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

Wonderfalls: Lying Pig

Objects: Mounted Fish, Wax Lion, Lying Pig, Shirt Serpent
Missions: “Mend what was broken,” “Spit out your gum,” “Check out time,” and ”Get to the church on time”

‘Lying Pig’ picks up slightly before the end of ‘Safety Canary’ and shows us exactly what led to Eric being in Heidi’s embrace when Jaye walks into The Barrel. Fortunately for Jaye, Heidi is the one making all the advances and the feeling isn’t mutual. Upon Jaye’s arrival, Eric quickly ditches both women, leaving them to “chat.” Jaye is prepared to tear into Heidi full force and fight for her new man, but is brought up short by the Mounted Fish telling her to “mend what is broken.” And thus commences a maddening, hilarious, and ultimately painful outing that finally gets Jaye to admit her feelings about Eric, but ends with her in a heartbroken daze agreeing to be the witness at Eric’s quickie remarriage to Heidi.

Aaargh!!! I was frustrated after the last episode, and through a large part of this one, but now I just feel gut-punched. Eric cannot be getting back together with Heidi. The woman broke her vows to him before they’d even consummated their marriage! Jaye may be closed-off, evasive, and frustrating, but she never broke promises to Eric. And Eric just confessed to Mahandra that he loves Jaye! He just can’t get back together with his cheating, lying, pig of a wife after all that!

Jaye’s animals are heinously cruel to put her through this! She’s finally stopped letting her fear get in the way of potential happiness. She’s ready to take a chance on love, but those accursed animals won’t let her act on it! Aaargh!!! At this point, I’m pinning all my hopes on there being a method to this madness, which will allow things to ultimately work out in Jaye’s and Eric’s favor. Maybe Eric has to face and work through his lingering issues with Heidi before he is truly ready to be with Jaye. Yes, that must be it. It will all work out for the best in the next episode. Right? Do you hear me writers?! That Heidi bitch does not get to win! Jaye does!

OK. Deep breaths. For all the frustration and heartbreak, ‘Lying Pig’ did feature several amusing subplots with Mahandra and Aaron, and Darrin and Karen. Even the Jaye, Eric, and Heidi parts were funny at times. I couldn’t help but chuckle at Eric’s repeated comments about Heidi staying off her knees and his various near-fainting spells (including a reprise of his chapel anxiety). Jaye accidentally hitting Heidi with the TV was a laugh out loud moment, and I was pretty entertained by Eric’s subsequent disappointment that it was only an accident and not something Jaye did during a fight over him. Jaye and Heidi facing off in the hotel suite was also good for a few laughs. (“I was practicing!” Seriously? Lamest excuse for adultery ever.)

I really enjoyed watching Mahandra deal with her feelings for Aaron. Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought their liaison was a bit incestuous. I busted out laughing when she blurted to Heidi, “You, like, did it with your brother!” and later ranted to Eric about Jaye, “Maybe it’s because she’s freaked out. Here you are, her friend, practically her brother, and all of a sudden she’s thinking about you in dirty ways. It’s freaky, OK?” Projecting much, Mahandra? At least she worked through her reservations and fell happily into Aaron’s “I’m just here for the fish” freak arms again. Those two could be good for each other.

The subplot with Karen being angry about Darrin’s inattentiveness felt fairly disconnected from the other happenings in this episode (except for the like father, like daughter “You really need to take your hand off me” moment), but was still enjoyable. Karen’s transition from snarky anger to proactive retribution was great (“Actually, I’m feeling a wee bit peckish”). She looked truly fantastic in that black dress. Guess Darrin just needed a little visual reminder that his wife is worth fighting for. Plus, the Sharon-Darrin spy team was highly entertaining, especially Sharon’s horrified “She is eating his pickle!”

Other Thoughts

Well, they cleared up my confusion surrounding the overall timing of the series. It has been three months since the events of the Pilot.

