One Mama, Two Mamas

The Cleveland Show, S03E21

Donna was upset about not knowing her mother, so Cleveland tried to look for her.  He settled on paying an actress to pretend to be her long-lost mother, but it backfired on him twice when the actress wouldn't leave and suddenly died during Donna's recorder dedication to her.  Cleveland came clean and Donna kicked him out of the house.  When Donna's real mother came to see him at work, Cleveland got the idea to put them both in the hospital so that Donna would have a chance to talk to her mother without her knowing.  Donna wasn't immediately pleased when she discovered what he had done, but eventually she was happy to finally know her mother.

I think the best thing about Cleveland hiring someone to play Donna's mother was that the woman he picked was voiced by Loretta Devine.  She's just such a pleasant, motherly-sounding woman that I could buy that even with her terrible acting (Cleveland really should have selected better) that someone would at least want to believe she was their mother.  I'm glad that Cleveland's plan didn't develop into a drawn-out blackmail and eventual breakdown of all the lies the actress made up and the woman just suddenly died instead.  Who would think that would ever happen?  But if it had never happened that way, I doubt with Cleveland's "expert" finding skills that he would have gotten any closer to locating Didi.

I didn't understand at first what the hell crashing Cleveland's car into a tree was going to do to help Donna and Didi meet.  There could have been a million other ways to get them together secretly without Donna having a clue she was speaking to her own mother.  I was hoping that the reason Didi abandoned Donna was something more sorted and shameful, but it was a fairly tame reason.  She didn't want to give up her fame to raise a child--pretty simple.  We have no idea what happened to her father and all, but I guess he doesn't really matter in the story.  Anyway, Donna did grow up with Auntie-Mama, who probably did a better job raising her than Didi ever could.  So no matter what reason she left, it didn't feel like it really screwed up Donna's life all that much.  The most interesting thing about her story was that Didi had no idea that her brother Kevin was a cross-dresser.  She could spill the beans about Auntie-Mama's true identity (or I suppose she did after the episode ended).

None of the jokes particularly worked for me this time, but I did slightly like when Junior was talking to Donna's fake mother and tried to find out what kind of candy she had in her purse.  He got frustrated quickly and told her to just give it to him, and he just grabbed the first thing closest to a sweet he could find.  I don't know why he needs to be so desperate for a snack (especially from someone he just met), but damn.  I like when Junior has these random explosions over insignificant things.

If they had to do a Mother's Day type story, I'm glad it wasn't about Cleveland's mother and they took the time to explain a little more about Donna's past.  I can't say that her past was incredibly interesting, but at least no one has to wonder why Donna's mother never comes to visit.  I don't know why that thought would cross anyone's mind, but at least it doesn't have to now.  I would have liked to see Rallo do something special for his mother in the episode, but they all can't focus heavily on him.  I wish they would, but I know they won't.

Stop Hatin' On Her Purse

2 Broke Girls, S01E21

Caroline kept coming down on Max about her messy and randomly ordered purse.  Her comments didn't convince Max to get a new purse, but did convince her to shun her help with her taxes and pay someone else to do them.  Max nearly had her taxes done by someone with little knowledge of what he was doing and nearly gave up filing them for the first time at all.  After the girls had to dig in the dumpster to find Earl's tax forms that Max had mistakenly thrown at, Max had a change of heart about putting off filing her taxes and rushed to do them before the post office closed.  They just barely managed to submit the envelope before it hit midnight.

As a girl who doesn't have a purse where everything is always in the proper place, I identified with Max and her style of organization.  If Caroline wanted to help Max, especially with her taxes, she didn't need to make so much fun about how the contents of Max's purse on any given day were a mystery.  Since they are friends, I would expect her to rag on her a little bit and then get on with it, but Caroline just went on and on about it.  For someone who has never done taxes in her life, instead of trying to discourage her about her bad habits, Caroline should have applauded her for trying.  Because according to Max's cycle of giving up on her taxes, she basically gave up each time before she even started.  But then again, it's not Caroline's fault that Max kept putting off filing each year.  Still, Caroline just needs to shut up sometimes and see things from others' points of view.

