A Televisual Feast

Ned’s client wants to sleep with him and Stacey convinces him otherwise–partially because it would demean him (as a professional), in addition to Stacey being pissed the client hit on him in front of her (not knowing Stacey was the fake wife).

Even though it doesn’t sound like much, it’s actually the first episode to really manage both the absurd humor and the sentimentality. Stacey comes off a lot better in this episode than she ever has before, the right mix of ditzy and sensible. She’s never mean-spirited or obtuse either. It’s a fantastic read on the character (it doesn’t hurt Messing is really on the ball).

The best scene, however, is Amanda’s. She comes out in the middle of a mock seduction between Stacey and Ned. Dajani is, no shock, wonderful.

There are a lot of other good scenes in the episode–Rico explaining marriage to Ned and their boss, the sort of funny corporate lackies–except the whole thing is terribly directed. The close-ups all look awkward and they’re cut together poorly, like they didn’t shoot enough coverage.

But it’s a funny and–not sweet, but sensitive (or implying the possibility of sensitivity from Ned) episode and it works well.

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