It Has To Mean Something

Suburgatory, S02E09

George was forced to hide and help Fred when he was trying to keep secrets about the nature of his job hidden from Shelia.  Tessa, left alone on pain medication, freaked out about aliens stealing teeth after she had gotten her wisdom teeth pulled.  Dallas thought George was only humoring her when he agreed they were ready for "joint decor."  Ryan tried to figure out where he stood with Tessa when came to deliver her homework.

Sadly for George he had a front seat to another chapter of Shay Family Crazy Time.  It was fine for him to give Fred shelter while he worked out his problems, but when Shelia got involved, it was a lot more trouble than it was worth.  I was nearly thinking it was a waste of his time to hide Fred until Fred asked George to go to his house to steal a gift basket that would reveal his real job.  I liked when he tried to walk into the house and ran into Ryan.  They were both trying their best not to seem suspicious to the other.  If George wasn't after that basket, he might have considered what Ryan was sort of suggesting about his intentions with his daughter.  It got even better when Lisa caught him about to walk out of the door.  The two of them had my favorite lines from the story:

[George] I'm not stealing.

[Lisa] I don't care.

It cracks me up that Lisa can look at her neighbor creeping around in her house and not give a damn about what he might be trying to do.  You would think she would be the slightest bit curious, but no.  Lisa always keeps me on my toes because I never know how she's going to react to things.

I have no idea how the hell Fred got from the basement to an ariport shuttle outside when it looked like Shelia was about to gas the basement.  I suppose that's one of those mysteries like when George got the cardboard in the previous episode.  I don't care if Shelia did know his secret after all (not a surprise).  I was just glad Fred was gone from their house.

Tessa was amazing this week because we got to see a side of her we usually don't.  She tends to be pretty cool and collected, but under medication she was so paranoid and wide-eyed.  I loved it.  She was really cute when she was throwing juice at Fred and scared that George and Dallas' souls had been captured in crystal.  I really like seeing characters act outside of their norm for a while.  It's funny to see a different side of them, especially when that side is high and insane.

My favorite part of the episode, though was when Tessa had gotten her mind back and Ryan had visited her.  That whole scene between them was just so great from start to finish.  I loved Ryan putting the sock around her head and telling her she looked like a bunny, him saying that their kiss and his attraction to her has to mean something, and him arguing that they could work because opposites attract.  It just makes me smile when I think about their conversation, even if they haven't quite decided if they're going to give their relationship another shot.  But I'm really hoping that Tessa takes a chance on Ryan again.  He was just so sweet with her that I'm dying to see more scenes like this.  They just have to get together again!

Dallas and George moved into the "joint decor" phase of their relationship, which I wasn't sure that he was really feeling.  But thanks to Tessa (who was also to blame a little bit for the problem in the first place), Dallas learned that George really liked that crystal picture of them sitting on the couch.  Personally, I would think that a picture would have been better, but I guess nothing says Dallas like something etched in crystal, so it might be the best way for George to be reminded of her every time he looks at it (you know, besides her face staring back at him). They're moving along pretty well recently, which is good, but I feel like they might have some kind of bump soon (just because nothing goes this well in TV or life, I guess).

I have to say I just loved this episode because of Tessa and Ryan.  Tessa was so funny when she was shouting about signs of sixes and aliens.  We'll probably never get to see her so unraveled again.  Of course, that was nothing compared to her scene with Ryan.  That has to be one of my favorite moments in this show yet.  If they don't get together again, I'm going to flip out.  They may not be perfect together, but you can't help but wish for them to give it a try anyway.  Like Dallas suggested: if George and her can make it work, then opposites like Tessa and Ryan have a chance at happiness as well.

Witches And Switches

Suburgatory, S02E02

Tessa was worried that a witch was following her so that she could make her a witch too.  Dallas failed to ask George on a date.  George decided to dress up like Noah for the Halloween party after Noah had dressed up like George.

This was a pretty cute Halloween episode.  First of all, we got to see everyone in different costumes.  The ones I enjoyed best were Malik as Fred and Tessa as Daphne from Scooby Doo.  I would have never expected Malik to pick that outfit (and it was only funnier when Ryan had mistakenly thought to wear the same one), but it suited him.  I also thought that Tessa was adorable in a red wig and her boots.  She totally pulled off that look.  What I didn't like too much was Noah being George and vice-versa.

Although I didn't like their costumes because Noah was being an ass, and George with a blonde wig and lack of mustache (I cried out in protest when he raised his razor to his face) was just so very, very wrong, this situation turned out to be funny.  At the party, George was getting the Noah treatment and Noah got George's.  That was hilarious.  I loved that girls were more into Noah as George and that they escorted his ass out when he seemed to be threatening George.  Love seeing someone like Noah get what they deserve.  But because George had dolled himself up like one of the Chatswins zombies, he learned that he had missed an opportunity to date Dallas.

