With Pucks officially off the schedule, Episodes gets back on its game with an episode that feels more like the show’s lighter, sharper self. It’s also the first time since his character’s been introduced that we don’t see any of Castor, and it’s a glaring case of addition by subtraction. By focusing on the main trio of Matt, Sean and Beverly, the show regrounds itself and reminds us what made Episodes so appealing to begin with.
Ever the earnest one, Sean is the last person holding out hope for Pucks, still sweating every joke and hanging on to any shred of artistic integrity in his grasp until he finally collapses under the futility. He and Bev seem ready to head back home, their heads hung in shame, until they’re approached by an agent who loved the original UK version of Lyman’s Boys before it was butchered into Pucks here in the States. She inquires about one of their old scripts, which suddenly has the potential to be their next project. And frankly, when you consider the logistics of a transatlantic move, writing a new TV series is probably the easier option.
The Pucks hiatus comes a day late for Matt, who loses the coveted part on Andrew Lesley’s pilot. The lack of urgency on the Pucks set gives a depressed Matt plenty of time to flirt with Morning’s sister, Dawn, played with fangirl glee by Revolution’s Tracy Spiridakos. (It turns out she does have another expression.) Her 19th birthday present to herself is a quickie with Matt, which she can’t believe is happening since she used to watch Friends when she was seven, and that means she wasn’t even born when the show premiered, and excuse me I’ll be right back after this brief midlife crisis.