Each episode the gang embark on idiotic schemes that make me question their intelligence more and more. Trivial things like removing Charlie’s cast creates a huge debate between the gang. Instead of going to the hospital to get the cast removed, Charlie has Dea and Dennis try to break it open with crowbars. Dea and Charlie question Dennis’ strength and than Mac butts in and tries to prove his own strength. The gang always bicker over irrelevant things rather than working. I don’t think I have seen anyone working at the bar daily. They close and open the bar when ever they feel and they are constantly leaving the bar unattended in the middle of the day. Aside from their challenging social skills, the gang does not know much about history or what is happening in the world. The gang ridicules Charlie for not knowing about the war that is currently going on the laborious living conditions taking place in Israel and poke fun at him. Dennis even tells him “Charlie you are the most mis-informed person that I’ve ever met”. However, the remainder of the gang do not actually prove their own intelligence and explain to him what is happening. It is later revealed that none of the members in the gang actually know whats going on either and just know certain words and key phrases to make it look like they do. I knew the rest of the gang weren’t politically aware either because they don’t even understand the basics of American history. It can be implied that they aren’t aware that Christopher Columbus stole American from the Native Americans. Upon hearing this, they consider it slander towards America and Americans and threaten to “kick [the potential new owner of the bar’s] ass”.
During their attempts at removing Charlie’s cast, they continue to bicker and ignore Dea and Dennis’ dad Frank’s logical method on how to carefully and harmlessly remove a cast. Franks mentions how he wants to be part of the gang which spirals into another rather loud discussion. The gang apparently never considered themselves a gang. One of my favorite scenes in this episode is how Dea tells her dad how he is not allowed in the gang, when at the same time Dennis tells Dea that she has no say because she isn’t in the gang either. Dea is always getting the short end of the stick.
As with everyone of my blogs, comes a Dea (Kaitlin Olsen) appreciation paragraph. First off, I would like to start by mentioning how I had no clue that Kaitlin Olsen was recently married to her co-star Rob McElhenney who plays Mac. Their characters relationship with each other on the show makes it a whole lot funnier knowing they are husband and wife. In this episode we are introduced to Dea and Dennis’ mom for the first time. Hands down, Dea and Dennis’ mom Barbara (played by Anne Archer) is definitely the meanest towards Dea. Barbara is a stuck up rich housewife who does not care about anyone or anything, including the feelings of her daughter. She constantly makes fun of her daughter by making rude comments about her skin and her weight. Even though Dea is extremely skinny and in great shape. Barbara even insults her daughters lifestyle and occupational field and is worried that she might get “scurvy” just from walking into her children’s bar. Barbara only cares about her Chihuahua puppy, which results in Dea and her dad Frank stealing the dog and more or less holding it for ransom.
The guys of the gang on the other hand are always getting themselves into worse situations. In attempts to win back the property of their bar, they take in many socially unapproved antics such as vandalism, arson, and even some anti-semitism. They accidentally blow up the building that was going to take over the bar and in the end Frank buys the land and becomes the new owner of the Paddys.
I had a few favorite quotes from this episode. One line from Barbara to Frank upon realizing that someone (Dea and Dennis) stole of her possession in her house, she said: “I want my shit back. You took my shit from our home and I want it back.” Her delivery of this line was hysterical and she even finished the scene but slapping Charlie in the face extremely hard. Another line that I found funny was from Dea when she found out Frank bought the bar. She angrily said “Why don’t you just die and leave your money to your kids like normal parents in America?”. I laughed at this line because it shows the dysfunctional relationship Dea has with her family.
I watched this episode on a Thursday afternoon by myself. I would give this episode a 5/5 rating because I found it rather funny how we were finally able to see Dea and Dennis’ mother and we were able understand why they act the way they do.
averagechris 