S06.E17: A Dark Closet and Therapy with Horses

[paulvdb]

Quote

Bonnie reluctantly consults a therapist, Trevor (Rainn Wilson), for help with her ADD, and Christy battles her urge to gamble on sports while helping out at the bar.

Airdate: March 7, 2019

[Lily H]

This show has taken a nosedive. I had to bail about halfway through. Couldn't take any more of whiny self-indulgent Bonnie and annoying incompetent Tammy. Rainn Wilson was the only watchable part of the show. I've been enjoying a lot of the reruns of the early seasons, when the show was so good. Where have all the good comedies gone?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Lily H said:

This show has taken a nosedive. I had to bail about halfway through. Couldn't take any more of whiny self-indulgent Bonnie and annoying incompetent Tammy. Rainn Wilson was the only watchable part of the show. I've been enjoying a lot of the reruns of the early seasons, when the show was so good. Where have all the good comedies gone?

Everyone except the dog was unlikeable in the beginning but it got better by the end. The therapist called Bonnie on her crap and by the end Tammy was waitressing like a pro. 

I appreciate the realism and growth but this needed more humor. Putting two emotional heavy plots in the same episode was a mistake.

I am getting really tired of Christy. She seems to be stuck in the same basic plot over and over again with very little lasting growth. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Guest

[AnimeMania]

Has the laugh track/audience laughing always been this noticeable. It was really distracting this episode, they laughed at everything non-stop.

[MissLucas]

I was not happy with last week's ADD reveal but I think they handled it pretty well this week. Of course Bonnie would start to use the diagnosis as a universal crutch for her life - glad the therapist called her on that bs. But not happy with her refusal to show a smidgen of appreciation for Wendy. To quote a waitress from a past season 'You ungrateful giraffe'.

Agreed that Christy is caught in a repeating plot-lines loop. Time to move things along with her character. 

[bichonblitz]

I agree, I'm tired of Christy's addictions. I also find it highly unlikely that a recovering alcoholic can work in a bar serving drinks all night and be perfectly ok with it, yet the gambling addiction is now her weakness. I also don't get why of all the business ventures  the Adam character could be interested in, he is given the plot line of owning a bar. With a fiancee and "stepdaughter" in recovery.  C'mon now. 

The precious dog was the best part of this episode. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by bichonblitz
fiancee not finance

[Snow Apple]

I loved the dog. Tammy amused me when she got the hang of balancing the trays. I also laughed when the woman said "porn" when the GA sponsor asked what was on her phone. Other than that, it was a bit boring. I missed the other ladies. The ensemble of the AA group playing off each other is what I like about this show.

[bichonblitz]

6 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

The ensemble of the AA group playing off each other is what I like about this show.

It is the very best part of the show. 

[Blakeston]

6 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

I agree, I'm tired of Christy's addictions. I also find it highly unlikely that a recovering alcoholic can work in a bar serving drinks all night and be perfectly ok with it, yet the gambling addiction is now her weakness.

And in the weeks that she'd worked there, she was never even tempted to drink!

That was extremely difficult for me to believe.

[Chaos Theory]

This show was funny for so long that it is sad that it has gotten so long in the tooth.  It either needs an actual direction or to end.   

For the record I have known alcoholics who work at bars.  They are fine as long as they do t accept free drinks from their customers which is one of the perks of being a bartenders.  My guess is that Christy has effectively dealt with her alcoholism at least enough that she can walk into a bar and be ok.  Her gambling is another matter.

Edited March 8, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

And in the weeks that she'd worked there, she was never even tempted to drink!

But Christy has always worked at a restaurant that served drinks the whole time she was in recovery and wasn't tempted to drink, so this seems reasonable.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

I agree, I'm tired of Christy's addictions. I also find it highly unlikely that a recovering alcoholic can work in a bar serving drinks all night and be perfectly ok with it, yet the gambling addiction is now her weakness. I also don't get why of all the business ventures  the Adam character could be interested in, he is given the plot line of owning a bar. With a fiancee and "stepdaughter" in recovery.  C'mon now. 

