S06.E04: Big Sauce and Coconut Water

[paulvdb]

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Christy is certain that Bonnie is in over her head when she invites a freshly paroled Tammy to stay with them.

Airdate: October 18, 2018

[Wanda]

I’m guessing this is a tough one to start re: Kristen Johnston. It wasn’t that many years ago she was on a show called the exes and looked a bit closer to people’s first memories of her as Sally Solomon. (Remember when French Stewart a la Harry Solomon,was chef Rudy?) she’s had a lot of serious digestive/intestinal/stomach issues over the year. Her weight had plunged to 100 at 6 ft tall and obviously the opposite, (possibly due to medicines). She actually looks fairly healthy for her, and her techniques were unmistakeable. The sallyness oozed out of her. She’d be an interesting drop by character, not a regular,IMO.

[hnygrl]

I don’t know about this one. I didn’t care for it at all. I hope she’s not gonna be a regular. 

 

Is it me, or has this season been kinda Meh?

Edited October 19, 2018 by hnygrl

[MaryMitch]

Wow, kudos to Bonnie for offering to take on Tammy - that was very un-Bonnie-like.  I liked that Tammy had those skills to help out (actually take over!) managing the apartment building. Win-win!

[bichonblitz]

Kristin Johnson has a rare form of Lupus, she is probably on a lot of meds including steroids which is most likely one reason for her weight gain. 

I love every scene that involves all the girls sitting together at the restaurant. The lines and delivery are so good and their comedic timing is perfection! 

[SuprSuprElevated]

Though I appreciate KJ's comedic talents, she makes one too many scenery chewers in one show, or at one time in a given scene.

Edited October 19, 2018 by SuprSuprElevated

[Blakeston]

I'm really not sure how I felt about Kristen Johnston's performance. I generally love her, but this became hard to watch. But maybe that was the point?

I think it will really depend how much more we end up seeing of her.

[llewis823]

2 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

I love every scene that involves all the girls sitting together at the restaurant. The lines and delivery are so good and their comedic timing is perfection! 

These are my favorite scenes overall too.

21 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

I'm really not sure how I felt about Kristen Johnston's performance. I generally love her, but this became hard to watch. But maybe that was the point?

Same here. I was very tired after her scenes! LOL

[iMonrey]

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She’d be an interesting drop by character, not a regular,IMO.

Agreed, a little of Tammy goes a long way. She was still living at Bonnie and Christie's by the end of this episode so I suspect we haven't seen the last of her. I frankly don't care to see a multiple episode arc about her character, let alone have her become a regular. And I say that as someone who likes Kristen Johnston just fine. 

Quote

Is it me, or has this season been kinda Meh?

Too much of the show is revolving around Bonnie. She's kind of eating the show and I wish they would back off a bit. She may not be as manic as Tammy but she's likewise abrasive and domineering. She's not exactly the kind of person you'd like to hang out with in real life, like you might with the other gals. 

I don't get why Bonnie is sleeping in the same bed with Christie when Adam isn't there. They use the downstairs bedroom when he sleeps over, why on earth would she sleep in Christie's bed when he's not?

Edited October 19, 2018 by iMonrey

[SuprSuprElevated]

6 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Agreed, a little of Tammy goes a long way. She was still living at Bonnie and Christie's by the end of this episode so I suspect we haven't seen the last of her. I frankly don't care to see a multiple episode arc about her character, let alone have her become a regular. And I say that as someone who likes Kristen Johnston just fine. 

Too much of the show is revolving around Bonnie. She's kind of eating the show and I wish they would back off a bit. She may not be as manic as Tammy but she's likewise abrasive and domineering. She's not exactly the kind of person you'd like to hang out with in real life, like you might with the other gals. 

I don't get why Bonnie is sleeping in the same bed with Christie when Adam isn't there. They use the downstairs bedroom when he sleeps over, why on earth would she sleep in Christie's bed when he's not?

<whispers> makes filming easier? lol  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Sarah 103]

4 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

Wow, kudos to Bonnie for offering to take on Tammy - that was very un-Bonnie-like.  I liked that Tammy had those skills to help out (actually take over!) managing the apartment building. Win-win!

My guess, and this is only speculation, is that Bonnie is going to hire Tammy as an assistant and give her a discount on rent in the building. There may be an apartment that is available soon. I do not want Tammy to become a regular character, but I wouldn't mind seeing her every once in awhile. 

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

 

I don't get why Bonnie is sleeping in the same bed with Christie when Adam isn't there. They use the downstairs bedroom when he sleeps over, why on earth would she sleep in Christie's bed when he's not?

Maybe they let Tammy take Christy's room when Adam wasn't there?

[iMonrey]

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I don't get why Bonnie is sleeping in the same bed with Christie when Adam isn't there. They use the downstairs bedroom when he sleeps over, why on earth would she sleep in Christie's bed when he's not?

<whispers> makes filming easier? lol  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah that's what I figured too but it defies logic from the characters' perspective.

[MissLucas]

Not a fan of this episode - not because of the acting or writing but because I had huge problems with Tammy's storyline when she showed up for the first time. I know Bonnie can't be blamed for everything that went wrong in Tammy's life but I would still like to forget how she destroyed Tammy's chances to find a good home and family.

[Tosia]

Tammy was a bit toooooo hyperactive ALL THE TIME.  

