When Jimmy’s family unexpectedly arrive in Los Angeles for a visit, You’re the Worst takes a turn for the broad with “A Right Proper Story.” This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – after the weight of recent episodes like “There Is Not Currently A Problem” and “LCD Soundsystem,” a bit of comic relief might’ve been needed, in some form or another. And while I’m predisposed to wanting more screen time for Sam and his rap beef, Jimmy’s father and sisters spending four days on his couch makes for a solid enough endeavor into the shallow end, though it’s not a place I’m hoping (or expecting) to stay very long.
The opening and closing tags of “A Right Proper Story” help keep this episode in place with the rest of the season – if Gretchen wasn’t laying around like the world’s saddest cat throughout, it wouldn’t really feel like a Season 2 episode at all. The body of “Right Proper” is about as out of context as You’re the Worst gets: a story full of superficial British jokes commenting on parenthood and odd genetics is decidedly left field for the series, and not in the typical ways (like last week’s mind-blowing half hour). And there are certainly parts of it that feel way out of the normal You’re the Worst wheelhouse, led by an extremely odd montage of Gretchen taking Jimmy’s sisters to the local Whole Foods-esque grocery store, and furthered by the fairly weak British humor, relying on the knowledge of Jimmy’s lower-class upbringing being funny enough to carry the whole lot of jokes about tea, reality competitions, and eating food out of a can.
However, it’s not an episode completely devoid of purpose. “A Right Proper Story” does take a half-swing at some of Jimmy’s deeper emotional issues, though his issues with his father pale in comparison to the sight of Gretchen’s crushing depression. The scene where Jimmy’s father has a drink with him might feel like an obligatory moment, but it works, thanks to the context we have with Jimmy’s character, and what little information we can glean from the man who turned him into this narcissistic writer. There are certainly no surprises in that scene, either when his father talks about how quickly his marriage fell apart (turning his parents into the very people Jimmy hates and Gretchen fears becoming, seen in last week’s episode), or when he gives Jimmy the reluctant praise for his career he’s desperately wanted for his whole life. Maybe it’s my gender bias as a male, but there’s something comforting about that scene the rest of the challenging, emotional season hasn’t really offered the audience, save for maybe Edgar’s continued progress with his life.
Regardless, that bar scene kicks off the final act of “A Right Proper Story,” which slowly moves away from Jimmy’s family and back to the serious matters at hand. Gretchen’s depression has hit a new low after last week’s heartbreaking revelation about the happy couple next door, and she’s essentially gone numb. Weighed down by the constant feeling of being tired and incapable, Gretchen pawns off her job to Lindsay, and completely disengages from her relationship with Jimmy; not only does she mail the letters he asked her to hold onto (which includes a love letter to Becca, which should turn out to be real fun), but she literally can’t keep herself upright enough to listen to Jimmy vent about his family, which in turn, he takes as a selfish way to continue focusing on her depression. Gretchen’s hole is only growing deeper, and You’re the Worst regains its nuance in time to deliver a devastating final act. Jimmy being so upset with Gretchen is both natural frustration with her situation and misplaced anger at her perceived selfish ways. On the flip side, Gretchen’s inability to even stand up straight makes it impossibly hard to engage with her partner’s emotional issues, only causing the distance between them to grow more, a space more littered with resentment and disappointment with each passing day.
“A Right Proper Story” might not be a classic episode of You’re the Worst but in many ways, it’s a necessary one, finding a little joy in the shallow comic relief provided by Jimmy’s poor family, and, at the very least, dialing down on the season’s most challenging emotional elements for a goofy, surprisingly laid back two-thirds of an episode, before dropping the emotional hammer in the final moments (as You’re the Worst has done with every single episode this season). When we think of this magnificent season of television, this may be the entry we remember least, but even in that forgettable little pocket on television, there’s still plenty about “A Right Proper Story” to enjoy.
Other thoughts/observations:
- I love Kether Donohue, but the whole “battle rap” scene didn’t work for me. Maybe it was how badly out of sync the material was with the music, but the jokes there just didn’t land. I would’ve loved to have seen Lindsay and Sam clothes shop, though.
- Boy, the plight of Jimmy’s younger sister Nina is a depressing one. She basically gave up going to college to become a stripper and make money for the family, reinforcing just how depressing his home life must’ve been.
- Cry Baby Fart Face, S***y Jimmy, Little Jizz Man… Jimmy’s family is really bad at coming up with nicknames.
- Gretchen chugging vodka in the first scene (where her and Jimmy slap each other a few times during sex) is one of the most depressing physical actions I’ve ever seen on television. The physical component of Cash’s performance is wildly underrated this season.
- Jimmy screaming is wonderful, though it sounds like it takes a major toll on Chris Geere’s voice.
[Photo credit: Byron Cohen/FX]
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