Pepperwood And Pogos

New Girl, S02E14

Nick became convinced that one of Jess' most improved students was psychotic and dangerous.  When he snuck into the student's shed and saw pictures of a girl being murdered, Nick made Jess think her life was in danger.  Winston learned of his "pogo" and told Schmidt that he had one of his own.  When Schmidt's pogo came out, everyone else in the loft wanted to know theirs.

I don't know if we've yet to see how Jess' job has been going, but this was a good start.  I liked how her teachings relate to Nick's hobby as well.  I don't think he would have had an easy way to get involved with her student if he didn't consider himself a writer.  The more Nick identifies himself with writing, the more I like it, such as when he scoffed at Jess' idea of reading Edgar's story at first:

Writers don't read, we write.

However, more than being a writer in this episode, Nick started acting like a detective and sneaking around people's houses and breaking into sheds.  Wow, it's dangerous what Nick can do with some imagination and some free time.  I don't know if him breaking the law was worse or better than him showing up to Jess' class as a guy from Chicago named Julius Pepperwood.  I did like that his Chicago accent was heavier when he was Pepperwood and he was sort of flirting with Jess a little bit.  I feel like through his new persona a few of his hidden emotions came through.

The best part of him being Pepperwood, though, was when he was wrestling with Jess for that notebook.  At one point, it look like Nick was just grinding up behind Jess!  It looked so inappropriate, especially in front of her student.  But it was hilarious how they looked like they were fooling around.

What I didn't like about this story was that rude ass lady Edgar was dating.  Okay, sure, Jess and Nick were breaking and entering, so Jess probably deserved some mace, but she didn't need to call Jess a bitch for asking what was in the duffel bag.  Jess is way too nice because I would have thrown her attitude right back at her.  But Jess is way to sweet to bring it like that.  However, Jess did surprise me a little by attacking Edgar and jumping on his back.  She also said he'd have to kill her if Edgar wanted to kill Nick.  Why do we get to see a disgusting couple like Edgar and old lady, but we don't get to see Nick and Jess except suggestively?  Come on now.

In the other story, I thought it was awkward that Winston kept poking people with his penis so much that his roommates were talking about it behind his back.  I have to agree with Schmidt, though, that if he really wanted to take care of it he could just cover up better:

They make shoes for your penis--they're called pants!

As for Schmidt's pogo, I'm just surprised that with his extensive self-maintenance that he neglects his feet like that.  So he puts so much care into everything about himself but just stops at the feet?  So odd.  I liked that before Schmidt knew he kept pestering Winston with his guesses.  We could have enjoyed more things like him shaving his eyebrows (eww!) if Cece hadn't let the cat out of the bag.  She was sort of unnecessary around the house, except for the fact that she got "impaled" with Winston's friend downstairs.  She was particularly noisy about knowing her own pogo when I just wanted to know what Nick's was.  His turned out to be the best of them all because they don't talk shit about him--they were just concerned:

[Winston] We're worried about you.
[Nick] You're worried about me?
[Schmidt] We're worried you're not going to make it.
[Nick] Make it to what?
[Jess] Just in general.  Cuz you don't take care of yourself.

It had to be embarrassing for Nick, but it was so sweet that they all look after him in ways that he doesn't know about like slipping him vitamins and money.  But it was also funny because it made Nick seem like a big ol' mess, which he most certainly is.

This was a pretty good episode.  It was nice to see that Nick's writing thing is probably going to come up more times than I expected and that he's still writing.  I would even like to see him act out Pepperwood again one day because that guy is pretty funny, even if he's a horrible detective.  I want to see more of Jess and her students because with people like Edgar being in her class, it's gotta bring more good material for stories.  I also liked hearing everyone's pogos, but Nick's was definitely the best.  I'm easily won over by something that both makes me laugh and appreciate that Nick has such good friends watching his back.

Just Stop Writing, Brian

Family Guy, S11E10

Brian finally had success with his writing when his play become popular in town, but after seeing the incredible play that Stewie had written, Brian was devastated and tried to sabotage Stewie's play by saying it was terrible.  Stewie figured out what he was doing and later got his show on Broadway, to Brian's dismay.

This was another depressing story about how Brian is never going to get anywhere with his writing.  I thought something was up when Brian was having people excited about his play--the few bits that we got to see were like the worst sitcom ever.  Plus, as Stewie had pointed out, Peter was really engaged in the whole thing.  If that wasn't a red flag that he was writing crap than nothing else is.  Still, I could have been content to see Brian enjoying the thrills of being semi-famous in town if one, he wasn't always an ass about his "genius," and two, he didn't decide to listen to Jasper and try to crush Stewie's aspirations.  I hate that I feel both bad for Brian and hate him for his selfish actions and cocky attitude.  Why can't Brian be either humble or not be jealous of someone else?  I'd settle for him just being one of those things.  I wish he didn't have to constantly be so insecure and desperate to be great (or even good).

