that time whether or not he had read the letter.  For me it's just an example of a show rewriting history to make for what they see as a more interesting present.  It's not necessarily a bad thing in this case, but it does involve some suspension of disbelief.

I agree, but I thought she assumed he'd read the letter, but didn't show up for their meeting. She thought he'd rejected her.

[whiporee]

I think they handled the Greg thing as well as they could. Santino has a gig -- he wasn't available. if they are going to complete this circle for Rebecca Bunch in West Covina, they need to deal with Greg -- he's a fairly crucial part of the story. And you could make the point that because their old relationship was so mutually destructive, in order for Greg and Rebecca to work on any real level, they'd both have to be a completely different people. We've seen Rebecca's transformation -- look at how different she looks in the opening sequence compared to the way she looks now -- but since we haven't seen Greg change, the effects of two years of sobriety, a sincere relationship that didn't work out and having bigger prospects that fixing Deb that vodka and cranberry juice would be pretty dramatic. He'd almost be unrecognizable. 

I'd have rather had Santino finish his role, too. I don't love the new guy. He's too theater-ish and lacks the casual charm Santino  had. But since it was nearly impossible -- and since, like Valencia and Heather, I think Rebecca and Greg were the show's endgame (at least back then. I don't know about now) his character had to be dealt with.

I thought both songs were classily typical CEG songs. None of the emotional heft that their really best ones have, but cute, funny and replayable.  

The meta stuff got a little old, but I liked the wya they played out so many times. My favorite was "that seems like season two -- by which I mean spring." I don't really see the point, though, of Valencia and Heather leaving if they didn't actually leave. But as far as Greg, I don't think they narratively had any choice but to bring him back, and logistically the only was was with a new actor. the idea worked as well as it could have, but I think they could have chosen a more fitting actor rather than one of Rachel's old pals. 

[rejnel]

You can like or not like the new Greg, but I think critiques that he's too theatre-y are silly. Santino Fontana is primarily a stage actor! Or at least, he was before CEG. The best performers on the show all come from theatre backgrounds, actually. Silly to use that as a criticism.

Personally, I was hard to win over because I'm a big SF fan, but I thought the Rebecca/Greg song was charming. It got me ready to believe in their history. Obviously, were the original actor available, all that history would have been there immediately, but I feel like this will sort of work.

[DianeDobbler]

Plenty of actors have a a theater background without being "theatre-y" in their on camera acting. I took that to mean a bit overstated, externalized, mannered, and glib.

I always want to caveat that I was not a Santino Fontana fan and didn't like Greg, so some of the stuff I disliked about this Greg might be some of the stuff that fans of his LIKE about Greg. For instance, the characteristic uptalking and inflecting a question into so many lines of dialogue started to feel tiresome and lazy to me in the original actor and also in what Astin is doing. Maybe it didn't feel organic to me, more like a mannerism / habit, un-fresh. Heather can uptalk all day and I just think it's "her" and am entertained.

I keep re-watching the Valencia/Heather stuff. I love Heather running around standing behind different girls, asking V if this is the one. I loved V telling Heather, "My pronouns tracked." I loved Gabrielle's line delivery on "Joseph!" And Josh's original friend group is such a mess. Josh basking in his ego to the point he's making an endless speech and finally has to be shut down and set straight. Hector not getting around to doing the 10 year reunion until 12 years later (and what a tiny reunion it was based on the venue and # of background players). Greg still being pretty much preferring to be detached than all in. I do sort of doubt Greg bailing on the reunion. He still liked those guys when he left. They all bid farewell to him at the airport, even Josh was kind of teary. 

[Mvnl]

19 minutes ago, DianeDobbler said:

Plenty of actors have a a theater background without being "theatre-y" in their on camera acting. I took that to mean a bit overstated, externalized, mannered, and glib.

I always want to caveat that I was not a Santino Fontana fan and didn't like Greg, so some of the stuff I disliked about this Greg might be some of the stuff that fans of his LIKE about Greg. For instance, the characteristic uptalking and inflecting a question into so many lines of dialogue started to feel tiresome and lazy to me in the original actor and also in what Astin is doing. Maybe it didn't feel organic to me, more like a mannerism / habit, un-fresh. Heather can uptalk all day and I just think it's "her" and am entertained.

I keep re-watching the Valencia/Heather stuff. I love Heather running around standing behind different girls, asking V if this is the one. I loved V telling Heather, "My pronouns tracked." I loved Gabrielle's line delivery on "Joseph!" And Josh's original friend group is such a mess. Josh basking in his ego to the point he's making an endless speech and finally has to be shut down and set straight. Hector not getting around to doing the 10 year reunion until 12 years later (and what a tiny reunion it was based on the venue and # of background players). Greg still being pretty much preferring to be detached than all in. I do sort of doubt Greg bailing on the reunion. He still liked those guys when he left. They all bid farewell to him at the airport, even Josh was kind of teary. 

