Home Featured TV Shows All TV Shows Movie Reviews Book Reviews Articles Frequently Asked Questions About Us

Wonderfalls: Cocktail Bunny

Objects: Brass Monkey, Cocktail Bunny
Missions: “Tell him nothing,” “Save him from her,” “She’s going to kill him,” and “Lick the light switch”

‘Cocktail Bunny’ focuses on the emotional fallout from Jaye losing Eric because she listened to the animals. It begins with Jaye putting a wax lion through a very funny “slow melt on the coffee burner” torture sequence, as she tries to suss out why the animals made her break her own heart. She’s clearly an emotional wreck, and it doesn’t get much better from there, as she smashes a slew of smooshed face wax lions in a fit of rage after they taunt her by saying, “You’ll never get rid of all of us.” Enter Dr. Ron and a prescription for five-days-a-week therapy for Jaye.

Later, after seeing Eric with Heidi at The Barrel, Jaye finally succumbs to a cleansing cry with Mahandra, but soon gets a new mission: “Save him from her,” which she interprets as a directive to save Eric from Heidi. When she demands a further explanation, the brass monkey tells her “She’s going to kill him, and it’s all because of you.” Jaye proceeds to get nuttier and nuttier, as she investigates, stalks, and attacks Heidi, then escapes police custody and breaks into the honeymoon suite to save Eric. Unfortunately, it turns out Heidi was just slipping Eric a “male potency drug” to foster marital relations and wasn’t trying to kill him. A bereft and borderline psychotic Jaye goes to Dr. Ron’s office to confront the brass monkey, and inadvertently ends up saving Dr. Ron (with an assist from her mom) from a truly psycho former patient who was planning to murder him. In the end, she does “save him from her,” but she still doesn’t get the guy, as Eric tells her he’ll be returning to Jersey once Heidi finds them an apartment. Sob!

The Universe is not doing a very good job of revealing its master plan here. Eric is still with that Heidi bitch, and Jaye is still heartbroken. I feel a bit like the writers are treating the audience the way the animals treat Jaye. “Why make me make a home, if you’re just gonna make me break a home?” They get us to fall for Jaye and Eric as a couple, give us a small taste of how great it could be, only to yank it away, leaving us devastated. “Why? Tell me there’s a reason.” Maybe Jaye having to experience the pain of losing love is also part of the Universe’s master plan to make sure she and Eric really have a shot somewhere down the line. Hopefully, all will be revealed soon.

In the meantime, they are bringing the funny and some pretty raw emotion. I think it is great we got to really delve into Jaye’s pain. After it was so difficult for her to open herself up to Eric in the first place, losing him has to be emotionally devastating for her. It wouldn’t have rung very true if she just carried on like it was no big deal. Sure, putting on a brave front for Eric and her family makes sense, but in her private moments we needed to see her angrily confront the animals and let herself really cry. Good stuff. Caroline Dhavernas has been doing a wonderful job conveying the full spectrum of Jaye’s emotions in these last several episodes.

It was also nice to see Jaye’s support system try to help her through this rough patch. Mahandra was wonderful. I loved the scene with Mahandra cradling Jaye in her lap as she cried her heart out. “Cry until you can’t cry no more. I want to see salt deposits on your cheeks when you’re through.” The moment brought back some broken-hearted couch crying memories of my own. I also loved Mahandra jumping out of the closet to defend Jaye after Aaron told her she was acting crazier than usual, without even thinking about how it might expose her “torrid little affair” with Aaron. That’s true friendship.

Karen was also wonderfully supportive, even though Jaye was pretty resistant to her. She encouraged Jaye to see Dr. Ron, and even went so far as to question Eric about Jaye’s emotional state. “I’ll tell you how upset she is, if you tell me what she’s upset about.” And even though Karen recognized that her efforts were pushing Jaye away, she kept letting Jaye know she was there for her and trying to find a way to help. I initially suspected Karen was the one sneaking in to Dr. Ron’s office to view Jaye’s therapy sessions, in an effort to learn what was wrong with her daughter. But when she brought over Jaye’s photos without looking at them, I realized she wouldn’t have spied on Jaye that way (even if she may have wanted to). In the end, after talking down psycho killer, Angie, Karen got rewarded with a genuine moment of connection with Jaye. “I do have some wisdom to impart, sweetheart.” “I know. I’m sorry.”

Other Thoughts

It was good to see Dr. Ron again. I was very amused by him continually misinterpreting Jaye’s conversations with the brass monkey as threats directed at himself. “You better tell me something, because I’m fixing to neuter you!” “She’s gonna kill him?” I also loved when he finally realized Jaye needed much more help than he could provide. Of course, in the end, he seemed to recognize that maybe she wasn’t as crazy as she seemed. I wonder what he thinks of her mental state now?

I liked the sweet little moment between Aaron and Mahandra in his room before she discovered the cameras. “Are you saying I make you happy?” “Yes, yes. You make me happy.”

Heidi was rocking some pretty sweet leather pants this week. Looking good, Jewel.

So Eric and Heidi aren’t sleeping together yet, huh? Guess he’s not feeling quite as forgiving and committed as he’d have everyone believe. Thank goodness!