One thing that was obvious in this story was how Stewie is absolutely Brian's friend and biggest supporter, even though Brian's deceitful and untalented.  Stewie did bring him to a party where people made fun of him and he sort of threw his own possible success on Broadway in Brian's face, but in the end he threw away his chance to be a big playwright to please his friend.  Brian does not deserve Stewie, as crazy as that baby is.  That's what makes it a little less touching because I'm still angry at Brian for trying to ruin Stewie when Stewie would sabotage his own play for Brian.  When has Brian ever sacrificed himself like that for Stewie?  It's times like this that I love Stewie and wish that prehistoric bird that got them would just swallow Brian and end his miserable life.

I wish there were more jokes to offset Brian moping and crying about how brilliant Stewie would be and how mediocre he was and will always be.  My favorite cutaway was when Chris was stuck in the seats and he met another guy in the same boat:

[Guy stuck in chair] She's not coming back, you know.
[Chris] How do you know that?
[Guy stuck in chair] Cuz she's my mom too.

More than be funny, this was just sort of shocking.  But I can totally see Lois doing that because while she seems to love her kids, she also has this side where she would abandon them if they were too troublesome for her tastes.  I mean, she once told Meg to stop crying or go ahead and kill herself.  She's not always the best mother around.

A little more shocking and unnerving moment was when Brian snapped the neck of the squirrel that he was yelling at.  But from the beginning I had a feeling that Brian was going to do something bad to that squirrel, so I wasn't taken aback that much.

There weren't any jokes that I loved, but some of them were okay.  One of such was when Peter went crazy from tasting real butter, but thinking it was I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.  I don't know why it would encourage him to kill three kids, but it was almost funny enough to make me laugh.  Another was when Peter was trying to figure out Stuart Little and he commented that he felt "old and in the way."  I've had a moment in life where someone was having a revelation about a movie where there was none to be had (because it wasn't complicated or trying to create mystery). So I suppose that's why I liked that scene.

I think I'm about done with these sort of stories with Brian hating himself and Stewie barely being able to keep him afloat from drowning in his own self-pity.  Brian's not ever going to get anywhere with his writing, so it'd be nice if maybe he tried to do something else with his short life.  Or at least if we have to see another pathetic chapter in Brian's short-lived fame there should be adequate jokes to distract us.  If I wanted drama without comedy relief, I'd go watch something like Mad Men.

Finally Someone Punches That Prick Pete

Mad Men, S05E05

Don was unable to turn down an invitation for dinner at Pete's where it was revealed that Cosgrove has been continuing to publish stories in his free time.  Lane introduced a possible account with Jaguar through some family connections, but a night out with prostitutes ruined the deal.  Tired of feeling like a paperweight at his own firm, Lane took out some of his frustrations by having a fist fight with Pete.  Losing that fight, as well as the attention of a high school girl he was trying to flirt with, put Pete in yet another position where he pitied himself and hated his life.

Don didn't have a big part in this episode, but the bits he did were great.  In general, Don seems to have no interest in hanging out with his coworkers after hours (who could blame him--they're generally unpleasant people with habits that encourage him to act astray).  Trudy really twisted him arm and made him come.  Don was right that Trudy could probably do a better job at closing deals than Pete.  Geez.  But it was funny to watch Don squirm and fight against going.  And he was just so adorable in the sports coat that Megan got for him!  He just doesn't seem like the sports coat kind of guy, so it was nice to see him in something other than his business suit.  Despite he was dressed for the occasion, I didn't think he would be very convincing as a guest happy to be there.  He did have a lot of drinks before he even got there.  I loved that.  But in the end, I feel like he had more fun than he expected, especially when the sink was spouting everywhere.  Not only did Don get to take off his shirt to fix it, but he basically schooled Pete in being handy.  That was the icing on the cake for me.

It was nice to see Lane trying to bring in a new client because I sometimes wonder what he does besides manage the financial books.  Pete was pretty condescending of Lane's ability to secure an account, but Roger (who probably sympathized him now that his position was becoming less important) was decent enough to give him some advice and let him try to close the deal himself.  I knew that Lane is too much of a straight man to use the tricks that Roger suggested, and it was so funny to watch him try to buddy up with the client through a common problem.  It just was sad that after he failed, Pete basically pushed him into the corner and told him that the "big dogs" were going to handle it from then on.  Maybe Lane's not the most aggressive businessman around, but at least he's not a dick like Pete.