The precious dog was the best part of this episode. 

Christy full time job involves serving alcohol. If she hadn’t dealt with that temptation she would have never made it to five years sober. 

I have been rewatching the series from the beginning and they have been clearly developing that Christy has an addictive personality. They have really ramped it up over the last year but the signs have always been there. I just really hope there is a plan for where this is building to. 

[illdoc]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

And in the weeks that she'd worked there,

Weeks??? I was under the impression that Christy only started there/picked up some shifts during March Madness, which had only just started. 

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

. I missed the other ladies. The ensemble of the AA group playing off each other is what I like about this show.

Wendy and Marjorie are my favorites. I was disappointed that we only got one scene with them last night. I'd also like to see Regina hit another rock bottom and realize she really is an alcoholic and rejoin the group again.

[Gothish520]

This wasn't a laugh-a-minute episode but I thought they handled both Bonnie and Christy's issues well. Rainn Wilson was good as the therapist, and I really like Sam McMurray as Christy's GA sponsor.

And of course Gus is adorable, and I'm not even a dog person. 

[LucyEth]

Last night was not a great episode, not really funny.  I did love seeing Rainn Wilson.  I also wish we  would see more of the core group working things out together.  I like the character of Tammy, think she is about the funniest character on the show right now.  Christy as usual got wrapped up in herself.  

[AnimeMania]

I just realized that the title of this episode is "A Dark Closet and Therapy with Horses".

[jmonique]

I stopped watching as soon as Christy was taught you can bet through apps. Nope. I saw this storyline two years ago. And earlier this year with the smoking. 

[bybrandy]

I've known alcoholics who have worked at bars and an alcoholic who owned a bar.  I buy Christie didn't have trouble with her drinking there.  I mean she serves alcohol at the restaurant, too.   And Tammy somewhere along the line learned to serve.   

[Morlock]

18 hours ago, Lily H said:

This show has taken a nosedive. I had to bail about halfway through. Couldn't take any more of whiny self-indulgent Bonnie and annoying incompetent Tammy. Rainn Wilson was the only watchable part of the show. I've been enjoying a lot of the reruns of the early seasons, when the show was so good. Where have all the good comedies gone?

It is reminding me a lot of Big Bang Theory, a show that used to make me laugh out loud often but the last few seasons have been lousy. It's meant to be a comedy but it seems to be more about melodrama now as per BBT. 

17 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Has the laugh track/audience laughing always been this noticeable. It was really distracting this episode, they laughed at everything non-stop.

We are probably noticing it more now because the jokes aren't funny but the laugh track implies it is meant to be hilarious. Take away the laugh track and I would think I was watching drama most of the time.

15 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

I agree, I'm tired of Christy's addictions. I also find it highly unlikely that a recovering alcoholic can work in a bar serving drinks all night and be perfectly ok with it, yet the gambling addiction is now her weakness. I also don't get why of all the business ventures  the Adam character could be interested in, he is given the plot line of owning a bar. With a fiancee and "stepdaughter" in recovery.  C'mon now. 

The precious dog was the best part of this episode. 

It is a bit much now. Smoking, drinking, gambling was it drugs too at one point? Overall you would think they would just let her smoke. It is an odd business to put him in given the nature of the show and the main characters. But he was drinking around them anyway even before the bar so maybe they thought what the hell?

Also seems funny of all of Christy's addictions that drinking is the one she seems most able to avoid. You would think that would be the easiest to slip back into especially working in restaurants and now a bar.

[Gothish520]

21 minutes ago, jmonique said:

I stopped watching as soon as Christy was taught you can bet through apps. Nope. I saw this storyline two years ago. And earlier this year with the smoking. 

But I like that they made it a gray area -  Christy didnt actually gamble any of her money, she just helped others gamble theirs. 

