As the end of the season approaches, one would expect nothing less than the show to be firing on all cylinders. Thankfully we got a fun well rounded outing this week, that like Party of Six two weeks ago featured the ensemble bouncing off one another for the better half of the episode.
This episode was centered on Penny trying to avoid having tea with a childhood ‘friend’ Daphne (played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis of Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and most recently New Girl) by lying, and you can see why she is incredibly invasive despite her good intentions. It spirals out of control of course, with each lie feeding off each other to form multiple elaborate lies from Penny’s house having water damage, to holidaying in Brad and Jane’s non-existent lake house, to Jane being pregnant, Alex being a lesbian and Dave having a terminal illness. Poor Dave, he got the worst lie out of everyone and it left him zero material to even try to be funny. Elisha Cuthbert got the most mileage playing an Ellen-inspired dancing lesbian and was MVP of the episode for me yet again. My one qualm if I were to nitpick was how well Daphne responded to the truth once all the lies were exposed, but I suppose something as light hearted as this should be expected to have everything wrapped up in a neat happy little bow at episodes end.
There was also a B plot featuring a great guest appearance by Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids) as Max and Dave’s nosy landlord who starts to have a thing for Alex. As for Max’s trash-stove invention, I could take or leave it. It seemed like it was shoehorned into the episode as well as familiar Max hijinks territory. All in all, in an episode that referenced everything from Three’s Company to Revenge, there was a lot to love here.
Other memorable tidbits
- “Just buy a lake house already so we can stop hearing about your big black dock!” – Alex meant to say African American dock. It’s 2012.
- Of course John Krasinski is Alex’s perfect man. Mine too.
- “You’re not the only one that’s good at this game, Emily Thorne.”
- “A tiny suit! For a baby! What, does he have a job? He’s not fooling anybody!” – Brad loves a good baby tux.
- “No, I am not pretending I am pregnant anymore this is not eighth grade gym class.” – Oh Jane.
- Also couldn’t help but notice that this was the second episode of the season focused around lying, after S02E06 Lying Around.
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