But they suggested Greg had been back before so he probably already caught up with his friends recently. So not necessarily a reason to stay at the reunion.

[possibilities]

3 hours ago, whiporee said:

I don't really see the point, though, of Valencia and Heather leaving if they didn't actually leave.

I was puzzling about that, too, but after puzzling over it for a while, I think it's because they wanted to show Rebecca coping on her own and really being an adult. Her friends and 24/7 support system had to move out, without there being a breakdown in their friendships with her. Same reason Paula didn't get her texts.

[SomeTameGazelle]

9 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I was puzzling about that, too, but after puzzling over it for a while, I think it's because they wanted to show Rebecca coping on her own and really being an adult. Her friends and 24/7 support system had to move out, without there being a breakdown in their friendships with her. Same reason Paula didn't get her texts.

It also meant that Rebecca had moral support from Valencia and Beth while she was in New York and that she had leeway to have Josh move in with her in West Covina. 

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, rejnel said:

You can like or not like the new Greg, but I think critiques that he's too theatre-y are silly. Santino Fontana is primarily a stage actor! Or at least, he was before CEG. The best performers on the show all come from theatre backgrounds, actually. Silly to use that as a criticism.

While I don't agree with the criticism that the new guy is too "theatre-y", I don't think it, in itself, is a silly critique.  Acting on stage is different than acting in front of a camera.  You bring TV-type acting to the stage and odds are you'll be seen as underwhelming/low-energy.  You bring theatre-type acting to a TV show or movie and odds are it'll be seen as too much. That doesn't mean TV characters can't be over the top but it's not about playing to the cheap seats on TV. Many actors know how to adjust their performances to the different venues but when they can't or don't, it's pretty obvious.

Take Crazy Ex, for example.  Patti Lupone praises it because it's one of the recent examples of an artist doing a musical for TV (or film) and have it feel like it's naturally meant for that venue as opposed to a feeling of theater for TV or film.  It's not a common skill the way it used to be during big movie musicals.

[theatremouse]

I might still be laughing about Kamala Hare-ris.

[LisaM]

Loved George’s song! Father Brah and Valencia = a terrific twist. Really enjoyed this episode a lot. Rebecca spilling the truth about sleeping with Greg’s dad...major growth from her. 

[NUguy514]

I was not feeling Skylar Astin as Greg.  At all.  He's just so terribly bland, which is not what Greg as a character is.  I also hated all of the meta commentary on the series-I-mean-holidays and Greg-is-so-different issues, but I've never liked it when shows do that wink-wink thing with the audience.

The Heather/Valencia/Father Brah subplot was awesome, though!

[DianeDobbler]

20 hours ago, Mvnl said:

But they suggested Greg had been back before so he probably already caught up with his friends recently. So not necessarily a reason to stay at the reunion.

Then why go at all? I think it was just a joke, and also a way to get him and Rebecca to hang out alone, but I wish they'd found another way. While not a fan of Real Greg, I think real Greg would have stayed. For all his crabbiness he was quite social. His friend group even showed up to bid him farewell at the airport when he went to Atlanta. 

The meta stuff - I don't usually mind it if there's a natural place for it and the jokes land. Fobbing off "series" as "Series of holidays" is pretty weak.

As an overall thing, this episode did accomplish a lot. It didn't register with me at first, but Rebecca having to handle the Greg situation all on her own was an important step. Paula being too busy studying - and enjoying her studying - to monitor her phone for any alerts from Rebecca is a big step for Paula - she's living her own life more, versus living through others. I loved her office.  I think the Valencia/Father Brah stuff was a whole lot more moving than the Rebecca/Greg stuff, although I did like the song, "Nice to Meet You."

[BonnieD]

Quote

One thing Rebecca does is lean a bit too hard on others to tell her what to do,

And then never listens to their advice and does exactly what she wanted to anyway. LOL

[Yeah No]

On 12/9/2018 at 10:15 AM, mrsbagnet said:

I agree, but I thought she assumed he'd read the letter, but didn't show up for their meeting. She thought he'd rejected her.

And then never addressed it with her as an adult?  I would expect more from Fr. Brah.

[Glory]

Oh George. You win all the awards. 

He was the best part of the episode (minus Heather) and I just loved the "What you missed while you were popular" song. It was pitch perfect. And the dancing. Who knew George could throw down! Awesome. 

