Kate: I know who. He lives in my goddamn house.
Episode description: “Harry meets a woman unlike any other and realizes that she is the key to his new mission.”
Again, whoever does these descriptions for Resident Alien is very bad at it, because the emotion of "Girls' Night" is really about girls' nights and has little to do with Harry's mission. Resident Alien features lots of women, all about the same age – mid to late thirties – and most have been in Patience since they were kids. The same generation includes Asta, D'arcy, Judy, Liv and Asta's cousin Kayla. The only male in the bunch who was in Patience is Ben Hawthorne.
The episode has a flashback, 24 years ago, when the girls (and Ben) were camping in the woods. Liv, responsible even back then, remained behind to watch the fire and had an alien spaceship sighting. She was scolded and told not to lie. To be fair, many would assume she was lying. But if young Liv saw the alien spaceship, we can understand why Deputy Liv took Max seriously when he said Harry was an alien.
Anyway, calling a girls' night is apparently a thing in Patience for women of a certain age. I heartily approve. They decide to include Kate and her cousin.
Ben, who needs a night out as well – and had been planning one with his wife and her cousin – decides to go out too, as they have already arranged a babysitter for Max. He turns to Sheriff Mike, and they take along Mike's father Lewis.
Ben and Mike have a heart-to-heart in the bar about the fact that D'arcy kissed him. Ben wants to tell Kate for the sake of not hiding things from his wife. Sheriff Mike – in the most colorful way: whoever is writing his lines is just dandy with words – tells him that plan would be the worst mistake ever.
I understand Mike's point of view. I also understand Lewis's, who reminds them that as Ben did not initiate that kiss, he has no reason to feel guilty. And although this did not come up – and it should have! – Patience is a small town (apparently with only the one bar, which is why Ben and Kate are hanging out in the same one, but also convenient for the Resident Alien budget) and so everyone knows everything about everyone else. Besides, D'arcy is a loudmouth who has been telling everyone about that kiss anyway. So, in my opinion, Ben should get ahead of this story and tell Kate before she learns a distorted version some other way. Finally, although Ben may not be able to get D'arcy to stop hitting on him, I bet Kate could manage it!
I have not gotten over D'arcy's previous actions, but in this episode, Resident Alien does a lot to repair her character. One technique that is applied is to have D'arcy be admired by many of the residents in Patience – starting way back, when they were kids at that campout. Moreover, in this episode D'arcy takes several steps to correct the injustice of women getting paid so much less than men. Breaking into the Mayor's office to discover what people were getting paid – it might be against the law, but unlike her earlier actions, it wasn't putting anyone's life in danger. Besides, these are really public matters. Dropping flyers from a helicopter is also admirable when she was told she was not allowed to put them on the telephone poles (although Max put up the pictures of the alien, so this action only seems to be illegal sometimes). Using the helicopter might be over the top, but it does draw attention to the problem, and it gets Mayor Ben to act. We know he did, because Deputy Liv shows up with a brand-new car to replace the one that has been breaking down.
Anyway, back to other parts of the plot. Kate's cousin Carlyn comes to town and when she meets Harry, she is immediately attracted to him. Harry is interested in her – not for a relationship, but because she has the diffuser he needs. His approach to seduction is amusing.
I must say that Asta is sometimes a bit unreasonable. Yes, seducing someone for gain – in this case, to get a part Harry needs for his radio – is wrong. So is drugging her and assuming her form (actually a better plan). But Harry and Asta are trying to stop the elimination of the entire human race. A little bit of cost-benefit analysis is good, and Asta finally accepts it and assists Harry by explaining that he needs to change his clothes and how to pee as a woman.
Title musings. “Girls' Night” is the title of the episode, and it applies in many ways. First, there are actual girls' nights – both out camping in the past and then at the bar in the present. Second, it really is a girls' night in the sense that the women make an important discovery and they demand equal pay. Third, Harry decides to take on the form of the woman so he gets to experience what girls experience.
Also, I am deeply appreciative for the fact that they used the apostrophe correctly. I have trained myself to hold my tongue in general, but there's a part of me that cringes/sighs/shakes my head whenever I witness apostrophe abuse. A good title.
Bits and pieces
I am incapable of participating in girls' nights because I simply cannot stay up late. But my times with girlfriends – girls' afternoons? – are some of my most enjoyable experiences.
I still don't like D'arcy. But her character is consistent, and sometimes she uses her powers for good.
I don't know why the women are so hard on Judy. She doesn't make good choices, but most of them have screwed up repeatedly as well.
If Harry can alter memories why has he not done it before? It seems as if it would have been convenient on multiple occasions. In fact, it seems almost too convenient. Sometimes giving someone too many abilities takes away the hurdles needed to keep the plot interesting. However, there's the excuse that the ship, converted into balls, are giving him extra powers. They are easy to lose/have stolen, as Max and Sahar have learned. So they provide plot opportunities.
Quotes
Young Liv: I did. I saw something.
Chaperone: Olivia Baker, you know the rules about lying.
Young Asta: Did you really see something?
Young Liv: No.
Ben: Hey, uh, you ever tried those wheat beers? You know, the one where you put the lemon in there? I hear they're – they're pretty tasty.
Mike: What do you want, bro-ham? What, are you asking me out on a date or something?
Liv: I happen to know that Lewis would love to get out of the house and have a beer.
Mike: I'll think about it. How about that? – I'll... I'll think about it.
Liv: He'll definitely be there.
Carlyn: My lab supervisor thinks grabbing my buttocks is one of his job perks. I was really beginning to think I was never gonna meet a nice guy. Till today, that is.
D'arcy: Wait, you met a guy here? Today?
Asta: In Patience?
Asta: It's not just about her body, okay? It's a whole life we're invading. There has to be a better way.
Harry: To access a microsatellite network in time to tell my people not to come here and melt you all like crayons in a hot car? I'll wait.
Harry: Her boss is a bad man.
Asta: Yeah, she said something about that.
Harry: He will not bother her again.
Asta: What did you do?
Harry: The same thing you would have done, if you had the strength of six gorillas.
Asta: You know, next time a woman tries to tell you something, sit down, shut up, and listen. And if you feel the need to say anything, all it needs to be is, "Yes, ma'am."
Sahar: I know all about your silver balls. I know Max stole one, and that's why he's been acting like springtime lions in those nature videos, but I also know you knew he had a ball and did nothing to stop him. Guess what. You're not getting your ball back. I've hidden it where you'll never find it, and I'm guessing now that it's gone, Max will go back to normal. And if he doesn't, you are going to hear from me. Do you understand?
Harry: Yes, ma'am.
Overall rating
This episode was much less about Harry and much more about the women of Patience. However, I really liked it – much more than I liked the other bits such as D'arcy and Asta on a motorboat reminiscing about high school. Maybe it appeals to me because there are times in my life when I was paid far less than the guys. Anyway, three and a half out of four dropped flyers.
Victoria Grossack loves math, birds, Greek mythology, Jane Austen and great storytelling in many forms.
I thought it was a delightful episode. And what I enjoyed most was Alex Borstein from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Carlyn. Too funny.
ReplyDelete"Apostrophe abuse." I'm against it. :)
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