I felt sorta bad that Dallas, although not completely forthcoming in her invitation, was shot down by George.  Oh, but I also have to say the second I saw her in this episode, I knew that her costume was Barbie.  I just never figured she would imagine that George would want to be her Ken.  But I liked that when Dalia let him know the opportunity he had missed (gotta love that girl for telling him how it is), George basically was Ken by then and he and Dallas had upgraded from "friends who flirt."  But we still can't be totally sure that they are going to make it to couple status anytime soon.

I also liked Tessa's story too because the witch following her turned out to be a feminist hippie of some sort and was played by Rachel Dratch. She's just an odd woman no matter what role she plays.  And it was nice for Tessa to meet someone local who wasn't all about dressing up slutty and getting plastic surgery.  If she remains on the show, she could be a good role model for her.  But I just wonder why it is that Paula can sneak into the school and plant her book in certain places without anyone ever noticing.  That's pretty creepy, no matter what message of feminism she's trying to spread to the clueless students of Chatswin.

And speaking of that book she had planted, I wondered how it was okay for Shelia to just burn it when it was a library book.  Well, I did until I learned that Paula was just putting the book in library on her own accord.  So I suppose it's okay.  But still, the principle of the thing.  That lady is nuts.   And so is Lisa for that matter, trying to convince Tessa to stay by her side and claiming spirits were speaking through her.  I was a little more freaked out by her than I was of the so-called witch.

I liked this episode and I'd want to see it again to take my time to admire the other costumes in the episode that I might have missed.  I liked that it wasn't too cheesy with the scary theme, and it didn't take away too much from the underlying stories of the show (like George and Dallas getting closer).  I would have liked to have more Dalia as usual, and I would have loved to see Malik and Ryan get into more over them both being Fred.  Hell, I just want to see more Ryan period.  Oh, and I hope they can work in some more scenes with George shirtless too (did not know he had it going on like that)!

Tessa's "Scott Strauss"

Suburgatory, S01E16

 Dallas starts off this episode showing off more hotties from various countries.  So I guess that she's not going to go for George any time soon. Why would she, really?  I mean, she looks wonderful for her age and is bubbly and fun.  There's no reason for her to settle for only those that she knows.  I'm not going to hate on her game, as much as I'd like to see her get with George.

But my reason for them getting together is ultimately so I can see the tension between Dalia and Tessa reach its peak.  The tension is rising, for sure now.  It's nice to see that Dalia can get at Tessa without even trying (and she certainly wasn't doing that with her "deep" poem about cars).  Tessa thought she had a chance to connect with a teacher she thought would be cool based on her appearance and occupation mostly, but it turns out that Tessa couldn't impress Ms. Evans.  Worse than that, she had to learn a lesson from her archenemy in the process.  After Tessa demands that Dalia tell her the secret to writing poetry Ms. Evans would like, Dalia explains that Tessa is just trying too hard to impress her, just as Dalia was trying too hard with Scott Strauss.  Sadly, Dalia is right about that and that Tessa is a little more pathetic than Dalia was with Scott.  He was a dreamy teenager boy, and Ms. Evans, as Dalia put it, was a middle-aged woman with BO.  I will have to make this episode a win for Dalia.  I haven't been keeping score, but I would have said they had been pretty even until now.  Tessa better not get blinded by someone or something again.  Dalia is an enemy you gotta keep your eye on.

I loved that after Dalia imparts this revelation to Tessa she says:

Yeah, you think about that, Biatch, because I see it sinking in. 

The incontestable winner, Ms. Dalia Royce!

Another good line was from Fred and George after George had displayed his natural talent for playing croquet:

[Fred] You are frothing my wife up into a frothy frenzy!  And I would appreciate a little decorum!
[George] Ah, OK.  I didn't mean to froth anyone.

Again, George has awesome delivery coupled with a deep voice that can make most words hilarious.  This time it was "froth."  I could laugh hearing him read a dictionary if he did it right.

Lastly, I was pleased to see that Dallas hinted again that she and George have a chance.  This was suggested by the ball carrier that she gave him labeled "Georgas."  Not the best couple name ever, but she has to have thought about them being together to think of such a ridiculous name.  Their romance is definitely going to go slowly, but I can wait.  I think I can.

As long as there is no more croquet in the next episode, I'll be happy.  There was only a little bit in this one, and it was too much.  Furthermore, when are we going to see Rex Lee again??  Let's have an episode centered on him.  But I'm always rooting for more of the Dalia-Tessa War.  Can't get enough of that.