“Made You Look” is an enormous episode for Paul in a few methods.
First, he will get the complete Liz expertise, and it’s precisely as anybody would anticipate. Their transient on-screen interplay is nice: Harrison Ford’s wandering eyes and trailing off voice undercutting his sincerity over being glad she got here in; his suggestion that he ought to “pull down [his] pants and make [his] ass clap” a hilarious truthful evaluation of his feeling in direction of her; Liz’s lack of shock at Sean’s remedy being free. Your entire factor is hilarious and improved by the bit which supplies the episode its title, of Liz having probably peed in locations in his workplace. It’s very dumb however very humorous.
However extra severely, Paul develops an awesome deal right here. It feels notable that, throughout his remedy with Liz, the digital camera lingers on his handwriting, which is untidy at greatest. His Parkinson’s is step by step getting worse and people indicators pop up on occasion. It’s one thing he recognises and takes the step to reconcile. His dialog with Jimmy is an enormous step for him as he admits these vulnerabilities, and it’s a really healthful and emotional second once they agree that he’s nonetheless the very best, and that Jimmy will inform him when he not is.
Paul has come a good distance. Even when this season began, he was firmly set on doing issues the standard method – the appropriate method, in his view. Since then, he’s made gradual and regular progress in direction of a brand new mind-set. It’s not fairly Jimmying, however he admits to having taken to Ray as a pal, and begins therapizing Sean exterior of his workplace. It’s within the workplace kitchen however, as he says, child steps.
The thought of him and Jimmy working collectively extra carefully is a enjoyable one. The Ford-Jason Segel chemistry is, unsurprisingly, excellent, and what we’ve seen very clearly over the 14 episodes is that they will be taught rather a lot from one another’s method of doing issues. Relating to Sean, it’s additionally the good play. Jimmy was proper within the premiere to understand transferring his remedy to Paul was the very best factor to do, however Sean was additionally Jimmy’s first and most vital success. The case notes he offered and the experiences he has is invaluable of their shared objective: seeing Sean enhance.
Brian and Charlie do not need a shared objective. Brian doesn’t desire a youngster whereas Charlie actually does, and although Liz and Gaby wind up Brian by suggesting it isn’t an actual drawback, it most positively is. There’s a large quantity of friction potential right here and although Jimmy, Liz, and Derek all make Brian really feel higher about it, it appears like this won’t be a clean expertise for anybody concerned.
Talking of Derek – we’ve got one other Derek! This one, performed by Damon Wayans Jr., is sizzling and smells good, in keeping with actually everybody, and there’s a romance potential between him and Gaby. Their try at a date is reduce quick by Gaby’s sister – who she tries to disregard – however between “Bacon, home windows, boobs, inform everybody” and him answering her vibrator, there’s loads of leisure available right here.
The unique Derek practically stumbles in on the aftermath of Alice’s unhealthy determination to sleep with Connor in a slapstick opening scene. It’s a quiet episode on that entrance, however essentially the most vital plot improvement in Alice’s story – and that of the complete season – comes in direction of the tip, when Winston ponders over the pockets Alice thought she left in Connor’s room.
His determination to attempt to return the pockets is a continuation of what we noticed him attempt to start within the earlier episode. “Can I ask you one thing? Are they okay?” is what he asks of Brian. His response – “Are you fucking critical?” – is a stunning mirror of Alice’s explosive anger. That Brian follows up by asking about Winston’s mind-set exhibits rather a lot about his compassion, but in addition his skill to see previous merely the emotion of the previous. It’s nonetheless uncooked for him too, however one in all Brian’s defining and biggest traits is that he cares about individuals. No matter comes of him following Winston, it feels just like the reckoning between him and the Laird household grows nearer.
