S3E6 "Josh is Irrelevant"
The episode begins with Rebecca's friends, which is a great way to start the episode, showing how they are there for and concerned about Rebecca, a heartwarming start after a devastating ending. Valencia takes up the task of informing Rebecca's friends how she's doing, Paula acts as Rebecca's mother, and Heather, well she just there, though really that's all she needs to be.
Rebecca is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (which I'm glad about because, reading about the illness before this, it matches what we know about Rebecca). She looks it up online, and she gets discouraged due to the amount of stigma around it and the difficulty of treating it.
Rebecca freaks out, but luckily she has people to talk to about it, her friends. In addition to what she read, she is also struggling with it being a personality disorder. "It's not a thing I have, it's a thing I am." The girls talk about it, and referring to the diagnosis as a D is hilarious. I also loved how Heather obviously got what it sounded like, but the rest isn't. Vella Lovell's facial expressions are perfect.
Interrupting one of Dr. Akopian's sessions, Rebecca asks for a different diagnosis. Instead, Dr. Akopian explains to Rebecca what borderline personality disorder really is, and her checklist makes Rebecca certain that this is what she has. Now, her only choice left is to work on treating it. Also, there is a great line thrown in there by Dr. Akopian about the issues with Rebecca and Paula's relationship.
At home, Rebecca wants some space, but her friends are concerned. They wait outside the bathroom for Rebecca, and become concerned when she doesn't respond. The reveal that her lack of response is due to her listening to a music video, with the reaction being the same as in the theme song, is brilliant. Vella Lovell once again stands out here, as Heather gets an ax, and then when Rebecca opens the door, Lovell excellently delivers "Hey girl, how was your pee?"
Tasked with informing Rebecca's friends of how she is doing, Valencia's behavior is very reminiscent of her behavior in the first season. However, it doesn't ignore her character development, because Valencia deeply cares about Rebecca throughout. There is an amazing ending here, as Valencia breaks down crying, and expresses to Rebecca how much she cares about her. This both a great moment for Valencia, and it reminds Rebecca in a deep way how she has people that care about her.
Josh is convinced that he is responsible for Rebecca's attempted suicide, because Josh's world revolves around him. Josh is unbearable when he appears, but luckily he has people trying to set him straight, first Rebecca's friends, then Hector. Finally, the message gets through to Josh, when he overhears Rebecca herself saying that none of this has to do with him. My question now is, how does Josh fit into the story going forward?
Rebecca's suicide attempt hits Nathaniel surprisingly close to home, because it turns out that his mother attempted suicide when he was young. Nathaniel's quest for truth as to what happened ends up leading to a sincere moment between Nathaniel and his mother, something I'm very happy we got considering how Nathaniel's relationship with his father is.
Darryl is absent for most of the episode, as he is out of town with White Josh, and they have no cell service. Initially I was disappointed by this, because Darryl is such a caring person and really should be there for Rebecca. However, the fact that Darryl raced to West Covina as soon as he heard, getting sunburned in the process, ends up being a great testament to how much he cares. This worked out well anyway, as Darryl being in the rest of the episode would have disrupted the female friends' dynamic.
And now for my thoughts on the songs of the episode...
A Diagnosis: This song was everything. Her excitement about having a new diagnosis is well-explained and fits into what we know about her. She wants to be understood and she wants to belong. Her diagnosis gives her a chance at that. She will have a group of people who struggle with the same illness that she does. Also, "Yes I like penises, but who doesn't?" may be the best line ever.
This Is My Movement: Usually I find poop jokes immature, but the lyrics of this song are too brilliant, I had to enjoy it. It's very Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in style, and it's nice to get things this funny in an episode that carries a could of seriousness.
This was an excellent episode. It handled a heavy and important topic well, exploring both the struggle with a mental illness diagnosis and reactions in the aftermath of a friend's attempted suicide. Also, while it handled deep material, it also found many opportunities for great comedy, and when it comes to comedy, Vella Lovell really stood out this week.
Score: 10/10
What did you think of "Josh is Irrelevant"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
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