3x04 Driving Test

[8.1/10] Another episode where I liked both of the major storyline. We’re not only getting some nice advancement for Johnny Rose as a character after him mostly being aimless comic relief up to this point, but we get the best David/Alexis story the show’s ever done in the same episode.

Let’s start with that. I love Alexis and David teaming up for David’s driving test. There’s a really good contrast between the two of them here, with Alexis trying to get her preternaturally anxious brother to relax by convincing him that “nobody cares” and “no one thinks about you like you do”, at the same time David tries to make his preternaturally calm sister realizes that not everybody “skates through life” and “has everything handed to them” the way that she does. It’s an excellent conflict of temperament that comes from deeply-rooted character traits, and utilizes the performers’ great dynamic with one another.

I particularly enjoy where it ends up. David is his usual anxious self during the driving test at first, until he realizes that his sister was right and the part-time DJ of a driving instructor he’s got gennely doesn’t carea bout this, to where David can realx. But I like the reciprocal side of that, where David reveals that part of his constant anxiety stems from having to be the one who worried about Alexis when she was galavanting about the world and her parents couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. There’s a sense that Alexis is partly so calm because she’s seen it all, but also that she only survived all her scrapes thanks to David’s long distance intervention, and that the constant worry took its toll on him. ALexis acknowledges that, but also smiles at the realization of how much her brother cares.

It’s such a great story, one that plays in the space of complicated sibling dynamics, lands somewhere sweet and real despite the absurdity of the context, and even gets some good laughs in their back and forth. A real winner, to be sure.

Even if it doesn’t hit the same heights, I like the story of Johnny and Moira’s reaction to the prospect of Stevie potentially selling the hotel as well. A lot of it is just silly, like Moira’s failed attempt to persuade the Town Council to initiate a bailout or her evasions with Johnny about it. There’s also some good laughs with Ray’s chipper explication of all the reasons that partnering with Johnny is a bad idea. Even Johnny trying to be supportive of Stevie while not-so-subtly nagging her about the drip in the kids’ faucet is a good laugh.

But I also like this as a mean for Johnny to contribute to this family and self-acutalize a bit. He’s felt left behind by all the other Roses’ successes. This is a chance for him not only to find a purpose -- the support and management of the hotel -- but to help keep his family secure by ensuring a new owner doesn’t come on board and kick them out. The fact that in the end, however comically middling he is as a plumber, Johnny is once again ready to do the dirty work, is another nice bit of personal growth for him.

At the same time, I like this one as a brief moment of vulnerability for Stevie, who’s overwhelmed at the prospect of owning a motel with “one underperforming employee.” Her crying when looking over the paperwork and weepily thanking Johnny for his help is really sweet, and the actress does a nice job at conveying the character’s distress.

Overall this is another strong episode that hits on some real emotions, develops the characters, and gets some good laughs in the process. Season 3 is looking up!