It was kind of riveting to watch, like a squirrel loose inside somewhere,   but I do like Kristen Johnston. 

Bonnie does wear thin on me, and I was super happy that Christy let Big Sauce handle Tammy on her own. Love that Christy put herself first and walked away ir went back to bed.  Loved Christy's r references to " Big Sauce ", and how " inspirational" she was being with Tammy.  That showed me Christy was not being codependent and taking on too much by trying to help out, also. 

I floved how Wendy was snarky at the table, too!!!!  The writers need to give her balls more often. Sad Sack Wendy is kind of a drag.  I love all the ladies, esp. Margery because she seems wise and calm ; she needs more lines, also. Jill is awesome just the way she is. 

[SmithW6079]

On 10/20/2018 at 8:23 AM, Tosia said:

I floved how Wendy was snarky at the table, too!!!!  The writers need to give her balls more often. Sad Sack Wendy is kind of a drag.  I love all the ladies, esp. Margery because she seems wise and calm ; she needs more lines, also. Jill is awesome just the way she is. 

 

5 hours ago, Tasha Brand said:

I was hoping someone would finally mention how savage Wendy was in this episode!  I absolutely loved the looks on Jill and Bonnie's faces after she completely roasted them.  The look on Marjorie's face each time Wendy got savage was priceless, as were Jill and Bonnie's own faces when they got burned.

I only started watching this show in the third or fourth season, by accident. I had tried it early on, but didn't think a show about addiction and rock bottom could work as a comedy, so it was already more of an ensemble cast than just Christy, Bonnie, and the children.

I love when Midwest grandmotherly Marjorie drops a line like when she was reminiscing with Tammy about being in prison and always making sure to keep a knife with you. 

[msrachelj]

On 10/19/2018 at 9:41 AM, bichonblitz said:

Kristin Johnson has a rare form of Lupus, she is probably on a lot of meds including steroids which is most likely one reason for her weight gain. 

I love every scene that involves all the girls sitting together at the restaurant. The lines and delivery are so good and their comedic timing is perfection! 

the clothes they had her in did not help. no one would look good in that get up. hopefully if she is a regular they will outfit her in more flattering garb. yes, she has gained a lot of weight but probably due to her medical condition and meds. it is startling, she was once so thin. but shit happens, doesn't it!? i love her but the writers need to tone  her character down a bit. i'm kinda sick of bonnie christy and now the boyfriend. she may be a needed addition . 

[iMonrey]

I like Yvette Nicole Brown too, but she deserves a better and more substantial part on some other show. Here, she'd have a couple lines per episode at most. As it is, the show has given very little material to Marjorie, Wendy and Jill, and they're even in the opening title sequence now. How much more would their screen time have to be cut to give Nora any?

And Tammy is just too much to take on a weekly basis. Bonnie herself is already an over-the-top character. We don't need anyone to out-Bonnie Bonnie.

[Gothish520]

On 10/19/2018 at 7:03 PM, MissLucas said:

Not a fan of this episode - not because of the acting or writing but because I had huge problems with Tammy's storyline when she showed up for the first time. I know Bonnie can't be blamed for everything that went wrong in Tammy's life but I would still like to forget how she destroyed Tammy's chances to find a good home and family.

I probably shouldn't, but I loved that episode. I've said this before, but the scene when Bonnie describes her Tammy backstory is HI-larious. Allison Janney should've gotten the Emmy again for that scene alone.

[Cancerchic44]

Long time reader, 1st post, so hello everyone. I used to love this show and even frequently watch the reruns. Am I wrong or did the producers not say they eliminated the kids from the show to concentrate on the girls in the AA group? Then they add these weird bit parts and we still don’t get a concentration on the main 5 girls. They wrote off Kevin Pollack way too soon, I think some interaction between Christy and her dad would have been great, whether or not he and Bonnie remained a couple. I just don’t get these new people all the time. Seems like every show the “AA girls” still get bit roles while they insert some new and annoying person like Missi Pyle, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Kirsten Johnson. Great people but annoying characters on this show. Last season they added  Steven Weber for a while, who wasn’t bad, but it’s like the show is nothing more than a vehicle for guest stars. 

[possibilities]

I agree, it does seem like they want the show to revolve around Bonnie and Christy and a difficult guest star a lot more than seems necessary. They let the rest of the women in their circle kind of act like background instead of developing them more.

I think they do like to introduce guests in order to highlight the contrast between early recovery and long term sobriety, but it's meant the women in the ensemble are kind of stagnant and the guests are really driving the show.

Edited November 3, 2018 by possibilities

[Gothish520]

I don't see it that way, I think the core group is rock solid and it's fun to see them play off guest characters. If it was the five of them all the time, I think that could get stagnant after awhile. 

I do agree with you @Cancerchic44 as far as Kevin Pollack, I would've liked to have seen more of him, and Christy's half-brothers too, but I guess TPTB wanted to go in a different direction. But really this show has had very few missteps despite how much it has changed since the first couple of seasons. I loved it then and I love it now!

[Chewy101]

I love watching the core cast respond to new characters. But I would like some follow up. Did Regina deciding she could drink in moderation actually work out? And what about Natasha, who is supposed to be working at the restaurant they eat at. And why did they lose Chef Rudy? I have no problem with Tammy, but I do wonder why old characters were just dropped. And what about Bonnie's brother Ray?? The only characters I am glad are gone are the kids. They are better off far from Christy.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Chewy101