October 23, 2006: "I Am Fine."
Adam's back from Bali (his non-honeymoon) and everyone's together for a friendly BBQ... well, until Brian shows up. As if we couldn't see where the video game was headed. Tension... elbows... tackle... didn't I predict punches? Anyone could have.
Nothing's like coming into the office with a black eye. And to a desk full of pictures of random women. Strike one for Jimmy for not even taking the Marjorie pictures out from behind the new ones. Kind of defeats the purpose, if you ask me.
Meanwhile, in another office, Suzanne's got her hands on more than just business ideas. Could she be more risky during a huge meeting? I wasn't even listening to the discussion, because her sneaky stares and ridiculous IMs to Dave were make me roll my eyes incessantly.
Deena nudges Nic where it hurts. "You're just not a baby person." Ouch. For someone waddling her big belly around, that's not something you exactly want to hear on the verge of childbirth. But the ladies work it out at a concert while Dave opens a present from Suzanne. I'm torn, because I want Dave to be happy and desired, but does Suzanne even care if she's a homewrecker?
Aside from all their personal problems, the group hasn't given up on Brian and Adam yet. They keep ending up in the same place at the same time, only to stare each other down a little more.
If I'm being a little harsh this week, it's only because I want more out of these characters and I know it's there. Like the scene where Adam opens the wedding presents and drinks his sorrows into the mess of crumpled wrapping paper. That scene was the most believable.
And then we get thrown back to an awkward-but-funny moment as Deena shows up at Dave's office and introduces herself to Suzanne. Dave balances his nervous smile and sweaty-yet-decent composure pretty well considering the circumstances. Still, I admire Deena's attempt to get more involved in his life - especially after her lack of effort in the past few episodes.
Cut to a couple who may just be in even more trouble: Marjorie's at Adam's door and his black eye is in the purple phase of bruising. She's moving to Minneapolis, tears are flowing and truth is pouring out of her mouth. "You did us both a favor," Adam says. I couldn't stand to hear her explanation any more than he could. Part him, part Brian? That's got to be hard to hear. And yet, he leaves with graceful departing words: "I hope you find what you're looking for. I really do."
I had an inkling the voicemail Adam left the night he opened the wedding gifts was for Brian. I also had a feeling the champagne Dave received was from Deena. But maybe that's the predictability and fun-loving drama we enjoy so much from these lighter shows (unlike some of the other mind-boggling story lines out there, i.e.
Jericho and
Lost). While Adam and Brian's bar brawl turns into an arrest, Dave and Deena are finally screaming it out elsewhere. "I'm done," she says.
And somehow we get relief - in a jail cell, with bloody faces, Adam and Brian laugh about the whole thing. I applaud
Matthew Davis for the most real performance tonight. I liked every expression, reaction and line he spit out.
As for everyone else, I'm a little more interested now that story lines are turning and new possibilities are on the horizon Hey, at least Brian shaved a little, right? Maybe we're on the path to a haircut sometime soon.
