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« Samantha Who?
Episode Recap: The Restraining Order
This week's Samantha Who? showed us a crazier side of Samantha Newly. It started out with a gun-toting Sam recounting the events that brought her to the current place and time, riding shotgun in the car of her mortified friend. Apparently, it all began with a family trip for ice cream.
While sampling every possible food option at the ice-cream parlor, Samantha got overwhelmed with emotion when The Go-Go's We Got the Beat started playing. Later, as she tried to find out if the song had any ties to her relationship with Todd, a random stranger spots her on the street and immediately runs in the opposite direction while yelling about a restraining order. She excuses herself to chase after the raving maniac to figure out how they know each other. This leads her to Andrea. It turns out Andrea not only knew about the restraining order, she also represented Sam in court.
As Sam reviewed the details of the complaint, we learn that old Sam practically tortured this poor Nathan guy. Feeling the need to make amends with the man she once stalked, she tracks Nathan down at his apartment. He's so fearful of her, he sneaks down his fire escape just to avoid any kind of interaction. Just to make a bad situation worse, Sam relives her stalking days by breaking into Nathan's car to try to have a minute with him. Her attempt to make good fails when a car drives by playing that same Go-Go's tune from earlier in the episode. She returns home unsuccessful.
Seeking her parents' advice, Sam's mother offers no help, but her father is too focused on the start of hunting season to pay her any attention. Andrea later convinces her that issues with her father are the real cause for her troubles. Sam sets out on a mission to get to know her father and decides to tag along on his hunting trip. When they arrive, Sam's father wants to hunt in peace but Sam wants to have some real father/daughter bonding. After making no progress, Sam calls Dena for a ride home, bringing us up-to-date on what brought her to Dena's car at the start of the episode. Dena drives Sam to the sporting-goods store to return the gun and they run into Nathan. He freaks out at the sight of his stalker armed with a hunting rifle and Sam is arrested for the incident. Her father comes to bail her out, and as they drive home she suddenly remembers the significance behind the Go-Go's song. It was the song that played the day she got a horrible haircut in high school, which she attributed to her losing the homecoming-queen crown. It was also the day that she stopped being Daddy's little girl and began to turn into what we know as old Samantha. Realizing how her bad behavior created a rift between her and her father, Sam made a deal with her dad to try to get back the relationship they once had.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with this week's show. I loved the scenes between Christina Applegate and Jean Smart, as usual, but I was really hoping for more humorous interactions between Sam and her father. I've enjoyed Kevin Dunn's random one-liners in past episodes and was looking forward to hearing more from his character. However, the scenes between them ended up having a pretty serious tone about the father-daughter dynamic and there weren't many jokes made. As nice as I found those scenes, I'm not ready to get teary-eyed during this show quite yet. Thoughts?
Memorable moments:
• Todd, when discussing with Sam whether they had a song: "Every time I suggested a song, you laughed at me and asked if I was on my period."
• Samantha politely excusing herself to chase down Nathan
• Sam nailing Nathan in the back with an orange
• Andrea saying "It wasn't free!" after Sam thanks her for the representation
• Sam breaking into Nathan's car: "Another skill I never knew I had."
• Sam watching The Deer Hunter to prepare for the hunting trip with her dad
• Sam explaining why she's had enough connecting time with her mother: "There is not an amnesia strong enough to erase the memory of last week's tai chi exercises!"
• Sam trying to convince her mom to drive her to join her dad's hunting trip: "You can even finish telling me about that really, really interesting dream about you and Samuel L. Jackson."
• High-school Sam's rant about her bad haircut and why she won't be homecoming queen
Best line of the episode:
Sam to her mom after watching The Deer Hunter: "Have you heard of Vietnam? I mean, do people know about that?"
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Nov 13, 2007 1:53 AM
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Another really strong episode. So many of your memorable moments are mine also, but I have to give particular mention to the way that Todd delivers the 'period' line and then she says God, I hope you were the only guy I was horrible too. Enter restraining order guy and the comical running away, to which Todd replies "apparently not".
Dena's character seemed really different in this episode. Less of the self deprication and some great little subtle comments, that unless you take the time to listen and repeat, lose all their zing. She is a great character.
A great ep to also get to see more of Sam interacting with her parents. Regina was delightfully selfish yet again when everything kept reverting back to her.
Of course I loved the Frank ending, although I'll be really sad if he only get's little bits like that every episode. I want more Frank
M - http://www.samanthawho.org/
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Nov 13, 2007 2:52 AM
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What was up with Andrea recycling the God inventing amnesia and tequila line?
