Loveday Writing

The penultimate episode of a season usually provides a springboard to the finale, this job did that in an unexpected but not unwelcome way.

The episode kicks off with Ray in a tux and telling George about an announcement he wants to make at 11am. Shortly after, Helen and Roz arrive at work, with the latter drinking a Coke-like energy drink and her dress on inside out.

Meanwhile, Helen is busier than ever with her clients. Her first one admonishes her as he is left with only $9,000 out of a $200,000 inheritance, as he went to court against her advice. Her second client is recurring character, Anne, who tries to get a $50,000 inheritance from her grandmother’s estate by writing on the will in pen. During her meeting with Anne, Roz interrupts asking Helen to talk to her about an urgent matter, only for Roz to ask Helen for her advice on work-life balance, write a song lyric, and walk away, which leads to Helen noticing Roz is not wearing any shoes.

It’s revealed that Ray’s 11am announcement is a marriage proposal to Mel, who immediately says no, “not like this”. Mel leaves and Ray is left broken-hearted. This leads to Ray wallowing in self-pity, drinking red wine and listening to Evanescence with George. Helen puts a stop to the latter when she points out to George that he is enabling him. When Helen tries to snap Ray out of his broken-hearted depression later in the episode, she reminds him that Mel rejected his proposal by telling him “not like this” and to talk to her as she didn’t technically dump him.

Later, Helen meets a client, Jeremiah, who is a poet and has written his will to be a piece of art. When Helen suggests that she write his will so it’s clear-cut and legal, but add his creative will at the end, he loves the idea. When he returns to take a look at the will, he finds Roz’s notebook on her desk and reads through it, telling Helen that Roz’s mind is in a dark place. Later, Roz brings wine into Helen’s office and confides in her that she believes nobody likes her. After Helen reads negative Google reviews on Roz’s mediation practice that Roz shows her, Helen tells her that people are angry at the process of mediation, not Roz personally, and suggests that she be a bit more direct. This leads to Roz being blunt to the point of rude, but also not caring what everyone thinks of her, and thanking Helen by constantly, and hilariously, misquoting her.

Ray and Mel manage to make up and get “engaged to be engaged,” meaning that they will be getting engaged the next month, with Ray adopting Bubby as he was inspired by Victor adopting Helen. He later reveals to everyone that he will be leaving the firm, upsetting George so much he cries and runs to the locked office bathroom. The episode ends with the screen going to black with the words ‘to be continued’ appearing on the screen.

Overall, I enjoyed this episode and the exploration of both Ray’s relationship as well as how he behaves when he’s heartbroken. Whilst Roz’s behaviour is played for laughs, when Helen’s client tells her and the audience that she is in a dark place, possibly depressed, it’s not so funny, and why she is behaving the way she is, isn’t revealed, although this could possibly be addressed in the finale. I also appreciated that Helen took charge and kept a level head throughout the episode, and that she managed to get along with Jeremiah, after two negative client experiences. I felt that the minor subplot involving Tony planning his own funeral to be under developed, but again, this could be addressed further in the finale.

I’m looking forward to seeing where the finale takes us and how it will close the show’s third season.

Stray Observations:

Episode title – Ray tells George it’s time to crack out the “red wine and Evanescence” after Mel rejects his marriage proposal.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “I gave her a good kick in the pants.” “I think a hug would have been more appropriate.” “I’m more of a kicker than a hugger.” (Jeremiah-Helen-Jeremiah on Roz’s notebook and Helen’s motivational speech to Roz)