Sunday, July 26, 2009

#33 - "Hung" - Season 1, Episode 2

We start with something up at the school were Ray coaches, seems there are budget cuts and people are getting fired, lots of good times.

Ray gets summoned to the principal's office (gulp), and attempts to hide a giant hickie while the principal reminds him that he's "supposed to be a role model". The principal isn't really clear about which of Ray's transgressions she's focused on, but she obviously has something up her sleeve. Just a warning, no firing. Not yet, anway.

Time for Ray to get going with that second revenue stream. Pronto.

So he meets up with Tanya. ("I don't like corporate-chain restaurants". What the hell?) Turns out Tanya has a budget of her own, whips that out, and we learn that it apparently costs a lot of money to make money as a professional fornicator. Who knew?

Then Tanya tells Ray it would be really great "if you work on your technique". Ray, being a male, cannot take constructive criticism when it comes to nookie, and gets pouty. "You're not my only screamer."

Tanya, being a female, patiently sighs as one must do with the obstinate male, and approaches from another angle, explaining that perhaps we could tweak a few things to ensure a quality experience. Ray grudgingly agrees.

Ray visits with his kids, and they really, really, really want to live with him. It would just be nice if there were an actual house to live in. But that's going to take some money, natch, so we have yet another reason for Ray to hurry up this side project.

Tanya gets on the horn with a former co-worker who now flits around with the wealthy and recession-proof, helping them spend their piles of cash as a "professional shopper". Tanya is wondering if Lenore's clients might be interested in what her business has to offer. Hearing the product specs, Lenore decides a test drive is in order. Make it happen.

Back to the kids, who are dining with Mom in one of those evil corporate-chain restaurants. Mom is babbling about not understanding why she and the kids don't relate better, but she is going to make a super-special effort to spend more time with them.

She smiles in denial, the kids squirm and pretend to care, but all you can actually focus on is wanting to ask Anne Heche "did you REALLY think a spaceship was coming for you? Seriously?"

Side query: Is there a particular reason why these two kids are so annoyingly butt-ugly? What's the message?

Then we're back with Tanya and Ray, where Tanya has convinced him to do a "date" run-through. Ray does not immediately win gold stars, with Tanya being forced to explain "women are not poultry" and "you really have to deal with this leaving after sex thing".

Another scene with the babbling ex-wife and her probably-gay husband talking about Ray, with wifey fessing up that "I didn't keep my marriage vows. And I'm moody." Very good, Celestia, great self-insight. Your current therapist is a keeper. Yay.

Then Ray arrives at Lenore's swanky pad for the test drive. Lenore is no wallflower and apparently enjoys manipulation, ridicule, and sex. She does her best to make Ray feel awkward about the whole thing, and even makes him dance for her, toying with him in a manner that is apparently entertaining in the world of professional shoppers.

Then she gets bored with that and cuts to the action with what she really wants: "I just need to know your name so I know what to scream when you're banging me." Well then. Another screamer. Great.

So they make the business transaction, and Ray even sleeps over (wow!), only to wake in the morning and realize he's late for a meeting with the school principal and he's lost his wallet. Can't find it anywhere. He tries to get help from the slumbering Lenore, but that's a wash ("I'm still stoned. Can you talk to the maid?"). He has to dash.

Arriving at the principal's office, we learn the real reason the principal is no longer pleased with him is the "dung" motivational speech from the last episode. Seems there are some parents who are not keen on having their children compared to, and even remotely associated with, excrement.

THAT's the whole deal? Geez.

Meanwhile, Tanya is having a crapfest at HER sucky day job. When will she ever get away from this mindless wasteland? She and Ray connect on the phone and, as usual, Tanya provides the comfort. Don't worry about the wallet, I'll get it back. And Ray? Let's make a million dollars. Now. Mmmkay?

Not as intrigued by the show after this episode. There were some great lines, and these people can obviously act, but the script didn't seem focused, with the Ray and Tanya characters altered in some ways, making him more surly and her more... compliant and boring? Not sure. We'll see...

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