Source: http://www.rollingstone.com
The last few episodes of You’re the Worst have been heartbreaking. We have watched as Gretchen battles through clinical depression in an honest and forthright way. These episodes have been unlike anything I’ve seen on a sitcom, and this week was no different. Written and directed by showrunner Stephen Falk, the format of this particular episode was different than anything we’ve seen on the show before. Instead of focusing on our foursome of Gretchen, Jimmy, Edgar and Lindsay, this episode introduced a new couple that we had not yet met – Rob and Lexi – a neighborhood couple, whom Gretchen has apparently been observing (stalking?).
Rob and Lexi are seemingly perfect – they live in a gorgeous home with an adorable daughter named Harper and a pug they’ve named Sandwiches. Gretchen watches them from afar, coveting their lifestyle and wondering aloud to Jimmy and Edgar whether, but for a few mistakes and/or choices, she too could be living a life like theirs. She peeks through their window as they binge-watch tv, she follows their nanny, assisting her when Harper spills her drink (and by assisting, I mean nearly kidnapping???) and even goes so far as to dog-nap Sandwiches for a day just to return him, gaining entry to their home, where she can observe from the inside.
Once inside, Gretchen sees that their life is not what she imagined it to be. They seem cool and hip, but when Lexi leaves the room, Rob hits on the much younger Gretchen and waxes poetic about life before parenthood. Gretchen is horrified, and we see her sobbing as she walks away from the home..
I applaud the show in the honest way that they have portrayed Gretchen’s depression. This episode left me stunned. With only four episodes left in the season, I am anxious to see where this show is headed. Depression is not something that can easily be wrapped up in a tidy bow. It is messy and difficult. Falk and his writers have been successful in showing that aspect of Gretchen’s illness and I anticipate that they will end the season in a meaningful way.
