For the past two weeks, You’re The Worst fans have been baffled by the disappearing act Gretchen had started to pull late at night. After the reveal last week that Jimmy knew that she was often leaving after bedtime, it seemed likely that last night’s episode, “Side B*tch”, would bring some illumination. It did, but the episode did nothing to assuage the fear that all is not well in Jimmy and Gretchen Land.
First of all, the writers of You’re The Worst deserve to be applauded for not going with a well-trodden “she’s sleeping with an ex” storyline. Jimmy thinks Gretchen is probably sleeping with someone on the side, and his suspicions are seemingly confirmed when he finds a burner phone with some easily misconstrued texts. Jimmy being Jimmy, he decides to trick her into confessing by taking her to the bar where he had arranged a meeting with the mystery person.
While there may have been a Ty Wyland misdirect, Jimmy soon realizes that the burner was from Gretchen’s client, Sam, because “sleepy b*tches don’t deserve regular phones.” However, this doesn’t explain why she’s leaving in the middle of the night, so, of course, he dons his fake mustache and follows her. What he finds is Gretchen sobbing in her car playing Snake on the flip phone. She assures him that they are fine and that she just needs some time to herself, and Jimmy leaves her in her car with a smile on his face. Mystery solved!
While infidelity is off the table, that doesn’t mean that things are going well for these two, no matter what Jimmy thinks. Crying in your car for no apparent reason isn’t especially troubling. Everyone needs a good cry now and then because life is hard. However, the fact that Gretchen doesn’t feel comfortable enough to cry in her own home is. Additionally, the fact that Jimmy is so averse to adult communication and is willing to leave (with a grin on his face no less) his girlfriend in such obvious distress speaks volumes about their relationship.
Ever since they moved in together at the end of season one, it’s only been a matter of time for their relationship to implode. Despite their affection and desire for one another, until they are willing to grow up and put in the work necessary for a real relationship, Jimmy and Gretchen will never really work. There may be a physical closeness between them, but they are still just playing house.
