2x09 Moira's Nudes

[7.6/10] Another winning episode. The realization that the Roses are overdrawn and in need of a cash infusion leads to some good bits.

I particularly enjoyed Alexis panicking about the sudden lack of resources and being well-intentioned about it, but not actually equipped to handle it. Her trying to scoop make-up back in a bottle or forego her usual smoothie in favor of “a hose” are amusing attempts at frugality. There’s something noble, if misguided, about her trying to “earn” her way into a job that’s been offered by her ex. And her sympathy card for her dad is sweet. Color me shocked, but I’m actually liking where they’re taking Alexis after the show dispensed with the dumb romcom stuff.

I’m also liking the awkward position Johnny’s in of being used to being the provider but needing to ask his son for money. His less-than-smooth effort to convey that need to David, and the two of them trying and failing to negotiate and ATM were both good comic scenes. Once again, there’s even a nice bit of heart to it, with Johnny hugging his kids (over David’s objections). There’s even a nice comic follow-up to it, with Johnny announcing that he’s hugging them and Moira incredulously asking “why?”

Speaking of Moira, her search for nude photos of herself on the internet, and her despondency at not being able to find them, was another winning comic premise. The humorous reversal of someone lamenting the lack of naked pictures on the web continues to bring the laughs, and Moira’s speeches are great. Whether it’s her trying to cajole David into finding them for her or telling Stevie not to worry about how “spooky” she looks, O’Hara knocks it out of the park. Her lack of understanding of how the internet works is another good vein of comedy.

But I also like the touch of real feeling behind it. Her speech to Stevie, however insulting, ends on the note that we all get older and will one day look back at the parts of ourselves we’re insecure about and think how beautiful we were. Moira’s doing that wistfully, wanting some record of her salad days, and as funny as the framing is here, the show adds a touch of poignance. The fact that Johnny hung onto a candid polaroid is another oddly sweet resolution, one that makes the Roses a little more endearing even as they’re still spoiled and aloof.

Overall, a nicely funny episode with a little more going on under the hood.