After last week episode I was hoping we would get a classic Sunny episode but it quickly became apparent that it was not the case. I stated last week that these two episodes, Mac Fights Gay Marriage and Dennis Gets Divorced, are meant to be shown together and the two episodes on their own are just not up to typical Sunny quality. While it is possible that upon watching the two episodes together they could be great, as it stands this weeks episode is just as flawed and, at times, not funny.
The episode picks up three days after last week with Dennis waking up next to his new wife and we can tell that he is not happy about it. The leaving money on the dresser bit is pretty funny and thinking about how he has done this the past three mornings is also pretty funny. My problems with Dennis’ character aside the scenes with Maurine are just awkward. Latter in the episode there is a scene with Mac, Dennis, and Maurine that is just…..terrible, not in the way that its filmed bad or anything but it just makes you feel bad and it isn’t funny at all. Sunny is no stranger to dark dry humor and it usually works for them, however in this scene it just doesn’t.
The Carmen storyline is dropped and the remainder of the episode focuses both Charlie and Frank, along with Dee and her new lover. The Charlie and Frank portion is great and the two playoff of each other well. You can see their transformation from best friends to a constantly fighting married couple. Charlie is always looking for more money and Frank is wondering what he gets out of the deal. Before they get an annulment they look back on their friendship and the discussion is oddly meaningful. These two make up the best storylines in the show, usually, and looking back at some of the ridiculous things they have done is great. Eventually they find an arrangement that will allow them to go back to the way it was which brings back Uncle Jack from the Sunny Christmas movie. Uncle Jacks pedophilia is something that has to be used sparingly because it needs to straddle that line between creepy and funny. They teeter on the edge in this episode but all in all its pretty funny.
Dee, as she tends to always, takes her desire to be as cold hearted as the other a bit too far. The guy she slept with buys her a car and she tries to play it cool and send him back to his wife. It doesn’t work out that way however and the Dee storyline is pretty good. Dee is one of the more consistent characters in the show and she solves the problem in typical fashion, well typical for Dee anyway.
The highlight of the episode is the return of the lawyer. The lawyer has quickly become Sunny’s best smaller character and every time he shows up it is a treat. He has a new demeanor this time, stemming from him outsmarting the gang last time, and while I do not like this character as much as I did the former he is still funny and wraps up the story nicely. If we could get a Rickety Cricket and Lawyer episode it would be great.
While it may not have been the best episode it is still funny and hopefully they can get back on track next week.