[bybrandy]

2 minutes ago, Morlock said:

It's meant to be a comedy but it seems to be more about melodrama now as per BBT. 

But it has always been melodrama.  Christie's homelessness, Christie's father's death. From the second series on they've sometimes gone heavy on the not so very funny archs.   

[Morlock]

49 minutes ago, Gothish520 said:

But I like that they made it a gray area -  Christy didnt actually gamble any of her money, she just helped others gamble theirs. 

That is still gambling in a way though and they were giving her tips. A weird one as she can hold a glass of alcohol without actually drinking it but helping someone gamble is still going through the motions of gambling?

48 minutes ago, bybrandy said:

But it has always been melodrama.  Christie's homelessness, Christie's father's death. From the second series on they've sometimes gone heavy on the not so very funny archs.   

Maybe I am just not as amused as I once was with the show?  I am only a casual viewer too. 

[possibilities]

That was a pretty swanky office for a free therapist. I was expecting a clinic type situation with a distracted and over-worked person trying to manage a crushing sized caseload. Still, I liked the therapist.

I think the deal with Christy is that she replaces each addiction with another because she hasn't addressed her underlying issues.

[nodorothyparker]

I do like how this show keeps giving meaty bits to actors who've cut their comedy chops elsewhere but maybe haven't gotten such high profile work in awhile.

I also like that Rainn Wilson's therapist was quick to call Bonnie on using her newly found ADD as an excuse for everything but also managed to catch her off guard in pointing out while sure, it may have hampered her it had also given her the coping mechanism she needed to survive her childhood.  No, it's not laugh out loud funny, even if the AA women's reaction to her news that this means she won't be "editing" her anger anymore was.  This is the second episode in a row that hasn't been, but I've always admired how thoughtful and dark this show is willing to go in exploring how all these issues are interconnected and rarely happen in a vacuum rather than always going for the easy laughs.  Without some serious therapy and overhaul, Christy seems to be one of those people who's always going to be transferring one addiction to another.  Sam McMurray's GA sponsor was great in highlighting that it wasn't her not being the one to actually place the bet itself that mattered as much as her getting off on the adrenaline high of it.  It might have been easier if the other characters had just let her smoke.

[SmithW6079]

So is this Allison Janney's Emmy submission, or are we waiting for the obligatory very special one-woman episode wherein Bonnie digs deep into the depths of her pain, emoting so hard she peels the paint off the walls?

I dislike Rainn Wilson, and this episode really didn't do anything to change my mind.

I've noticed that addiction issues became "issues" only when the story calls for it. Bonnie has no problem dating a man who drinks and gets high in front of her while trying to remain sober, even though I would imagine trying to reduce temptation would be one of the tools an addict would use. Christy works in a dive bar to make some extra money? I can see the restaurant, because it looks like a classy establishment not filled with drunks who want to get as drunk as possible.

Adam's only recourse for additional help is hiring two alcoholics to help serve, not say, reaching out to a temp agency or anything like that to get some experienced help?

Christy's law school story is just unbelievable. I really wish they had put her on a social worker track or something other than lawyer.

Wendy, like Meg on "Family Guy," Mr. Frond on "Bob's Burgers," the dad from "Rick and Morty" appears to be the character who exists so everyone else can shit on her.

[Morlock]

17 hours ago, possibilities said:

That was a pretty swanky office for a free therapist. I was expecting a clinic type situation with a distracted and over-worked person trying to manage a crushing sized caseload. Still, I liked the therapist.

I think the deal with Christy is that she replaces each addiction with another because she hasn't addressed her underlying issues.

That is true. I also think she is chasing a buzz all the time. So when one buzz is taken from her she seeks another. And then becomes addicted to that as well. Exercise would probably be the best buzz rush for her but that isn't much fun lol.

[Morlock]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

So is this Allison Janney's Emmy submission, or are we waiting for the obligatory very special one-woman episode wherein Bonnie digs deep into the depths of her pain, emoting so hard she peels the paint off the walls?

