You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 13, "Pancakes"

My thoughts on the outstanding series finale of You're the Worst: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e13-pancakes/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 12, "We Were Having Such a Nice Day"

My review of the very good penultimate episode: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e12-we-were-having-such-a-nice-day-review/

You're the Worst, Season 5, Episode 11, "Four Goddamn More Days"

Check out my thoughts on this week's You're the Worst, where things seem to be spiraling toward heartbreak: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e11-four-goddamn-more-days-review/

You'e the Worst Season 5, Episode 10, "Magical Thinking"

My thoughts on this week's episode, which features some great stylistic flourishes: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e10-magical-thinking-review/

You’re the Worst Season 5, Episode 9, “Bachelor/Bachelorette Party Sunday Funday”

Here's my review of the latest episode of You're the Worst, which is a great showcase for Paul F. Tompkins: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e9-review/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 8, "The Pillars of Creation"

Here are my thoughts on this week's episode, easily the worst of the season thus far: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e8-pillars-creation/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 7, "Zero Eggplants"

Check out my thoughts on "Zero Eggplants" here:

https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e7-zero-eggplants-review/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 6, "Ths Brief Fermata"

Check out my thoughts on last week's episode of You're the Worst  here: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e6-this-brief-fermata-review/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 5, "A Very Good Boy"

My thoughts on episode 5 of this season of You're the Worst: https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e5-a-very-good-boy/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 4, "What Money?"

Check out my review of last week's You're the Worst, which saw the return of many of its recurring characters (for better and for worse): https://culturedvultures.com/youre-the-worst-s5-e4-what-money-review/

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 3, "The One Thing We Don't Talk About"

Check out my thoughts on the latest YOU'RE THE WORST, where I discuss how the characters sometimes tread the line between human and caricature.

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 2, "The Pin in My Grenade"

I wrote about a back-to-normal second episode of this season's You're the Worst over at Cultured Vultures. Check it out here.

You're the Worst Season 5, Episode 1, "The Intransigence of Love"

I wrote about the excellent ode to 1990s romantic comedies in the season five premiere of You're the Worst for Cultured Vultures. You can check it out here.

Catching up with You're the Worst

I just caught up with the most recent three episodes of You're the Worst, which has improved mightily over the course of season two. I attribute a lot of this improvement to creator Stephen Falk toning back the overly-broad sidekick characters (Lindsay and Edgar), and to his making the two leads Gretchen and Jimmy have things that they actually care about (and realistic problems).

A large part of my gripe with season one was that Lindsay and Edgar seemed like cartoons; they were too broad, and we were invited to laugh at their tired, sitcom trope problems, like Lindsay's crumbling marriage and Edgar's crush on Lindsay. This approach has largely disappeared in season two; now, their problems are taken more seriously, and we’re invited to celebrate with them during their moments of triumph rather than laugh at them for their failures. For instance, it's nice to see how proud Lindsay is when she gets her electricity turned back on (as meager an accomplishment as this might be), or to see Edgar’s PTSD no longer be a source of humor, but instead a source of sympathy for the character (although Jimmy and Gretchen are still amused by it, which is fine, as these two have little empathy for others).