8x06 Charlie's Mom Has Cancer

[7.7/10] Definitely the kind of IASIP formula I like, with the gang splitting off into different groups and going on adventures centered on a certain theme, and then bringing everything together with odd but striking connections.

For one thing, between this and Get Him to the Greek, who knew that P. Diddy was actually funny? Watching Charlie, Mac, and Dennis go to the home of “Dr. Jinx” and hearing him talk about his deal was a surprisingly good source of laughs in this one. But it doesn’t compare to their visit to the local church. I loved how Charlie just couldn’t understand how or why the church worked the way it did (some solid social commentary from the show on that front) and his disbelief at why the Church wouldn’t just give his mom the money she needed.

Then fact that, in an episode centered around sniffing out scams, The Gang tries to use religion to pull off their caper is another transgressive move from the show (a word that comes up a lot with IASIP) that pays dividends. Dennis’ speech in particular in a little on the nose, but garners some laughs, especially with the recurring bit that he doesn’t feel feelings anymore.

Dee and Frank’s bit in the episode wasn’t as strong initially, with the whole psychic fraud and Frank losing his marbles. But that’s when things start to come together beautifully. The fact that Charlie’s mom was faking it to raise money to replace the church statue she and Mac’s mom had knocked down, and then noting that she learned it from Charlie himself is a brilliant reveal. Frank playing Dee the whole time on the “your mom’s still alive” bit is the sort of line-crossing insanity that makes the show feel both clever and deranged. And Dennis’ “I’m feeling too much now!” bit is the perfect capper.

Overall, this one is good but nothing special for most of its runtime, but finds a second gear in the last act and blows you away.