Shosh provides deep wisdom, Lady Mary has a new haircut, and Tomi still desperately yearns for Nick to reunite with Jess – in this edition of What We’re Watching.
Girls, Season 4, Episode 4 – “Cubbies”
Shandle Blaha
What I loved:
Shosh and Jessa talking about popular music = SO MUCH TRUTH. Songs that are awful get played so much you can’t help but bob your head and sing along with self-loathing.
Shosh apologizing to Ray. They can say their ship has sailed, but I will always hold out hope for them getting back together. Their weirdness is the cutest.
Also, everything Shosh said this episode was golden, I want her to write a calendar of daily affirmations for me so I always remember to be honest to myself from my inside.
What could have been better:
Adam! What?! Is Mimi Rose his girlfriend? Did he just get rid of all of Hannah’s stuff? I mean, I am totally #teamAdam, but that is low, dude.
What I’m looking forward to:
What is going to happen to Hannah now that she is back in NY.
Best lines:
“Sometimes the stupidest fucking decision in the world is the right decision for you” – Hannah’s dad giving her some fatherly advice.
“People always talk about how love is like the strongest emotion, but I was scared and sometimes that’s stronger” – wisdom from Shoshanna.
Downton Abbey, Season 5, Episode 6
Shandle Blaha & Frances O’Brien
What we loved:
Frances: The Russian prince & the Dowager: Wow. Those two had a steamy past!! And he loves her still. That confession was a shocker!
About time, Edith! I actually LOVED that Lady Edith FINALLY took matters in her own hands regarding her daughter. Makes me very happy! Hope she finds strength in herself – I may be asking for a lot, but I’m rooting for ya, Edith!
And of course, Lady Mary and her new haircut: scandalous! Haha!
Shandle: I feel odd saying I love this, but I am glad we know Gregson’s fate. And the mention of Hitler and the actual historical references are great tidbits. They make the show feel more authentic to me.
Mrs. Patmore wisely telling Daisy to be kind, “We should always be polite to people who are kind there’s not much of it about.”
And Anna & Bates! I’m glad the truth is finally out there.
What could have been better:
Frances: I felt so bad when Barrow was trying to “inject the gay away” with saline solution and electroshock. At least Dr. Clarkson was understanding.
Shandle: Me, too, Tom’s vulnerability is the one thing that keeps me from completely hating him. I also hated Mary’s complete lack of sympathy for Edith.
What we’re looking forward to:
Edith’s situation with her child. Also, Lady Rose and Atticus. Could they be getting serious?
Shit The Dowager Says:
“All this endless thinking . . . it’s very overrated. I blame the war. Before 1914 nobody thought about anything at all.”
New Girl, Season 4, Episode 14 – “Swuit”
Tomi Wiley James
What I loved:
Excuse me while I do a little dance. *Charlie Browns* Okay, now that that’s out of the way: WhatsHerName broke up with Nick! YARS! Oh thank the LORD! And she breaks up with him because he’s too ambitious? Nick? She just wants someone to sit around on the couch with all day? Well fine, move it along sister, go flop on your own designer couch for a while. Maybe Peter Gibbons will wander through and ya’ll can be lazy and delusional together.
Now back to happier times: Schnick Industries, Then and Now. Then (during his college days with Fat Schmidt), Nick imagined and predicted the smartphone. (That’s my Nick!) Now he and Schmidt invent the Swuit, a suit made entirely of sweatpants material. (I’ll take three, please.)
Having resurrected their invention business, Nick and Schmidt are set to pitch the idea to an exec at a home shopping network. I love it! I love their banter and eventual partnership dissolution, because even in their angst these two guys have a chemistry that crackles and engages. Being Nick and Schmidt, of course, they argue over who’s the boss, who has the better ideas, and the struggle is real.
“Do you think Hewlett had to put up with this from Packard?” a frustrated Schmidt to Nick
A newer aspect to the show developing is the dynamic and friendship between Coach and Winston, which starts to solidify in this episode as they team together to “invest” in CeCe (read: loan her money for college). Winston has one of the biggest hearts in TVLand, and Coach is, well, a Wayans and naturally, intrinsically funny. Their relationship is something I very much look forward to seeing grow and deepen as the season goes on.
There are some really solid Schmidt one-liners in this episode when Schmidt and Nick’s business partnership takes a hit and Jess – ever the peacemaker – works to get them back together by telling each that the other is feeling vulnerable because of “man problems.” I won’t recount them here so that you must go watch the episode. Let’s just say that I want to know what Wet Tuesday is.
Also? I love how Jess sings what she’s doing in the car, because I do, too. I pretty much sing most of what I do, as I do it, especially to and about my pets. I’m sure it drives my kids crazy, but at least my husband thinks it’s cute, and he sings along, too.
Finally, I love how Schmidt and Nick allude to how they lay in bed for a while at night and go over their day. I love to envision that, and their friendship is something I think everyone – male, female, mixed – should aspire to. I know I do.
What could have been better:
Oh my god, that scene when Schmidt and Nick pitch their new invention (they ditch the Swuit and go with the Perfect Pet Pic, which is actually a super idea) to the TV executive is excruciating. Nick comes across as so pathetic. I know it was necessary and comedy relief, but it’s just painful for me. But HEY! At least WhatsHerName (turns out her name is Kai) breaks up with him because he’s “too ambitious,” so he at least redeemed by the end of the episode.
What I’m looking forward to:
Get back with Jess! Nick! Get back with Jess please! New Girl writers, please, take heart: work your way back to Nick and Jess, because their chemistry in the old days was compelling. There’s good stuff there! Pleeeeease?
Leave a Reply