They also sort of addressed Mahandra’s change of heart regarding Jaye and Eric’s relationship. “Wait a minute --- you encouraged Jaye to break up with me?” She made a mistake, plain and simple. She even shifted back to being OK with it, especially once Jaye and Eric separately confessed to her that they might love each other. I guess finding a possible relationship with Aaron gave her new perspective.

I loved that Jaye went to Aaron for help with her animal troubles. Even better was him just accepting it and trying to help her without passing judgment. “So it’s not just the cow creamer? Interesting.” They even got to have a sweet brother and sister moment when she sincerely thanked him and he told her not to worry about it.

Although, how funny was it that Aaron’s notion of “taking care of it” for Jaye was to gather all the animals in his room and attempt to get them to talk to him? “Talk to me. Please?” Part of his dissertation research? Or part of his “meaninglessness in a universe that has meaning” existential crisis?

I really enjoyed the Mahandra and Eric heart-to-hearts. I like that these two have a friendship outside their relationship with Jaye. I really enjoyed how she stood up for him when Heidi showed up at the bar, and then later told him it was OK to still love his wife. Plus, the miscommunications about “the shrew who ruined my life” and “crazy women and the losers who love them” were amusing.

It was also nice to see Eric sticking up for himself with Heidi. “I wasn’t the only one who made promises. And I didn’t break mine.” And, “You were my life, Heidi. And you’re the one that dropped out.” Too bad he went back to her in the end. Aaargh!!!

I loved Sharon’s WTF expression after Aaron came strolling through with the flamingos.

“Jamakan Bacon” 100% slow-cooked island pork. Hilarious!

Heidi’s velour track suit with the white fur jacket and the high-heeled Converse high-tops cracked me up. She was screaming “stereotypical Jersey girl.” All she needed was bigger hair.

Quotes

Eric: “How’d you get in here anyway?”
Heidi: “I bribed the busboy.”
Eric: “Same way you tipped the bellman on our honeymoon?”

Heidi: “But here I am, begging you to forgive me.”
Eric: “Don’t get on your knees. Wouldn’t help your case much.”

Aaron: “You sound just like my sister.”
Mahandra: “I am not your sister! I mean --- I had a very nice time. Thank you.”

Mahandra: “Are you saying I’m glowing? I’m not glowing. I am a woman of color. We just do that, alright?”

Mahandra: “Oh, please. First of all, if you think Jaye made him less frustrated, you’re sadly mistaken. And what he did and what you did? Not even in the same league.”

Jaye: “No riots. I just threw it out the window. But it was an accident! You know … if the cops ask.”

Heidi: “This whole thing is your fault.”
Jaye: “Ah, while normally that’d be true, this time I’m quite certain you’re the crazy one.”

Jaye: “The bellman, lady. On your honeymoon. Between us, you win the skanky ho contest.”

Eric: “That’s what I want in my life.”
Jaye: “Insane parents?”
Eric: “Something worth fighting for.”

Mahandra: “You just let him walk out of here with the Heidi Ho?”
Jaye: “Oh! [Snap.] I wish I’d said that.”

Jaye: “I think I might love him.”
Mahandra: [Gasp.]
Jaye: “See, that hurt!”
Mahandra: “Jaye! You have to tell him. He’s been waiting for you to tell him. Go! Go right now.”

Eric: “I can’t just walk away.”
Jaye (resigned): “You’re not that guy.”
Eric (sadly): “No. I’m not.”
Jaye: “And that’s why I’m crazy about you.”

Final Analysis: Another funny episode, but this time with an ending that stomps your heart flat. Please let this be the Universe making sure Eric works through his issues so he can really commit to Jaye! Please?

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

8 comments:

  1. Great review, Jess. I remember loving this episode. Like you, I was completely invested at this point. I think that's Caroline's gift as an actress. Whenever she cries on screen, my heart immediately breaks for her. The fact this time she's playing a character with such a tough exterior only makes it more touching.

