[7.7/10] A really fun quasi-murder mystery riff from the show. Kaitlin Olson is a great comic get for the show, and she does a very nice job as Helen, the widow who owns this lovely but beach house/potential murder scene. Her interactions with the family neatly walk the line between friendly weirdo and screw-loose possible murderer.
To that end, I love the way the show veers back and forth over whether Helen actually did it or not. You have Linda and Louise poring over details from their snooping around her home, flinging crazy theories, and then Helen herself showing up to both dispel those theories but also provide new clues. It’s a fun escalation, right up to the confrontation between her and Linda and eventually Louise. The fact that a loopy Bob finds the evidence that Helen really did kill her husband, only to forget it and/or mistake it for a lure to Teddy is the perfect final note to play here.
Speaking of which, I loooooved brain-addled Bob here. His general loopiness, referring to everyone as Gene, and stupidly laughing at nonsense was a delight. It’s great comic material that the show returned to again and again without losing any of its charm. Likewise, Teddy’s crush on Helen and imagination for how things would go was the right blend of pathetic and sweet that makes up Teddy. THis was a great episode for both of them.
It’s also a nice Linda/Louise episode. The two of them feuling each other’s conspiracy theories, and Louise attacking Helen when she thinks the widow is after her mom is a great moment for the mother/daughter team. Plus the show does a good job of setting the mood with the storm and atmosphere of the place. Last but not least, both Tina and Gene get in some good comic lines as the greek chorus (especially Tina trying to be wowed by her dad’s “skills” at pool.)
Overall, this is a fun one that makes the most of its murder mystery premise and packs in plenty of good laughs and funny character moments besides.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-10-09T19:00:05Z
[7.7/10] A really fun quasi-murder mystery riff from the show. Kaitlin Olson is a great comic get for the show, and she does a very nice job as Helen, the widow who owns this lovely but beach house/potential murder scene. Her interactions with the family neatly walk the line between friendly weirdo and screw-loose possible murderer.
To that end, I love the way the show veers back and forth over whether Helen actually did it or not. You have Linda and Louise poring over details from their snooping around her home, flinging crazy theories, and then Helen herself showing up to both dispel those theories but also provide new clues. It’s a fun escalation, right up to the confrontation between her and Linda and eventually Louise. The fact that a loopy Bob finds the evidence that Helen really did kill her husband, only to forget it and/or mistake it for a lure to Teddy is the perfect final note to play here.
Speaking of which, I loooooved brain-addled Bob here. His general loopiness, referring to everyone as Gene, and stupidly laughing at nonsense was a delight. It’s great comic material that the show returned to again and again without losing any of its charm. Likewise, Teddy’s crush on Helen and imagination for how things would go was the right blend of pathetic and sweet that makes up Teddy. THis was a great episode for both of them.
It’s also a nice Linda/Louise episode. The two of them feuling each other’s conspiracy theories, and Louise attacking Helen when she thinks the widow is after her mom is a great moment for the mother/daughter team. Plus the show does a good job of setting the mood with the storm and atmosphere of the place. Last but not least, both Tina and Gene get in some good comic lines as the greek chorus (especially Tina trying to be wowed by her dad’s “skills” at pool.)
Overall, this is a fun one that makes the most of its murder mystery premise and packs in plenty of good laughs and funny character moments besides.