This week’s episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (titled: “Is Josh Free in Two Weeks?â€) really brings on the crazy, when we find Rebecca trying to plan a DIY wedding in less than two weeks.
Recap:
Rebecca is trying on dresses at home since she has sped up her wedding plans to get everything done in two weeks. She’s recapping everything to her delivery guy, Patrick (Seth Green). No wedding planner wants to take her wedding on since it’s too soon and “binders.†It appears that Rebecca’s mother is no help since she’s getting injections in her face and won’t be recovered until the wedding. And she can’t wear her mother’s dress since she had burned all her “fat clothes†(Rebecca’s mom was 5 months pregnant when she got married). And when Rebecca goes to her Matron of Honor, Paula, she’s cramming with Sunil and other classmates for their finals. In their new friendship, instead of Rebecca pushing herself on Paula, she tells her she can handle it herself and leaves Paula to study.
At home, she’s researching how to throw herself a wedding, and when Heather mentions “DIY,†Rebecca’s crazy switch flips on. Using her new search terms, she finds a lot of websites dedicated to DIY weddings. She finds a website dedicated to a Nova Socinian couple named Dustin and Sasha, who happen to have a checklist for everything they did. Rebecca vows to do the exact same wedding all by herself. She mentions to Heather that 50 people have RSVP’d “yes†so far, but none of those people are her father.
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As she’s stuffing her car with all the items she’s purchased from a craft store, she runs into Valencia, who is on the verge of depression. She seems lost in life and has only been teaching yoga so others can experience her own Valencia-scented candles.
Rebecca stops into work since Nathaniel has noticed her absence (though she is very present in his mind as he replays the kiss and other moments with her). He doesn’t believe in sick days and knows she’s planning her wedding, so he gives her the time off without pay. He has a moment with Paula while drinking a green “healthy†smoothie, and they discuss his obsession with his weight. Later, he comes into the office looking poorly. After letting go of some noxious gas (which he forces someone else to take the blame for), he ends up letting go more than that in his pants. (Apparently, you’re supposed to wash kale before putting it in your smoothie) Darryl gets Nathaniel a clean suit, and he and the other guys in the office sing the manly power of taking a nap (“Man Napâ€). After Nathaniel takes their advice, they leave him to rest. And of course, his father shows up and gives Nathaniel a firm talking to.
While Rebecca is going insane with wedding plans, Josh Chan is coaching basketball at Father Brah’s church. Father Brah and another volunteer, Sarah, talk to him about his plans for the wedding. They both urge him to be a part of the planning. When Josh brings his ideas of a forest-green tux and Sugar Ray cover band to Rebecca, she respectfully declines since they don’t line up with Dustin and Sasha’s choices. She offers a compromise and tells him he can pick a project from their wedding and they will do it together. When he picks origami, he ends up falling asleep while Rebecca stays up all night only making 25 of them!
Rebecca goes out into the world and tries to find solutions to replicate Dustin and Sasha’s ideas, which involves trash-picking. After making a twig chair that no one can actually sit on, Paula steps in and asks Rebecca to postpone. Rebecca says that she can’t since now she has 85 RSVPs. Paula offers to help by getting a sheet cake from Costco instead of Rebecca making intricate cake pops. But when Paula leaves, Rebecca returns to her cake poppin’.
Heather goes to Valencia’s house since their house is a DIY wedding nightmare. When Heather wants to vent, she stops herself, not wanting to upset her friend. Valencia is actually okay with Rebecca and Josh. But now she’s unsure of what to do with her new single life. Heather gently reminds Valencia that she wants to veer away from drama and they should have some “wines.â€
Rebecca encounters Patrick again and vents to him about wanting to be a “normal†person. And of course, he’s there when Rebecca’s father RSVPs no since he’s stuck on a remote construction site in Alaska and it’s hard to get flights. Rebecca snaps and brings Patrick into her musical number, “Tell Me I’m Okay, Patrick.†After the song, she passes out on the couch from exhaustion and Patrick covers her with a wedding dress and leaves.
Valencia comes to Rebecca’s rescue by offering to give her own wedding binder to her friend. She then takes the gift back and tells Rebecca she’s going to plan her wedding for Rebecca. When Josh goes to Rebecca’s place in his forest-green tux and finds Valencia there, he’s stunned. With a “sorry not sorry†apology from Rebecca, Valencia turns down his tux idea and schedules a fitting for him on the spot.
In a grand gesture, Nathaniel flies Rebecca’s father in with his private jet. And Patrick confides in Paula about what Rebecca is really going through, which prompts her to call Rebecca’s mother and berate her for not stepping up. This phone call leads to Rebecca’s mom sending Rebecca the perfect wedding dress.
At Rebecca’s wedding shower, there is a lovely moment where she is able to take stock of her life, and she’s happy, at least for the moment.
There is a little cliffhanger to this episode: When Valencia puts Rebecca and Josh’s wedding website up, Trent discovers it and ends the episode with: “Over my dead body.â€
Review:
This episode was a lot different than what I’ve come to expect from CEG each week. There was a lot of focus on the dichotomy of Rebecca and Nathaniel, and there were a lack of songs that usually perk up the episodes. I can imagine this was done on purpose and another reason why I love this show so much. It’s unexpected and refreshing to see something new each week.
And Valencia as a wedding planner? Duh! Why didn’t I think of that? I can’t wait to see her journey through this new (and perfect) career choice.
Join me next week for the recap/review of the season finale of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which airs Friday, Feb. 3, on The CW at 9/8c.
– Katlyn
