07:00 Perfect Strangers
07:30 My Boys
Perfect Strangers. Episode 5. "Check This" Two of the standard elements of Perfect Strangers are present in this episode: Balki creates problems by making an innocent mistake and there's lots of physical comedy involving Larry. This is the one where Larry convinces Balki to move his money (all one hundred and twenty eight dollars of it) to a bank, instead of keeping it under his mattress. Balki, of course, misunderstands how a bank works and spends over three thousand dollars on new furniture. While all of this is going on, Larry is dealing with the pains of a sore back, which means he is bent over double for a good portion of the episode.
In what is probably a unique situation in the history of TV, series regulars Belita Moreno and Sam Anderson appear in this episode but neither one is playing the character they will eventually play on the series. Both make strong impressions with their guest work so it's obvious why the producers wanted to use them later in the run, and ditch Lise Cutter and Ernie Sabella. Cutter is sweet and nice, but she's just not funny. Sabella can be funny sometimes but his comedy style is wrong for the tone of the series. Moreno and Anderson, by sharp contrast, are both very funny and have great chemistry with the boys. Anderson is a great straight-man and his short scene with Balki (in the bank) produces many laughs.
One of my favourite elements of this show is the fact that it always has a message, something to say. This episode has one of very best, when Larry goes crazy over the loss of his original furniture and explains why (he comes from a large family where nothing was ever 'his'). It gives all of the comedy a great grounding in reality. And adds a consistency to the character(s) that lasted for years.
My Boys. Season 2, Episode 4. "Spit Take" It's not just the funniest sit-com on TV (and it is) it's also got one of the best on-going romantic storylines. Witness: PJ's crush on Bobby and her attempts to deal with his engagement to Elsa (Mini Anden). This storyline provided all the best moments of the episode. First the scene where Stephanie 'outed' PJ to Brendan, which perfectly captured the feeling of having your 'secret crush' revealed to your friend/s against your will.
And, secondly, there was that long final scene where PJ and Bobby have their long talk and she... doesn't say anything. Sure, we've seen it on TV before. I don't care. Fact is, we've all lived through that moment in our lives and I always welcome the chance to see it played out in fiction. It's cathartic. A reminder that that even our lonliest moments we are not alone. Someone else has lived though this, too.
Beyond all things PJ, there was much else to savour in this episode. Jim Gaffigan stole all his scenes. That's a given. If Gaffigan wasn't the funniest thing in the show then there would be something to write about!
The on-going Kenny/Mike contrast gets funnier every week. Mike has less and less luck with women, Kenny has turned into a babe magnet, Mike gets more and more frustrated and angry and Kenny is largely oblivious to any of it. It's genius. And the funniest work Jamie Kaler and Michael Bunin have delivered on the series this season. Their chemistry and Bunin's chemistry with Kellee Stewart are other great elements of this show.
Speaking of Stewart, I love the way the writers are able to make Stephanie a large part of every episode without making her part of the group. And I love the fact that she and Kenny hate one another and we don't know why. Again, it just seems like a very real part of having a large group of friends together.
Highlight? My Boys.
Mon, Jul 7, 08 - Perfect Strangers, My Boys
