Season 4 Episode 05: Employee of the Bearimy

[enemyofperfect]

Getting ahead of things for once, have a reaction post!

I might be able to watch tonight's episode when it airs, but please go ahead and get as spoilery as you like in the comments in any case -- I'll set aside all the notification emails until I'm caught up, I promise.

I look forward to everyone's commentary!

Comments

[author_by_night]

Maybe it was that I was actually hoping for some Tahani and Eleanor bonding, and I got the opposite, but I really didn't like how Eleanor treated Tahani in this episode. I saw her point that Tahani has skills she doesn't, but at the same time, she treated Tahani the way Michael treated Tahani in season one, IMHO, except Michael was actually evil. Is Eleanor supposed to be backsliding into her old ways here, under pressure?

I did like that Tahani said, at the end of her speech, that she still wanted to be useful, but Eleanor did not acknowledge at all that she'd been harsh. Especially as yes, Tahani had a lot, but she also had manipulative parents, then lost them when she was young, a deeply unhealthy relationship with her sister, and I don't think she really had true friends, as much as her name dropping might indicate otherwise. I don't mean to be all Rich People Have Problems Too here, I realize Eleanor had challenges Tahani didn't, but Tahani also had to make her own way IN her on way.


It might just be me, though? Again, I was hoping we'd see more friendship between Tahani and Eleanor (especially as we haven't really gotten it since season one!), so the polar opposite might have jarred me a little more than it would've otherwise.

I thought Michael and Jason being able to save Janet like that was a bit too easy, but it's a comedy, so it's fine. They're towing the line between getting a little darker and still remaining somewhat light. Which I can appreciate.

In general, I love that this show has stakes, but doesn't go super dark. I... don't really think it could go much darker without going the other way, due to how much it already toes the line. If it weren't a comedy,we'd have to focus on the darker implications.

[enemyofperfect]

Super late to the party, but I share everyone's disappointment that there wasn't more teamwork between Tahani and Eleanor. Tahani is a great character with her own unique strengths and emotional struggles, so it's uncomfortable to see her being... kind of diminished by Eleanor's leadership this season? I don't want that to be a zero sum game, but reading the comments here, I feel like that really is how it's coming across right now. Fingers crossed that Tahani gets more of a chance to shine as the season continues!

I admit, for a minute when they were talking things through I was sure they were going to kiss. Eternity is long enough to modify the polyamory adage that love isn't finite but time is, right?

But I really loved how blasé Janet was about her captivity, and how hard Jason tried to be at least kind of strategic. And Ted Danson is just fun to watch in action.