I dislike Rainn Wilson, and this episode really didn't do anything to change my mind.

I've noticed that addiction issues became "issues" only when the story calls for it. Bonnie has no problem dating a man who drinks and gets high in front of her while trying to remain sober, even though I would imagine trying to reduce temptation would be one of the tools an addict would use. Christy works in a dive bar to make some extra money? I can see the restaurant, because it looks like a classy establishment not filled with drunks who want to get as drunk as possible.

Adam's only recourse for additional help is hiring two alcoholics to help serve, not say, reaching out to a temp agency or anything like that to get some experienced help?

Christy's law school story is just unbelievable. I really wish they had put her on a social worker track or something other than lawyer.

Wendy, like Meg on "Family Guy," Mr. Frond on "Bob's Burgers," the dad from "Rick and Morty" appears to be the character who exists so everyone else can shit on her.

I agree. Although Christy at this point has so many addictions she would need to lock herself in a room without phone, TV or internet to avoid them all as gambling is possible with all of them in one way or another. 

I don't get the Bonnie dating a guy who does dope and booze either let alone running a bar. It seems too much and kind of like poking fun at the whole addiction thing. 

I don't buy that someone like Christy can become a lawyer either. It is too much of a sudden leap. If they did it in slow stages over a long period of time maybe like social worker than something else etc but just because she does a degree doesn't mean she will be any good in the real world. 

[Bort]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

Adam's only recourse for additional help is hiring two alcoholics to help serve, not say, reaching out to a temp agency or anything like that to get some experienced help?

Isn't the show set in the San Francisco area? Aren't there thousands of college students who'd love part time work?

[Morlock]

2 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

Wendy, like Meg on "Family Guy," Mr. Frond on "Bob's Burgers," the dad from "Rick and Morty" appears to be the character who exists so everyone else can shit on her.

I feel that way about Marjorie as well, she seems to give a lot more than she gets in return. Bonnie in particular is a leech when it comes to support and attention!

[AnimeMania]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Isn't the show set in the San Francisco area? Aren't there thousands of college students who'd love part time work?

Don't do this, I learned my lesson when I thought that they lived in L.A.

After a long debate it was determined they live in Santa Rosa.

To see the debate read the later posts in this thread.   

[Guest]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Isn't the show set in the San Francisco area? Aren't there thousands of college students who'd love part time work?

It’s set about an hour north of San Francisco in Napa. There would still be a lot of students in the area but I thought he just wanted temp help for the March Madness rush. 

Edited March 10, 2019 by Guest

[Morlock]

1 hour ago, Dani said:

It’s set about an hour north of San Francisco in Napa. There would still be a lot of students in the area but I thought he just wanted temp help for the March Madness rush. 

Was going to say the same https://www.hgtv.com/design/celebrity/on-set-with-cbss-mom

I'm not American though so have no idea of the demographics. 

[SmithW6079]

4 hours ago, Morlock said:

I feel that way about Marjorie as well, she seems to give a lot more than she gets in return. Bonnie in particular is a leech when it comes to support and attention!

But at least Marjorie has had story lines about her, right? I'm a casual viewer, but she did get married, become widowed, fall off the wagon, didn't she? Wendy has had nothing, only abuse from Bonnie, and to a slightly lesser extent, Jill and Christie.

Edited March 10, 2019 by SmithW6079

[Morlock]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

But at least Marjorie has had story lines about her, right? I'm a casual viewer, but she did get married, become widowed, fall off the wagon, didn't she? Wendy has had nothing, only abuse from Bonnie, and to a slightly lesser extent, Jill and Christie.

I'm just a casual viewer too but I think Marjorie has had a couple of stories around her. Seems odd that you have an ignored character and yet they still decide to throw a new one in the mix that ex prisoner. 

[Blakeston]

On 3/8/2019 at 3:37 PM, illdoc said:

Weeks??? I was under the impression that Christy only started there/picked up some shifts during March Madness, which had only just started. 