    Plus, you know, Jewel Staite in black leather pants.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I loved Aaron in this episode. But was really frustrated with Eric and everything Jewel Staite did.

    Do you suppose Jewel Staite really is a cancellation curse? What has she been in that wasn't almost immediately canceled?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dimitri, you may be getting ahead of yourself with the pants. The black leather pants is the next episode. I made a note of it in my upcoming review. (Of course, I may have overlooked them in this episode. I was pretty flaming mad whenever she was on the screen in this one.) But either way, I agree, she looked awesome in those pants.

    Billie, this show was canceled well before Jewel's episodes aired, so she may not be to blame for this one. Also, she was added to Stargate Atlantis at the end of Season 3, well before it was canceled. And she played a wraith in Season 2 of that show.

    Plus, if memory serves, back when she was a kid, she guested in a Season 3 episode of the X-Files (Oubliette). She was a little girl that got kidnapped and stuffed in a hole. The episode brought up a lot of "abducted sister" trauma for Mulder.

    And I believe she's a guest star in the upcoming season of Warehouse 13, so she better not be a cancelation curse. I like that show!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was going to mention X-Files too. Odd that we'd both remember such a small part, Jess.

    Jewel Staite was also in a couple of successful Canadian shows, including Da Vinci's Inquest, which got seven seasons, a spinoff series, and a bunch of TV movies. This sort of thing is very rare up here. It's a really good show too if you like social commentary mascarading as police drama. I think fans of The Wire will want to check it out, not that they're quite in the same league.

    My apologies about the leather pants spoiler, folks. I was going by memory, and the truth is, now I see that pair of pants whenever I think of her. Everybody should pick up the DVD set just for the pants. The clever writing, awesome acting, and the fact I spent every episode from this point alternating between laughing hysterically and crying like a Twilight fan getting to the last chapter of a Nicholas Sparks book make it worthwhile too, but really. The pants.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now that we've talked them up, I think I'm going to pick a different screen capture for the next review. I had a shot of Jaye with the Brass Monkey picked out, but now I think everyone needs to see The Pants.

    You know, when I started reviewing the series, I just remembered "the funny." I had totally forgotten about the emotional roller coaster of the last bunch of episodes. I was quite surprised by how devastated I was at the end of this episode. These characters are so easy to get invested in. It's not all snark and bizarro adventures. There's a real emotional core.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I need to quote what Dimitri A.C. Ly said:
    "Whenever she cries on screen, my heart immediately breaks for her. The fact this time she's playing a character with such a tough exterior only makes it more touching."

    About Caroline, I didn't knew here before Wonderfalls. At first I thought she was hard to like at all. But that's like you said the tough exterior. The scene from these quotes:

    Eric: “I can’t just walk away.”
    Jaye (resigned): “You’re not that guy.”
    Eric (sadly): “No. I’m not.”
    Jaye: “And that’s why I’m crazy about you.”

    It was not only Caroline but also Tyron that made it so moving. The first time I watched it I had tears in my eyes too.

    It's really weird (sorry can't find the right word) that an episode has it all. Funny moments that make me laugh out loud and sad moments that almost make me cry.

    I love Caroline as an actress. I came across Wonderfalls through Tyron Leitso. I knew him from Being Erica (that's how I found out about Wonderfalls). I think he did a way better job in Wonderfalls. Maybe because his character was more interesting. Same thing for Lee Pace, this character is way nicer than the one in Pushing Daisies (just my opinion).

    So that's why I really don't understand how they could ever cancell this show.

    ReplyDelete
  7. For a lighthearted, comedic show, this episode caught me off guard. I shed a tear or two at the end, my heart breaking for Jaye. The irony of her trying so hard to protect Eric from being hurt and then the hurt on her face just killed me

    What this show does show well is the juxtaposition of those pathos with laugh out loud moments. The highlight was Jaye and Heidi's one-upmanship in the hotel room.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow was not expecting this show to progress far enough to let us see Jaye get her heart broken ;-;

    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.