I never thought that the guys would take the Jaguar client to a brothel.  I suppose for these guys it wasn't that surprising, but it felt a little odd watching Don sitting there alone.  I was glad that he was resisting all of the women around him, though.  I felt bad for Trudy in how easy it was for Pete to go into a room with some blonde.  It's nothing that Don surely hasn't done, but something about seeing Pete's happy wife and little girl at his home and then seeing him cheat with a woman that meant nothing to him was unsettling.  It was funny later on when the madam of the house was talking to Don and he remarked that he grew up in a whorehouse, but it wasn't as nice as the one they were at.  Just love how he answers people without editing himself much for the listener's sake.  When they were finally leaving Pete was acting like such an asshole because Don seemed like a "nun" to him.  He needed to shut up and stop trying to make Don feel bad about his past, just because he was trying to turn things around.  I didn't think that Don was looking at him with much judgment, but I think he did have the right to anyway.  Like Don said, he had the experience of ruining a good life with kids and being miserable.  If Pete could stop trying to project his own guilt onto others, maybe he could listen to Don and appreciate the life Pete has before he destroys it all (and ended up where Don was before he met Megan, which was nowhere good).

The best thing by far in this whole episode was when Lane found out that their night with the paid women had cost them the Jaguar account.  Apparently, the wife had seen some gum on his pubes, which easily told her what her husband had been doing that night.  Pete tried to whitewash it, boasting that they were just doing what Lane couldn't do in his initial dinner with the man, but Lane wasn't about to be pushed aside by the little moron anymore.  I loved Lane's line before he started to fight with Pete:

You're a grimy little pimp.  Soon as I raise my hands, I warn you, it shall be too late to run.

 Pete got in some blows on Lane, so it wasn't a one-sided fight, but Lane definitely won when he knocked him off his feet.  That was seriously one of the best fights I have seen on TV.  I was so glad that the other partners were just looking on in awe, not lifting a finger to interfere.  I think Roger was as excited to see it go down as I was.  I could watch that little fight all day long.  Was so good!

I feel like Pete deserved a good whooping.  If he hadn't done the prostitute, he might have done that high school girl he was desperately trying to get into the pants of.  It was pretty gross, even though I can't remember how old Pete is, but I know he's too old to be trolling for teenage girls.  Thank goodness that a more attractive, built, and age-appropriate guy came into their driver's ed class to cock-block him.  If anything, Pete should have felt grateful that happened before he messed around with an underage girl.  Instead, I feel like that just added to the self-pity he felt for himself.  What's there to be too depressed about?  If anything, I feel bad for Trudy if she ever finds out all the shit that Pete has done.  Starting with Peggy and ending with that prostitute.

In the elevator, Pete whined that Don didn't stop the fight because they were supposed to be friends.  Since when?  I know that Pete has always wanted Don to be his friend, but they don't have much in common beyond their job.  I almost felt bad for Pete, though, when he said that and Don had no response.  I understand why they would let Lane and Pete have it out--if Don had interfered, he might have damaged someone's manly pride, so it had to be done.  If Pete had said that to me, I might have asked him if he would have said the same thing if he had won the fight.  Probably not.  He'd be walking the halls like he was a king.  I hope that his pathetic sniveling didn't get to Don and make him think he should actually be a friend to Pete.  But why should he?  What has Pete really done for Don as a friend?  Does he deserve his friendship?

Oh, yeah.  Lane kissed Joan!  I thought maybe she was really angry about it, but she simply opened his door so that he wouldn't try anything else.  Maybe all those times she had fooled around with Roger taught her to be careful about get involved with the boss again.  Not sure.  I definitely think that Joan and Lane have something together, though.  It would be nice if they started a healthy relationship.  Not one of sneaking around in the offices (where I feel like most people can hear what you're doing anyway).

Lastly, I wonder if Cosgrove is really going to quit writing.  His narration at the end suggested that he wouldn't, but I guess if Roger's on his ass now (no thanks to Pete), he has little choice about publishing.  Though, why couldn't he just continue since no one knows his pen name except his wife and Peggy?  And Peggy isn't going to tell Pete, so why the hell not?  I'm bothered by the fact that he has to stop doing something that he likes because it happens to be something I enjoy doing.  As Cosgrove's boss, Roger has the right to call him out on things that might conflict with his employee doing his job, but I think that Cosgrove has proved that he can do both without it interfering with his job, so why not let him do as he pleases? 

One of my favorite episodes ever.  Don made me laugh, Pete got his ass kicked, and Lane stood up for himself.  I'm worried what Pete might do from now on now that his pride has been wounded and he's dropped to the lowest of low (according to himself).  Surely that can only mean trouble for the others, but I guess I don't mind as long as Don doesn't get too dragged into it all.  Don's finally getting to a pretty good place in his life--I won't stand for Pete to bring him along on his stupid sinking ship.