Grab Your Hankies

I have to admit I'm a fan of the show from the very first episode. I expected a lot when entering season 3. The first two episodes were really good, full of twist and turns and what makes this show special - amazing chemistry between the three lead actors. What might have seemed like an odd coupling, has turned out into an amazing detective trio.

This episode is, however, the best so far. And it's Meryl Streep who makes it happen. Her character first reminded me of a cello love interest Charles had. And I hope they won't go down this road again by pairing Oliver with a mysterious killer. And I'm pretty sure this is not what's happening (or the writing is even better than before). I love how the character of Loretta is so perfect for Oliver and for the whole group. The addition of Tobert is also a very good way to start a show (maybe Mabel finally gets someone who gets her ...).

I don't want to give up any spoilers. So my 10 goes out to amazing writing and even more amazing chemistry between actors.

"I'm the documentarian, you won't be hearing from me again." That was determined to be a lie.

This episode really feels like they're trying so hard to do nothing - beyond what they did in "The Twist" of season 1, this was just grating. There are a string of scenes that were so excruciating to watch between Tobert and Mabel that I prayed I would watch one of the characters get sucked in to space just to make it end. The acting between these two does not match and the character of Mabel has been drained of the je ne sais pas that she had in the first season.

I don't know if we can blame it on the editing but everything feels so forced. I'm not watching characters existing in their own lives, I'm watching actors remembering their lines and blocking and it stinks.

This wasn't a massively eventful episode but there were lots of clever jokes and details to it. I loved the Starlin wife's name joke, and the Little Shop of horrors references. They're not going for the easy laughs and the jokes require some thinking from the audience, even if you do have to pause and look it up. Like last weeks chapel architecture gags. I really appreciate they're mining a lifetime note book of funnies to fill this show with unusual laughs and quirks.

I didn't get the state farm jingle gag until I read it on the trivia section.

Mabel i still the weakest link in the trio and although her talking to dead Ben piece was interesting they didn't really follow up on it. They've just given her the foul mouthed new yorker cliche act, but the stuff with the documentary guy could be interesting and finally give her some depth to take her flat character somewhere.

Charles's attempts to see everyone's handkerchief was more classic slapstick comedy though so they're still happy to put that in there for variation and it was easy and good laughs

They didn't drop the ball on the musical angle and managed to deliver a decent musical moment allowing Meryl Streep yet another opportunity to shine, this time with her singing voice, and notably Ashley Park's too.

They milked another gaffaw out of Donna and son's kissing habit, and I liked the 'under contract' bit but it was resolved a little too easily. Still a good watch and looking forward to next weeks episode.

The third episode sees the trio splitting up. Charles and Mabel conclude that somebody from the cast and crew of Death Rattle killed Ben. A handkerchief might be an important clue.

Oliver is less interested in murder podcast. He wants to retool the stage play Death Rattle into a musical. He has to convince Donna and Cliff to invest money in it.

More importantly Oliver has a short time to write a hit musical song and sets about doing the task.

The third episode also teams up Mabel with the documentary filmmaker Tobert who left his camera behind. Only their scenes failed to sizzle.

I felt more invested in Oliver's story. Him trying to coerce Loretta to remain under contract although the stage show Death Rattle is no more. He stops Loretta taking part in a television show.

There were some in jokes musical. As Stephen Sondheim once remarked, writing musicals is hard work, it takes ages to write a musical. A message Lin-Manuel Miranda would chime with. Oliver is just indulging his ego to think he could knock off a hit musical.

It was getting boring in the first two episodes. I usually like Paul Rudd but his overacting was boring me in the earlier episodes. Selena Gomez character also seems dull. But thankfully Meryl Streep has resurrected the series with her wonderful acting and singing. Martin Short has been giving a great performance all throughout the series and his chemistry with Meryl Streep is amazing.

None of the other characters seem to work this time. The building Arconia itself was beautiful and had its own presence in the first season. I also loved the bits of New York they showed. This season even Selena's costumes are dull, hope the season perks up after this epidode.