[KittenPokerCheater]

I have only come to this show last season and then this one, so when Greg came back on the show, I thought it was fine. I like him actually, and I like the idea that he looks (is) a different person because Rebecca and Greg have changed.  And it was great that Rebecca is still taking responsibility for her actions. And for me, hopefully, they will end up together.  I’m weary of all the shows pulling the “I choose me” endings.  What is wrong with ending up with a guy from time to time?

I loved the bit with the drinks on the bar,  “series” gags, the sweet ending of Valencia and Father Bra, and how it didn’t seem like Greg completely rejected Rebecca when she told him she’s slept with his dad.  (NEVER bang your ex’s Dad).  Also, the awesome “While you were popular.”

And finally, her friend reading all the texts at the end of the episode.

[Mvnl]

3 hours ago, DianeDobbler said:

Then why go at all?

Well they kinda covered that with 'him being in town for the holidays anyway'.

[Iseut]

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And then never addressed it with her as an adult?  I would expect more from Fr. Brah.

Maybe he was too high to really remember. He has a bad back, it's awesome.

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Oh George. You win all the awards. 

He was the best part of the episode (minus Heather) and I just loved the "What you missed while you were popular" song. It was pitch perfect. And the dancing. Who knew George could throw down! Awesome.

That song was perfect. In high school, hubby was a band nerd and I was a drama geek...we were dying laughing throughout and had to pause when they got to the massage circles! HA! Nailed it. Oh, show...you get me.

 

 

[tennisgurl]

 Kamala Hare-ris is adorable, and I am still giggling about that name. Oh Paula, fill that hole your son left behind!

I like Skylar Astin just fine in general, and he has a nice voice, but I dont like him as new Greg. Its super weird, and I just dont see them as the same guy. I get why they want to have Greg back, but if he doesent really feel like Greg, even a more enlightened Greg, whats even the point beyond giving Rebecca some closure? He just seems too normal, without the cynical snarkiness that Greg, even on his best days, had as a part of him. Also, I dont like the Unreliable Narrator aspect of it, thats never been a real part of the show. Yeah, the show has always used meta humor (I`ll be around all season...like all the holidays) before, and has a cartoony attitude towards reality sometimes, but I've never felt like we are literally seeing things from Rebecca's perspective that are totally different. It would be like if we found out that Valencia is actually played by Tina Fey this whole time, its just weird, and raises a million questions. 

George has got some serious movies! Who knew? Loved his whole song, and Josh hanging out with the magic club at the reunion. Josh can be an oblivious idiot, but he really is a good guy in his heart. I can imagine high school Josh being a golden retriever kind of popular kid. 

Valencia and Father Brah is an obvious ret-con, but I liked how it all played out. "I love Beth! And I cant ruin the career of the one not creepy priest I know!" And way to go on that bar staff, Heather! This is why your moving up in the world! The whole plot was pretty fun, and I am really glad that Valencia and Heather weren't gone for long. 

I miss the first season theme song too, Other Rebecca. 

[taragel]

I was thinking the Greg recasting was clever when announced and I quite liked Astin in the Pitch Perfect movies, but I didn't like it in execution. They just felt awkward the entire time to me.  There wasn't much meaning or emotion to Greg being back when he....wasn't Greg. I think Astin sort of has a happy muppet vibe, which works on paper as a Greg whose changed but...he just didn't feel like Greg to me. And the writing wasn't very strong for Greg either. Rebecca seemed to do most of the talking and heavy lifting in their scenes. IDK. I wish it had worked better for me.

I'm very curious to see if they give Rebecca an endgame romance/HEA when the whole show is about illustrating how the conventional romance arc/expectations drive you crazy. I thought there was no way they couldn't when the early seasons were so so heavily focused on her love life. But the show really has moved away from that quite a bit. I can't say it's for the better, as I don't think the show is nearly as strong as it used to be, but...I could see a "I choose me" ending now--in fact that would make more sense than Rebecca ending up with Josh, Greg or Nathaniel.

[DianeDobbler]

Aline Brosh McKenna said that when she sees her exes on their social media accounts they seem like different people / look like different people. And that's really common and usual. She said this with the assurance of someone saying something true, but is it? I've never heard anyone else say that nor is it my experience. It's closer to be like - is that Joe? Yep, same old Joe. 

Did everyone who read that quote from her go - yeah! It's totally true! When you look at pics of your exes, you don't even recognize them!? Because it's news to me. Never heard that one before and wondering if it's a convenient truth ABM made up for these circumstances.

Edited December 11, 2018 by DianeDobbler