Episode 14.03

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Ian and Dave begin a new era of TABHAL now that Dave has moved to the North. They also watch three more episodes of Wonderfallls. In "Muffin Buffalo," Jaye is less than happy that she is getting a reputation as someone who helps people, but then finds herself trying to help one of her neighbors while the animals tell her not to help another. In "Barrel Bear," Mahandra and Jaye find themselves at odds over the legendary Millie Marcus who might or might not be first woman to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and live. And in "Lovesick Ass," Jaye and Eric find themselves helping a Russian woman who has come to America to marry her true love only to discover that it is a 13 year old boy. Dave explains how Chicken Boo influenced his taste in comedy, they appoint an official TABAHL fashion correspondent, and Ian is reunited with one of HAA's greatest nemesis: Spencer Breslin. [ 2:14:47 || 52.8 MB ]

 

[Missy]

Regarding "Barrel Bear," I could buy Mahandra's actions if she didn't hear Millie outright admit that she is in fact a fraud. This episode would work so much better if Jaye was the only one present when Vivian arrived to accuse Millie of stealing her accomplishments. By the time Mahandra shows up, Millie's all smiles and lies again. I mean, I get her being starstruck, but it breaks her character. Same with her later noting that the video will have to be edited.

[Missy]

Overall, this was a relatively week (to bad) grouping of episodes. "Muffin Buffalo" only served to expose Jaye's darker mean streak. It's one thing for her to pick on a former classmate who was racist towards Mahandra in high school, but it's something else to stalk someone with the sole purpose of taking mean-spirited / fat-shaming photos of him. Granted, she reached out to Pat on her own accord, but that doesn't offset two years of voyeuristic bullying.

I've said my piece on "Barrel Bear," but I'll add I did like seeing the BFFs at odds. It expanded their relationship.

And oh my god "Lovesick Ass" is horrifying. Peter is a serial killer in-the-making, yet this episode plays it all for dark comedy. No. It's not funny. It's gross. Never mind the cat-fishing, stalking, stealing, breaking of international laws, self-harming, and fire-starting; he literally attempts to murder Eric. At the end we're supposed to think he'll be okay, what, because his dad is gonna marry Katya? Bullshit. They're gonna fuck at any given opportunity, further alienating the boy. And yeah, let's not forget Peter has "most intimate" photos of his future (?) stepmom on display. There are dead bodies and lots of jail in that kid's future.

[slothian]

I'm inclined to agree. I said my piece on Spencer Breslin in the episode and Mahandra's stupidly blind loyalty to an admitted fraud - we may have underplayed the truly nasty aspect of Jaye (and Aaron)'s attempts to shame Pat.

I'm not down on the show yet, mainly due to the excellent cast, but it's not quite hitting the spot that I thought it might, in the way that The Middleman immediately did by way of contrast.