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« My Name Is Earl
Episode Recap: "Girl Earl"
At least Earl got to experience pure bliss with Billie for a little while he soon awoke to the realization that he had to (gasp!) actually get to know the woman he just married. It turns out she's not his 100 percent dream woman after all. Her hodgepodge of quirks included ruining Earl's chip-to-sandwich eating ratio, intruding on Earl's bathroom breaks, and opining that Sammy Hagar beats David Lee Roth as front man of Van Halen (her biggest sin in my book). While he took Joy's advice to learn to live with little annoyances, Earl found it impossible where karma was concerned.
He was pleased when Billie made a list of her own and decided to cross Joel Maloney (Jon Heder) off a person Earl, Billie, and countless others stole from while he was at a competitive grocery bagger tournament. However, she considered bringing back the stuff she stole enough to undo the damage whereas Earl knew more was necessary. Upon seeing the damage done to his house, Joel punched a wall and crippled one of his golden bagging hands, ruining his talent and life's passion. After realizing his own bagging potential, Earl agrees to let Joel train him for the next tournament.
Historically, Heder is the type of actor that you either love or hate. Due to his distinctive voice and penchant for playing oddballs, many feel he's constantly trying to rehash is Napoleon Dynamite character. I disagree with that and happen to be a fan. He was quite entertaining tonight, especially during the Rocky -esque montage and while delivering my favorite line of the night ("Some say Jesus had hands like that, and he put all the food from the Last Supper into one bag"). Of course, our go-to goofball Randy made a strong showing with some great scenes I'll touch on in a moment.
For those of us wanting more Joy and Darnell, I guess it's just not in the cards for this storyline. It would be great to see more of how they're dealing with living in the sideways trailer. We did get a little glimpse by way of the revelation that Joy put a seat on the exhaust fan in lieu of a toilet. Yeah, it's pretty gross.
My biggest complaint tonight is that we saw Catalina, but there wasn't any mention of Paco. It seems like anything involving Catalina is handled in a completely out-of-control way by the writers. I would've been happy just to see him sitting with her at the grocery bag tournament. Oh, well, I guess everything will be explained later on in a "clever" flashback sequence hopefully.
In the end, after Billie almost ruined his chances by breaking his finger, Earl won the tournament in a partnership with Joel. All seemed completely well when she then finally came to agree with Earl's views on not half-assing where karma's concerned. Oh, but wait. Earl needs to shave his mustache? Of course the Hickey brothers aren't going to stand for that. I loved this ending Earl didn't even think twice about saying "She's gotta go." It looks like he and his facial follicles are going to be back calling the shots in no time flat.
Now for a few highlights:
While Earl gets yelled at by various people for being openly happy at the motel, a man yells out "Somebody help; my hooker's not breathing!"
Darnell laughing at the description of Earl's foreplay technique: "You all red-faced, trying to get out of work."
Randy once hit his head and started treating Earl as his employee. "Aunt Shirley from Accounting" was mentioned.
Earl running his fingers through an obstacle course with chocolate donuts as tires.
Catalina clapping and excitedly shouting "We get to go home now!" after Earl wins the tournament.
Grocery groupies and Miss Bag On Her Head.
Randy apparently amputated a rabbit's ears instead of getting rabbit ears for a TV set.
More John Henson. You know you like it.
See you next week for the season finale! I'm considering growing a mustache for the occasion I'll let you know if I go through with it.
For more My Name Is Earl, check out our Online Video Guide.
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May 9, 2008 12:54 AM
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I really enjoyed this ep and am glad Earl seems on track to end the season on a high note.
And I hope he and Billie both learn to compromise so she can stick around. I love Alyssa Milano and think she's a great addition. Maybe because I see myself in all of the things Earl finds annoying about her (ok, too much information probably...)
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May 9, 2008 10:37 AM
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I thought this was a great episode. My only gripe was not enough Crab Man and Joy. Although her description of Earl's foreplay was the highlight of the show and Crab Man's reaction was just damn funny. I too believe Billie's greatest sin was playing Hagar's Van Halen over DLR. And did you see the book she was reading, "I am 55", by Hagar? But then she dared to tell him to shave his 'stace? Bye Bye Billie! This will never work out.
p.s. who was the dude playing the 12-Time Champion?
p.s.s. Loved the model wearing the bag over her head....
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May 9, 2008 11:06 AM
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Hey, KateDFW. I couldn't place the actor who played Bagger Lance last night, but I discovered today that it was Pat Kilbane most memorable to me for playing Feldman in the "Bizarro Jerry" episode of Seinfeld. He definitely brought some extra laughs to the table.
I missed the Hagar book. That's hysterical. Great to see another DLR fan come out of the woodwork.
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May 9, 2008 11:55 AM
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On the Catalina and Pacothing he can't hang out w/her unless he escapes his incarseration or she gets a job w/ him since he is in a work release program.
I do agree w/ the writers being lost on what to do w/ her...She married Randy had one night of sex w/ him then they never mentioned the relationship again...you would figure an episode or 2 about her Visa being in jeopardy so her and Randy need to pretend to live together again.
But in the last year or so Randy has never left his side and the marriage was never brought back up....would be funny if in the next episode Billy was still on the show except they no longer mention her and Earle's marriage
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May 9, 2008 9:16 PM
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tvguide5125,
I agree with everything you said! I don't get why the writers are having such a hard time figuring out what to do with Catalina. She is often just as funny as Joy. And then the Randy marriage seems like a waste of some comedy gold.
lol now that Earl is married, where's randy sleeping?
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May 10, 2008 1:50 AM
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Oh, yeah, the work release thing slipped my mind. Still, since meeting back up with him was supposed to be such a life-changing thing, you figure it would've at least been mentioned this time around.
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May 10, 2008 9:51 AM
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FYI: Pat Kilbane was on MadTV for several sesaons.
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May 14, 2008 3:42 PM
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