It’s a little early in a series to have grand-scale flashbacks, but that’s exactly what Up All Night tackled with last night’s episode. It’s not a plot where Reagan, Chris and Ava are sitting around discussing how Amy was born. Not by any means; instead we jump right into the special time in the new (well, expecting in this timeline) parents lives.
“Birth” opens with Reagan telling Chris that sex is repulsive, which is exactly what every guy wants to hear. After an awkward early well timed beat she reinforces it’s because of how she looks and not him. Up All Night’s knack at cold openings is what reels in so many viewers. Again we have something raw and honest that can’t help but make people laugh. The duo is watching a birthing video and Reagan can’t believe the woman doesn’t have a hairbrush or a razor. She screams the baby is “like hair coming out of hair!” We don’t see the birth on their television, but it’s clear she’s a hot mess and Reagan certainly doesn’t want to look like that lady. Chris on the other hand is disappointed because he thought it would be sort of sexy. Yeah right, Chris.
It’s great to see Ava before the birth of her best friend’s baby. She’s cocky, arrogant and does what she wants. Calvin (Nick Cannon finally reappears) is actually her driver looking to break into the business and Ava’s assistant Missy has long hair that doesn’t work because they are neither “little nor on a prairie.” The writer’s really nailed depicting how powerful Ava was and how she shaped the lives on the minor characters that we have seen throughout the first five episodes of the series. Then Ava’s insecurities surface and somehow her annoying habits in previous episodes make more sense. Missy and Ava have a touching moment during one of Ava’s freak outs that almost makes up for the talk show hosts’ previous bothersome plotlines and dialogue.
Chris on the other hand is finally seen as a powerful lawyer he had claimed to be, but his coworker is afraid Chris’ upcoming paternity leave will ruin his career. We know that Chris is now a stay at home dad, but the writer’s do a good job of making us forget this with his worrisome attitude; especially on the limousine ride to the hospital. He’s subdued by Reagan’s over-preparation (there’s at least 23 steps to the pregnancy). She continues to claim she’s not nervous as long as she follows said plan. When they bump into those annoying neighbor things start to shift. Of course the first change, in a common sitcom move, is that their trusted female gynecologist is delivering triplets and a hotshot young stud is now going to deliver Amy.
One of the funnier parts of the show is that whenever Regan swears, which she hasn’t done so far, it’s bleeped and blurred. The best one is when she’s talking to their cute new doctor and she pulls him by the collar and warns him, “If I shit myself, nobody says a word.” I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at how serious the statement was delivered. The entire time spent in the hospital room continued to be knockout joke after joke. Some of it included the notion of smoking pot, taking an epidural, wanting to find Amelia Earhart and Reagan claiming to be the best pusher anyone had ever seen.
Birthing episodes are usually something very special (think Phoebe delivering her brother’s triplets in Friends) and this one will resonate with fans of the show will remember. In the end Amy is born at 12:37 in the morning to Chris’ workout mix; specifically “Jump Around.”