How funny was Angie’s murder kit? Wonderfalls Poly-Blend T-shirt. Wonderfalls Happy Funball. 1 gal. Unleaded Gas. Wonderfalls windproof lighter. Ha! The blue vinyl jacket with the matching hat was also a hoot.

What was up with Angie singing the Facts of Life theme song during her murder fantasy? Who accompanies a murder with peppy ‘80s theme music? Ca-razy!

I loved the way Karen handled herself in the elevator. Her private facial expressions showed how freaked out she was, but she remained calm in her interactions with Angie. She even managed to get Angie to open up about her pain and her plan. Go, Karen!

The brass monkey’s response to Jaye’s demand that he explain why the animals talk to her was absolutely maddening. “Because you listen.” Aaargh!!!

Why is Eric hanging around for two weeks if things between him and Jaye are weird now? Does he want a little time to say goodbye to his interim life? Or is it something else?

My favorite little moment in the episode was Sharon, absolutely winded from running up multiple flights of stairs, stopping for a “refreshing” drag on a cigarette. Hilarious!

Quotes

Jaye (to Wax Lion): “Why make me make the man I love remarry his hussy bride? How is that helpful? Who does that benefit besides the hussy? Because I’m not in the business of benefitting hussies!”

Karen (re: Aaron): “He’s very concerned about you. He’s started praying. And you know how he feels about that sort of thing.”

Dr. Ron: “Do you do everything the monkey and the lion and the fish tell you to do? Even if it causes you pain?”
Jaye: “Yeah, they kind of wore me out that way.”

Jaye (to Heidi): “If you hadn’t wiped yourself with your first wedding vows, he wouldn’t have had to get them renewed.”

Jaye (to Heidi): “Looks like the credit card you used to pay for your sins got declined.”

Aaron (to the animals): “OK. I’ll ask you one more time --- where’s the monkey? Did he walk away? Can he walk away? Are you guys ambulatory?”

Mahandra (re: Jaye): “I can’t be happy when she’s sad. There are rules!”

Mahandra: “Did you record us having sex? Oh my god. Is it on the internet? Oh my god. I’m a naughty black door woman. Back door woman! Oh my god!”

Jaye (re: the animals in Aaron’s room): “Is this a shrine?”
Aaron: “No. It’s, a … display.”

Police Detective (re: the list of charges against Jaye): “… and leaving a Number Two in the good doctor’s desk drawer. And I’m not talking about the pencil.”
Eww!

Jaye: “Me and the monkey are gonna have words!!!”

Jaye (to Brass Monkey): “Was this all a big set up? Get me to turn a few tricks for the Universe, break my heart, then ship me off to the crazy house before I can squeal?”

Eric: “Heidi went back to Jersey.”
Jaye (hopefully): “She did?”
Eric: “She’s looking for our apartment. And when she finds it, I’m going back to Jersey, too.”
Sob!

Final Analysis: A fun episode with good twists and some great laughs, but I’m still feeling as heartbroken as Jaye.

Jess Lynde is a highly engaged television viewer. Probably a bit too engaged.

6 comments:

  1. The pants!

    Good review, Jess. I loved this episode. I loved that the writers were able to attach raw emotions to such a deliberately goofy plot. That's what makes "Wonderfalls" such a unique show to me.

    The bit with Sharon stopping for a smoke was my favourite too. It became sort of a running joke between Katie Finnerman and Tim Minear, I think, as he had her do the same thing in "The Inside" just before climbing up a tree house to find a serial killer. (I vaguely remember another example but can't place the show or episode.)

    By the way, "The Inside":
    Tim Minear + Katie Finnerman + Adam Balwin + Rachel Nichols + Peter Coyote + Serial killers = Sheer awesome. Just saying.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The brass monkey’s response to Jaye’s demand that he explain why the animals talk to her was absolutely maddening. “Because you listen.” Aaargh!!!

    I thought this statement was simply gorgeous and I loved it. I think I interpreted it a bit differently. I see the animals as a metaphor for whatever it is that is bigger than we are. When she listens to what they have to say, Jaye makes herself and the world around her better. I saw "Because you listen" as a compliment. Jaye is listening to what the Universe is saying; no one else really is.

    This is the second episode in a row that has ended with Jaye getting kicked in the gut. My heart is aching for her.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, this is years later lol but I just started watching the show and think it's amazing! Caroline Dhavernas is simply perfect. Just a question in case you still read here: what did the detective meant with “and leaving a Number Two in the good doctor’s desk drawer. And I’m not talking about the pencil.” ?
    I'm not a native english speaker and I didn't get that. I got it must be something gross, but it still vague.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rin, if it helps, "number one" is slang for urine. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've been rewatching this series for I think the 10th time. It's just wonderfall!

    I love the "Because you listen". Such a wonderful way to look at life and the universe. We all need to listen a bit more sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Found that moment a little odd. Touching, but odd lol. "Because you listen." Why DOES she listen? Feels like the wrongest personality type, and always with the utmost possible reluctance. Why not the runaway nun, or even Aaron? It raises too many questions that I prefer if it just never answered her in the first place.

    ReplyDelete

We love comments! We moderate because of spam and trolls, but don't let that stop you! It’s never too late to comment on an old show, but please don’t spoil future episodes for newbies.