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Nov 13, 2007 5:00 AM
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I thought this episode was SO much better than last week's. Adam, were we watching the same show? You missed one of the funniest lines (in my humble opinion) uttered by Nathan: "Amnesia doesn't exist! It's just an excuse for poor storytelling!" I thought that was hilarious and a nod to the people who question the use of amnesia as a storytelling device. Jennifer Esposito and Melissa McCarthy continue to shine as Sam's sidekicks and don't even get me started on the goodness that is Jean Smart. I mean, naked tai chi exercises for which she'll never be able to say she's sorry enough? Hilarious. Anyways, I was worried that the show had left me last week, but I was glad to find it back in my 'awww' category this week.
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Nov 13, 2007 9:51 AM
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I think this episode pretty much went in line with the awesomeness that greeted the previous several. But then again, I have a feeling that this show could have a bad episode and I would still like it...it's just one of those shows for me now.
I was dying when she threw the orange at his back...how hilarious! the period comment was cracking me up too and the timing of the guy she stalked before...and btw, I loved the whole stalking storyline and the gun thing at the end.
I, myself, love some drama and serious stuff mixed in with some comedy. I think this was the first episode that really did that...to my knowledge. the whole father/daughter thing was a really good plot line and I felt bad for her dad in the flashback with how bad she treated him. it was good to see her feel remorse for that and for them to get closer.
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Nov 13, 2007 10:30 AM
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I, too, thought the period comment was the best one-liner of the evening.
I absolutely adore this show. Christina Applegate makes the character of Samantha so fantastic, endearing, and cute. She really brings a realistic quality to her. Plus, she has such a wide range of acting. She plays Samantha with this wide-eyed, innocent, almost child-like aura. Who would believe she is the same actress who played Rachel's biatchy sister Amy on Friends a few years ago??
This was my favorite episode of the season. I laughed out loud quite a few times -- an achievement that few currently running TV shows accomplish. Loved it!
By the way, Adam, how could you say this show was a disappointment and then proceed to name 9 memorable moments? I think that speaks for itself.
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Nov 13, 2007 10:47 AM
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I didn't dislike the episode. I just didn't enjoy it as much as previous eps. As I said, I was disappointed because I wanted the scenes between Sam and her dad to be funny and less emotional.
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Nov 13, 2007 10:55 AM
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I like the show, but it comes close to being "absurd". Last night it crossed the line. Don't roll your eyes - let me explain. If this show had been 45 or even 60 minutes long it would have worked. But they tried TOO hard, had TOO MANY jokes, and as a result sort of made a mockery of Samantha. Yes, she's energetic, quirky, and a pistol, but at its extreme may require medication. Last night she was frantic, and it felt 'strange.' Tone it down a little, have fewer bits, and the show will work. Right now they're setting her up to spiral out of control.
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Nov 13, 2007 12:57 PM
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I'm a little slow, but I just got the pun of Samantha's last name...Newly. How appropriate!
Would that we all took the time to reexamine ourselves and change the bad parts of who we are by examining what got us there in the first place. This show is first and foremost a comedy, but we see ourselves in some of the situations. This show isn't exactly Cosby, but I think a case could be made that it has the same kind of family-ties issues that set Samantha's dysfunctional family on a course to becoming functional.
This show isn't like Big Bang Theory where becoming teary-eyed isn't really what you want from it, but I think Samantha Who? is much different and better for being that kind of comedy.
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Nov 13, 2007 1:28 PM
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Definitely not my favorite episode so far. I guess we must have been watching the same show.  I think I agree with I'mThatGirl in the assessment that they tried too hard sometimes. Maybe that was it...just cannot put my finger on it. Either way, an episode I feel on the fence about is still better than quite a bit of what I watch in a week, so no real complaint here. It really is a funny show.
I said I liked Dena last week, but I thought she came across as pretty pathetic being jealous that Sam had drinks with Andrea. I can let that go though because she really did just get the friendship with Samantha back & I know she is desperate to hold on to it.
Liking Todd more and more each week.
Ditto to the comment I want more Frank.
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Nov 13, 2007 7:30 PM
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I am so glad I now have one comedy on TV to watch each week. I so enjoy this cast, Christina,Jenifer,Barry,Melissa & Kevin and especially Jean Smart.
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Nov 15, 2007 2:00 PM
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