My Boys season two episode reviews

Season 2, Episode 1. "The Transitioning" makes a great start to Season Two. The cliffhanger is resolved and we discover that PJ chose Bobby. I was delighted about this, but disappointed that (once they got to Italy) nothing much happened. We have been waiting a long time for this, and this is all we get? Jordana Spiro was hilarious in all these scenes (and seems to have gotten even more cute and adorable over the hiatus) but it was - I felt - a lame way to resolve the storyline. Never mind, the rest of the episode is fantastic. Jim Gaffigan steals every scene as the rest of the rest of the gang try to cope without PJ.

Season 2, Episode 1. "The Transitioning" On second viewing, I find that this isn't as good as I remember. The weakest of the first four episodes. Too much time spent on the emotions of the situation and not enough on the comedy. Makes for less fun the second time around.

Season 2, Episode 2. "Dinner Party" I never stopped laughing. I think every line of dialogue is a joke, but I'll have to go back and watch it again to be sure. Absolutely the funniest sit-com on TV. I might not have stopped laughing, but I did have to stop the show a few times to rewind and go back on the stuff I'd missed.

Season 2, Episode 2. "Dinner Party" is a classic. I found it to be even funnier on second viewing, if that is possible. If I had to pick out one thing in particular as being utterly brilliant I would go for everything between Kenny and Mike. The Office might be a better show (more inventive, more dramatic, etc.) and Flight Of The Conchords might be cooler (more inventive, more rewatchable) but My Boys packs more laughs into it's episodes. It's the funniest show on TV.

Season 2, Episode 3. "The Shirt Contest" The joy of this show is the friendships between the group. I honestly can't think of a sitcom that so perfectly captures the feeling of being in a group of friends. Aside from the chemistry of the cast, the show manages to tell interesting stories. This episode has PJ trying to write a book with a sports celebrity and not making much progress. While Brendan meets his ex in a very embarrassing (and relatable) situation. And while all this is going on, the gang banter as usual.

Season 2, Episode 3. "The Shirt Contest" It's fun to go back and watch these episodes again and notice how all the ongoing storylines progress from week to week. The Mike/Kenny stuff, Stephanie's book, Andy's friend Joe, Brendan's job, and - of course - Bobby's romance with Elsa.

Season 2, Episode 4. "Spit Take" It's not just the funniest sit-com on TV (and it is) it's also got one of the best on-going romantic storylines. Witness: PJ's crush on Bobby and her attempts to deal with his engagement to Elsa (Mini Anden). This storyline provided all the best moments of the episode. First the scene where Stephanie 'outed' PJ to Brendan, which perfectly captured the feeling of having your 'secret crush' revealed to your friend/friends against your will.

And, secondly, there was that long final scene where PJ and Bobby have their long talk and she... doesn't say anything. Sure, we've seen it on TV before. I don't care. Fact is, we've all lived through that moment in our lives and I always welcome the chance to see it played out in fiction. It's cathartic. A reminder that that even our loneliest moments we are not alone. Someone else has lived though this, too.

Beyond all things PJ, there was much else to savour in this episode. Jim Gaffigan stole all his scenes. That's a given. If Gaffigan wasn't the funniest thing in the show then there would be something to write about!

The on-going Kenny/Mike contrast gets funnier every week. Mike has less and less luck with women, Kenny has turned into a babe magnet, Mike gets more and more frustrated and angry and Kenny is largely oblivious to any of it. It's genius. And the funniest work Jamie Kaler and Michael Bunin have delivered on the series this season. Their chemistry and Bunin's chemistry with Kellee Stewart are other great elements of this show.

Speaking of Stewart, I love the way the writers are able to make Stephanie a large part of every episode without making her part of the group. And I love the fact that she and Kenny hate one another and we don't know why. Again, it just seems like a very real part of having a large group of friends together.

Season 2, Episode 4. "Spit Take" Second time around the ending to this is still heartbreaking. Kyle Howard (a favourite of mine since his days on Grosse Point) is wonderful to watch as he conveys Bobby's simple love for Elsa. Jordana Spiro has never been better as PJ, wearing her heart on her sleeve yet hiding it from Bobby and wishing him well in his impending marriage.

The single funniest line of the episode goes to Kellee Stewart's Stephanie: "I can't believe I watched a twenty-minute sketch about it!" One wonderful one-liner in a show full of them.

Season 2, Episode 5. "Take My Work Wife... Please" I'm fascinated by what is happening to Brendan this season. They are really taking him down a sad, lonely road. I wonder where it will lead? Kenny is now my favourite character on the show. I love (a) the way he's turned into a babe magnet, and (b) Mike not being able to deal with it. Genius.

Season 2, Episode 5. "Take My Work Wife... Please" I have mixed feelings about giving Andy an ongoing storyline. In one way it's good, because the storyline is interesting. But, in another way, it's bad because Andy's not as funny anymore. He works best as a supporting character, always popping up and being the funniest one in the scene while the others have storylines. Now, suddenly, he's got a story, too. So there's less time for the funny. Oh well. Minor complaint, really. This season rocks.

Season 2, Episode 6. "Dudes Being Dudes" Just like this show captures the real feeling of hanging out with real friends in real life, it also manages (in this episode) to capture the feeling of really being out for the night. Nothing overly-dramatic happens, people come and go, some plans don't pan out, someone has a bad night, but other people end up having a lot of fun. This is also the episode where the storyline with Andy gets serious, and it looks like Andy and PJ are having a fight.

Season 2, Episode 7. "Opportunity Knocks" TV's funniest sit-com gets more serious with Andy's marriage now in trouble. Martin Mull steals the episode as a self-obsessed marriage counselor. Meanwhile PJ is trying to decide whether or not to date Bobby's brother. Bobby's marriage is getting closer and closer. He's not actually going to marry her, is he?

Season 2, Episode 8. "Jack and Bobby" is sometimes painful to watch because it captures family disharmony so perfectly. Kyle Howard totally sells the idea and it's painful to watch the two brothers at odds for the whole episode. Kudos to the writers. This was not where I was expecting them to take this storyline. It's been great.

In other news: Kenny and Stephanie. How awesome is that!!

Season 2, Episode 8. "Jack and Bobby" I love My Boys because it is usually the funniest show on the air and unlike The Office (which I prefer) doesn't devote story time to heartache and sadness. Until now. And I love it. But I'm conflicted. This is awesome stuff, but this is not how I want My Boys to be. At least not every week.

Season 2, Episode 9. "John, Cougar, Newman Camp" Another solid outing (much funnier than last week) which builds to a predictable (and kinda sad) cliff-hanger. It's a been a great season (half-season?) and the various plot-threads have played out wonderfully over the episodes. The writers have skillfully brought all the regular characters on a journey this season and we leave all of them in a new place. That's good TV, that is.

I'm not unhappy with the cliff-hanger, god no, I'm just unhappy with what happened in that cliff-hanger and curious to see how things will advance from here.