Her Gamblers Anonymous sponsor said something about her working at the bar "night after night," so I assumed it had been a decent amount of time. Maybe not, though.

On 3/8/2019 at 3:35 PM, Dani said:

Christy full time job involves serving alcohol. If she hadn’t dealt with that temptation she would have never made it to five years sober. 

It's one thing for Christy to deal with temptation, it's another thing for her to say she doesn't have temptation at all. She claimed that she hadn't at any point been tempted to drink while working at the bar.

I would expect that she would feel tempted to drink on a regular basis. That's how she makes it sound sometimes when she shares at AA. And if she doesn't have any temptation to drink, why does her life revolve around AA so much?

I wouldn't have had an issue with it if she'd said that she'd never come close to falling off the wagon while working there.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

It's one thing for Christy to deal with temptation, it's another thing for her to say she doesn't have temptation at all. She claimed that she hadn't at any point been tempted to drink while working at the bar.

 I would expect that she would feel tempted to drink on a regular basis. That's how she makes it sound sometimes when she shares at AA. And if she doesn't have any temptation to drink, why does her life revolve around AA so much?

I wouldn't have had an issue with it if she'd said that she'd never come close to falling off the wagon while working there.

Christy has an addictive personality. I believe that she can work there without being tempted because she was getting her high from her indirect participation in the gambling. Christy has been sober for the length of the show but she never goes very many episodes without fueling her addiction in some less obvious way.  Her life revolves around AA because it is easy to see the problems caused by her drinking. The cause and effect with her other additions are less clear. 

[possibilities]

The 12 steps of AA can be applied to other addictions; it's not just about not drinking. There's a whole program around how to stay sober and recover from the patterns of addiction. I see her being in AA after not drinking for 5 years as being part of a support group that keeps her on that path.

Of course, her not applying the system to other addictions is problematic, but I've also seen it happen in real life, so I don't find it that hard to believe. Joining other groups that specialize in her other trigger addictions, like gambling, also gives her access to people who share some of the same specifics and have developed strategies to avoid relapses.

It's a lot. But some addicts do have a lot of issues to work through.

[eel2178]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 8:31 PM, Morlock said:

It is a bit much now. Smoking, drinking, gambling was it drugs too at one point?

She was a food addict at one point, too.

[eel2178]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 10:45 PM, possibilities said:

I think the deal with Christy is that she replaces each addiction with another because she hasn't addressed her underlying issues.

This is the same road they've taken with Jill, too. However, Jill can afford to go to as many expensive rehab facilities as she wants to.

[BrianGriffin17]

This episode was consistent with the season. Solid but underwhelming. IT feels the show has taken a nosedive some what. And yeah I agree about the whole Adam having a Bar, when he is alcaholic. Not to mention his Fiances Addiction issues. But you got to understand it is a comedy. ITs all exagerrated. With Christie she has an addictive personality. She is just replacing one addiction for another. 

I did prefer the show more. When the Character of Christie had more sympathy as a working mother. I Said this in another episode thread. But the best episode was Violets return. Good principal character who enhances a main character. Only time I felt sorry for Christie. And what happened to Roscoe? Her young son. All Baxter? Seems ever since Season 4 they have shifted the focus to the Recovery Group. I understand it. But I Feel the shows lost its multi dimensional appeal in a way. The show has never been a typical Laugh out comedy. It always was more darker then most sitcoms. I just feel Bonnie and Christie have lost their main function as primary characters. I Am not really a fan of the support group tbh. I guess you could argue it is like when they added Amy and Bernadette in TBBT. I got used to them, but preferred the mainstays. 

[funky-rat]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 6:03 PM, Morlock said:

That is true. I also think she is chasing a buzz all the time. So when one buzz is taken from her she seeks another. And then becomes addicted to that as well. Exercise would probably be the best buzz rush for her but that isn't much fun lol.

