The slightest tweak to The Grinder‘s regular formula provides a much-needed emotional backbone for the series in “Giving Thanks, Getting Justice,” one of the better holiday-themed episodes I’ve seen on network television this year. The change is simple: rather than focusing solely on the lessons he learned while on-camera in the fake The Grinder, “Giving Thanks” takes the time to go behind the camera into Dean’s life while filming his hit series, offering The Grinder (the real show – boy, I’m so tired of doing this every week) an opportunity at pathos it’s severely lacked in the last few weeks.
Learning that Dean quit The Grinder in its hey-day is very interesting, as we discover that the reason was because of his spiritual disillusionment. After being asked to be shirtless in yet another law office scene, Dean begins questioning what his show was about, and why he started doing it in the first place – a line of thinking we all know eventually leads him back to Idaho and his family, but here provides him with an existential crisis of sorts, questioning whether he’s completely lost control of his own life and identity.
Dean’s arc in this episode – which plays out through flashbacks, never vocalized by Dean in the present – is exactly what The Grinder‘s needed, looking behind the scenes to give voice to Dean’s character, and the journey that led him back to Stewart and “normie” life. Rather than Dean running around trying to exhibit the values he saw in himself during The (Fake) Grinder episodes, “Giving Thanks” is about Dean reflecting on the reasons he left his hit show, and came back to be with his family, and that means everything to The Grinder as a growing comedy.
It prevents Dean from bulldozing the thoughts and stories of other characters, because his emotional investment is so much greater. When he invites Dean’s old partner over for dinner (who Stewart stopped inviting, after he caught Yao and his mom in a standing 69 five years ago), he finally appears to be reaching for something real in his life, which turns out to be the entire reason he left his show in the first place. His celebrity status has been a topic of discussion in recent episodes, but not like this: the loss of identity Dean feels in his flashbacks is essential to the series building empathy for its main character, and “Giving Thanks” finds a though-line to that journey in exciting ways.
It was also nice to see The Grinder expand from its Dean/Stewart focus a bit, and bring the family into the mix a little more. The last two weeks have finally started to fill out Debbie’s character, and anytime Dean Sr.’s around, the possibilities for The Grinder‘s storytelling really open up. Plus, there’s some interesting nuggets of information dropped throughout the episode I’d love to find out more about: the Sandersons’ swinging lifestyle, who Mrs. Sanderson is (and where she is now) – and of course, how Dean’s going to react to The Grinder: New Orleans, starring one slimy, former-advice-giving friend of Dean, Timothy Olyphant.
The Grinder hasn’t exactly impressed since its strong opening episodes, focusing too much on Dean’s insistence on injecting himself into the legal process: this episode brings Dean back to the ground a bit, a much-needed reminder of Dean’s struggle to find something meaningful in his life again, something that feels “real” in his life. By exploring that journey, The Grinder is able to open up and diversify its humor and emotions a bit, and it brings The Grinder to life, creating a much more dynamic, colorful world and characters in the process. If this is the kind of show The Grinder really wants to be, I’m excited to see where it goes.
Other thoughts/observations:
- The Justified joke was perfection.
- “We lived a rock and roll lifestyle.” “It was five years ago!” “Rock and roll never dies, Stu.”
- More Jason Alexander as Cliff Beemus, please – I’d love to see The Grinder explore the creator/star dynamic, ala BoJack Horseman (though obviously not as dark, please).
- Why are they watching college football on Thanksgiving?
[Photo credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX]
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