Dear lord, how many different kinds of creepy was this episode?
As Bill and the wives all struggle to create something of a normal life for themselves, "Under One Roof" reminds us how futile these dreams might actually be by showing us all sorts of unpleasant if not flat-out horrific stuff circling around them.
It was an episode that was even more overstuffed than its predecessors have been this season, but it was one that I thought worked a lot better than previous weeks, thanks in part to some excellent work by Chloe Sevigny, as well as by Matt Ross and Ben Koldyke as doomed lovers Alby and Dale
And not "doomed" as in "The rest of the world doesn't understand our love."
Dale would be going through a rough time even if Alby wasn't part of a criminal conspiracy he was set on destroying. Based on the scene with the bishop, it's clear Dale went through some sort of Clockwork Orange-like treatments in order to "cure" himself of his attraction to other men.
After fighting those feelings for his entire life, he finds himself not only exposed (assuming that's what happened when Alby's wife visited), but also realizes what a snake Alby is. Poor men, both victims of a backwards system they've sworn to uphold.
Maybe Dale's death will change Alby, who spent most of this episode more than happy to carry on perverse traditions like the joining ceremony. Nicki, however, seems done with Juniper Creek, and the scene of her -- dressed like the wild 1980s girl she always wanted to be -- coming to rescue Cara Lynn easily made the episode. It would be great if, at the end of the series, she wound up being the most grounded and "mainstream" of the three wives.
Last week, I wrote that I was hoping Nicki's identity crisis would pay off in future episodes, and, boy, did it.
Other thoughts:
- The Greens are back! More cartoony than Roman, they're still great foils for Bill.
- Ana's back. Note the lack of an exclamation point. I like her character, but once she left last season, that should have been it. Now, it just seems as if they're keeping her around to give Barb a reason to be angry with Bill, as if she needs any more reasons.
- I love how this episode kept upping the creepy factor: the bird guy wanting to pet Ben's hair, Cara Lynn and almost-husband Toby, and JJ and Adaleen's wedding night. Ick.
Tom Coombe
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