My husband has APD.  This is exactly what happens.  Until they get to the root of why they do what they do, it just reverts to something else. 

He started out with booze and cigarettes.

He quit cigarettes (I told him I didn't date smokers), and the booze intensified.

He quit booze (because I threatened to walk), and he got really in to martial arts.

He quit martial arts (not his choice - complicated), and he got really in to church.

He quit church (sometimes I think it's worse than middle school), and he got really in to his job.  He also got in to bowling, and at one point started drinking socially again, and really got in to video games.

He had a nervous breakdown, and quit drinking and bowling, and has greatly weaned back on video games.  But he still hasn't gotten to the core of what is causing this, despite 2.5 years sober, and I am constantly alert for what could be the next issue.  I suspect it could be TV.  He's been stacking the DVR full lately.

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 4:29 PM, SmithW6079 said:

Adam's only recourse for additional help is hiring two alcoholics to help serve, not say, reaching out to a temp agency or anything like that to get some experienced help?

I can see this.  The bar and Adam were in deep financial problems, so he could just be looking for cheap or under-the-table labor.  

[Bort]

9 hours ago, BrianGriffin17 said:

Adam having a Bar, when he is alcaholic.

Adam isn't an alcoholic.

[bad things are bad]

Quote

I've known alcoholics who have worked at bars and an alcoholic who owned a bar. 

The olds among us might remember that Sam Malone was an alcoholic, and he owned Cheers. 

Count me among those who was happy to see Rainn Wilson, particularly not being too Dwight-y

[SmithW6079]

4 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Adam isn't an alcoholic.

I think he's certainly got tendencies in that direction, because it doesn't seem like he drinks and gets high just because he enjoys the taste of booze and pot, but because he wants to get shitfaced drunk and/or high.

[Bort]

4 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I think he's certainly got tendencies in that direction, because it doesn't seem like he drinks and gets high just because he enjoys the taste of booze and pot, but because he wants to get shitfaced drunk and/or high.

But that's pretty much the reason for anybody to drink. Adam is capable of being sober without the compulsion to drink all the time.

[SmithW6079]

6 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

But that's pretty much the reason for anybody to drink. Adam is capable of being sober without the compulsion to drink all the time.

There's drinking because you enjoy the taste and because you might want a slight buzz. Getting so shitfaced drunk -- as we've seen Adam on numerous occasions -- that you can't remember where you're going or what you're doing is more than drinking for enjoyment.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

There's drinking because you enjoy the taste and because you might want a slight buzz. Getting so shitfaced drunk -- as we've seen Adam on numerous occasions -- that you can't remember where you're going or what you're doing is more than drinking for enjoyment.

It is possible to have a drinking problem but not be an alcoholic. A large number of people go through periods where they are problem drinkers but never develop a true addiction. I would say Adam falls into that group.

I initially thought they were going the route of making him an alcoholic but they have backed off from that significantly. He actually seems to be drinking less since he opened the bar. 

Edited March 11, 2019 by Guest

[Bort]

37 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

There's drinking because you enjoy the taste and because you might want a slight buzz. Getting so shitfaced drunk -- as we've seen Adam on numerous occasions -- that you can't remember where you're going or what you're doing is more than drinking for enjoyment.

Isn't Scenario A what we usually see from Adam? I honestly haven't noticed Adam in Scenario B a whole lot, which is why I don't consider him any sort of at-risk drunk.

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

Isn't Scenario A what we usually see from Adam? I honestly haven't noticed Adam in Scenario B a whole lot, which is why I don't consider him any sort of at-risk drunk.

Wasn’t there an episode where they addressed Adam’s drinking?

Edited because I had episodes mixed up. They did address Adam’s drinking and pot use in the 4th season which led to them breaking up briefly but I can’t remember the specifics. At that point he did seem to be a problem drinker but I wouldn’t consider him a alcoholic. 

Edited March 11, 2019 by Guest