I didn't think it was so gross that they were in the dumpster.  Caroline described some of the stuff she was standing in, but at least the trash wasn't all wet and had been sitting out in the sun.  And neither complained of insects or rodents moving around in there.  I was hoping that their trash fight would get more intense, but it each of them got one toss at each other and they were done.  And wasn't even that bad of stuff.  Some noodles and I don't even know what Caroline dumped on Max, but it was solid enough that she could just brush it off.  Can't believe they were going to shower after that with the clock ticking.  I would have just toweled off and frebrezed myself so I could make the post office deadline.

I liked that Max reconsidered doing her taxes on time after seeing that her drug dealer, a single mother, and a blind man could all do their taxes within the time frame (albeit at the last minute, but still on time).  And it was cute that everyone was helping her fill out the forms and cheering her on.  I thought the all-business postal worker was going to throw Max's non-stamped envelope back at her, but she was nice enough to cover for her.  Aww.  Guess that lady was sweeter than she looked.  I really like that this show has a pretty much guaranteed happy ending.  Or at least one where things end up on toward the upside.

This wasn't one of my favorite episodes, due to Caroline talking too much, but it wasn't too bad.  I wasn't too interested in what was going on with Sophie and Oleg (ugh), but that story was so small that it really wasn't worth mentioning until now.  I just wonder with Max filing her taxes for the first time if there will be another episode where she has to endure penalties or something.  It would be nice if they just overlooked that for TV's sake, but I worry that the more she starts to act like a proper, contributing adult, the more she is going to have to pay money that she doesn't have.  I guess, though, that will make for some interesting stories later, but since I like Max the best, so I'm always concerned how things are ultimately going to affect her.

Don's Not A Murderer, But Peggy's A Little Racist

Mad Men, S05E04

Don came down with a fever and imagined having an affair and killing the woman involved.  Peggy bonded with the new secretary, Dawn, and let her stay the night despite she didn't trust her 100 percent.  Sally butted heads with Henry's mother and felt terrified when she learned more about some recent murders.  Joan welcomed her husband back from the war, only to send him packing when he proved that he cared more about the respect and status he got from the army than his own family.

I liked seeing Don a little sick.  I was hoping that we get to see Megan taking care of him, but most of that happened while we watched Don seemingly slip back into his old habits.  I was going to get so angry at Don if he had really slept with one of his old skanks.  Thank goodness it was fever-induced dream.  I was most worried when I saw him choke the bitch--how in the world would he cover that up??  Especially since he killed her and then hid her body under the bed.  And he didn't even hide it well--there was one leg still poking out.  I let out a breath when the morning came and Megan was talking to him per usual.  I could see Don possibly involved in a murder cover up, but hopefully not so sloppily.  I mean, I don't want Don to go to jail.  He's not that bad of a person.  Not yet, anyway.  I wonder if this dream signifies him "killing" that sleazy part of himself.  I really hope so.

I was pleased to see that Dawn wasn't going to just be a background character completely.  Her starting a friendship with Peggy was a good way to ensure that she could get some screen time, but what the hell was up with that moment with her purse??  I'll give Peggy points for not taking her purse out of the room, but she sure as hell wasn't smooth about those few seconds where she wondered if it was okay to leave it in the room with her.  She did just get a huge payday for saving Roger's ass--guess money like that she can't just have sitting around unguarded.  Still, I wish that of all things Peggy could have done that was offensive to Dawn it had been something ignorant out of her mouth and not some action like that.  I just think that Peggy is one of those people who should know better than to treat people like that. Especially when she thinks that she gets Dawn's feeling of being an outsider (no, bitch, you don't).  I'm counting on her making amends in the future.  If she is the decent person that I've come to think her character is.

Um, Henry's mother is all kinds of crazy.  I can understand why Sally was complaining about her to Don.  I'll skip over the part where she thinks that necessary discipline for a child involves striking them for no reason so they'll be prepared for the unexpected (her father sounds awful).  No, the real part that made me wonder how Henry could leave Sally alone with her was her lack of filter when describing the murder in the paper (I don't care if Sally read them on her own--you don't need to tell a frightened girl that much truth), her burglar alarm (a kitchen knife, really?), and the ease in which she dispensed a pill to calm Sally down for the night (man, she loves resorting to pills to solve problems).  Henry's mother makes me think again about denouncing the way Betty used to treat Sally.  Goodness.  I wonder how that's going to play out later on.  I'd hate to see Sally start taking pills regularly.  It'd add to the dramatic element, but I hate to see a young girl downing drugs.

