“You're the Worst” just aired its second season premiere on FXX. Earlier this week, I posted interviews with creator Stephen Falk and stars Aya Cash and Chris Geere, and I have a few spoiler-y thoughts on the season premiere coming up just as soon as I steal a DVD kiosk…
While I've never believed that getting couples together ruins romantic comedies (go read Linda Holmes for a breakdown on The “Moonlighting” Fallacy), there's definitely a change that shows have to be nimble enough to deal with. By moving in together, Gretchen and Jimmy haven't guaranteed their long-term happiness, or proven that they'll never break up, but it's still a step that provides some level of stability, at least for now, to two human trainwrecks, and I wanted to see how Falk and company would deal with that.
Fortunately, “The Sweater People” hits the subject head on, by having its two anti-heroes trying desperately to prove that nothing is different now that they're living together, through a drug and sex-crazed binge that eventually leads to the delightful phrase “cocaine… and butt stuff.” The frequent blackouts, and result thereof, were hilarious, and it was great to see Sam, Honey Nutz, and Shitstain acting as the relatively responsible voices here.
That, of course, required Lindsay to become the devil on Gretchen's shoulder, and it's been fascinating to watch the writers and Kether Donohue take Lindsay down this darker and darker path over these 11 episodes. Here, she seduces Paul not because she wants him – understandable, given what we learn about the stark realities of their sex life – but because she's annoyed that he left her, and also to throw a monkey wrench in his relationship with the woman he met in the home-brew chat room. It's not a good look for Lindsay, but the show never tries to protect any of its characters in that way (well, maybe Edgar a bit), and it's funnier and sharper and more emotionally affecting as a result of that.
What did everybody else think? It's been more than a year since the last new episode aired; was this worth the wait? Did the show feel appreciably different with the central couple living together? Did you remember to set a new DVR season pass given the network shift?
(Hoping to do some kind of regular coverage this season, but it may be difficult in the early weeks as I deal with the deluge of fall premieres. At a minimum, there will be periodic posts of some kind.)