As far as Joan tossing her husband out on her ass, I say way to go, Joan!!  He's such an asshole.  If he was going back to war to protect a cause he believed in, I would think he had a good reason to rush back in.  Instead, I only felt like he was using his army status to be the big-shot he wasn't back at home.  Wow.  That would be great if his absence wasn't a burden on the family he left behind.  True, he'd only be gone a year but why risk something happening to you just so could feel superior about yourself??  I couldn't be happier that Joan stayed strong and held her ground.  Screw that guy!

On a side note, Michael seems to be walking on a thin line already.  He obviously has talent and a way with words that might even rival Don's, but he is very into his own world.  When told that his stunt at the meeting with the clients almost got him fired, Michael was impassive as if he hadn't noticed how very pissed Don was.  I don't know why, but I love it when Don yells at the younger people at work.  There's something very funny about it.  So I can see that he might have to do that constantly with Michael if he doesn't get out of his deluded world.  Nice to see that he has the potential to be entertaining not just as Peggy's rival, but as a comical thorn in Don's side (sort of how Craine tries to buddy up with Don but Don just blows him off).

So much to look forward to next time, as usual.  What I most want to see (although it may not be addressed next time) is how Joan fares without her stupid husband holding her back.  Hopefully this means that she will soon be walking down their office as she should be.  What I'd least want to see is more of Betty whining about her weight while she stuffs her face.  Unless we reveal some kind of meaningful point through her domestic boredom (I suppose that's her problem), I'm not interested.  And of course, we better see Peggy set things right with Dawn.  Hate to see that swept under the rug like so many issues on this show.

Stop The Lies. Cuz It Ain't Funny

Happy Endings, S02E20

Penny began a web of lies to avoid an old friend named Daphne, that leads to a fake baby shower and tangles all of her friends within it.  You would think someone who owns a "lieble" would know how to lie a little better, but Penny was simply awful at it (not that her friends were any better).  It was almost like a contest to see who could make the lies worse than the last person (I might have to hand the prize to Alex, whose lies seemed the most unnecessary of all).  Usually I like when one of them takes a problem that could be handled easily and makes it into a monstrously complicated issue, but this time I just wanted Penny to hurry up and tell the truth because it wasn't doing her friends any good, nor doing any good for me humor-wise.

As pushy as Daphne seemed to be, I liked that she kept cornering everyone until they felt so pressured they had no choice but to lie.  I mean, she was all up in their faces and making them feel like bad people (they were right to worry if they would look like mean people because they are).  I liked seeing everyone being on the spot, and Daphne's dead-serious concern about all the excuses they created.

Another nuisance who made an appearance in the episode was Max and Dave's landlord who was trying to cock-block (and evict) the two based on little more than jealousy.  I didn't care for his iron fist attitude toward subletters, but when he questioned them about a purse and Max said it was his, that was a really funny scene.  Max tried to act all stereotypically gay so that the landlord wouldn't know it was Alex's purse, and the guy was so adamant that Max better be as homosexual as he claimed to be.  I don't know what that was about (he was pointing at Max as if they would be hell to pay otherwise) but it made me laugh.  Maybe he just didn't want another Dave living in his building who would be bringing home more beautiful women that he couldn't date himself.

But the best example of comedy in this episode was Max's invention of the trash oven.  It could cook a brisket in 18 hours and emitted such deadly fumes that Dave was certain it would kill them while they slept.  I thought that his homemade infomercial for his oven was so ghetto, but hilarious.  He even came up with a catch phrase:

Set it and forget it.  (Don't forget it.  You gotta keep an eye on it or it will burn your house down.)

If that wasn't enough to make you pick up the phone and buy Max's product, there was a disclaimer that "hand burns are unrelated" when Max finally showed us his hands were bandaged heavily.  Oh, man.  At least with his hands injured we can be sure he won't be building anything else that might burn or suffocate someone to death.

I find myself unable to really enjoy stories that have Penny at the heart of them and maybe it's because she's more of a heavy stone around the others' necks than any one else.  I mean, there was really no reason that the gang all had to start lying (and they did so on their free will), but if Penny hadn't initiated it and made Daphne seem like the black plague, maybe the truth would have come out quicker.  I kinda wish that Daphne had gotten a bit more upset and really made Penny learn a lesson.  But I'll forgive the six of them for not being so funny when they were so cute about the lake house Jane and Brad were thinking of getting.  All of them are such loveable dorks.