Dinner at Seven Thirty

I loved this episode. The other reviewers noted the quirky characters and their transformations in Joel's alternate realty, but for me John Collum channeling Cole Porter was the highlight. The song--"You're the top"--with it's clever word play was another perfect choice in a series noted for perfect musical choices. Collum, who won two Tony awards for performances in Broadway musicals, has an amazing voice. Finally, the whole party scene is a zany homage to Coco Chanel's legendary parties that gathered 1920s luminaries to her Paris salon. Indeed, rumor is that Porter wrote the song in Paris and only later used it in the 1934 musical "Anything Goes."

I know there are some that don't like these kinds of episodes. Later you will see my comments on the Nicolai Lenin episode. That is meddling with history and the founding of Cicely, which preceded it, made sense. Now we go to an alternate universe. Joel drinks some mixture that Ed had in his fridge, but it wasn't for general human consumption. He is thrust into New York with the usual cast of characters but all with different identities. Maurice is a doorman. Chris is a stumbling artist. Shelly is a high powered attorney. Holling is highly thought of agoraphobic singer of jazz standards. Maggie is a nanny to Joel's children--she wears college sweatshirts and is scared of her shadow. There are more. Watch the episode. There is a party where Joel is going to ask Ruth Anne if he can be a partner in her big medical facility. Ed is there. He is a big time investor and commands quite a presence. The interactions of these people play on the quirkiness each of them has, and it works. The ending makes one happy. I agree with the previous writer, however--Where is Marilyn? I.

At some point, they had to take the gang out of Cicely. So they plunk them in the urban high society New York City.

-Joel is still a doctor, yet somewhat de-fanged in his hubris. Married to high powered attorney Shelly -Maggie is their au pair. Mousy and indecisive about life.

-Ruth Anne is Joel's boss at the hospital. She's debating whether to make Joel a partner in the medical practice -Chris is a fashion photographer who can't seem to find the philosophical words to describe his ennui. Employed by Bernard (last seen as Chris's twin).

-Ed Chigliak is a stock broker who is cold and ruthless.

-Maurice is a doorman at the swank apartment The Fleischman's live in.

-Holling is a famous musician who suffers from agoraphobia.

The alternate universe will rub some folks the wrong way.

It feels like bizarro world. And you want them all to snap out of it. So, it gets frustrating.

Worse, is that it's neither "It's A Wonderful LIfe" nor "Wizard Of Oz" It just feels like an episode that lingers. No big revelations here. Just cosplay which leaves one feeling empty. It's not until Joel "returns to reality" and the Talking Heads "Home" plays as where you piece a few things together. The tune having been previously used in "Wall Street" gives you some indication.

Newish show runner/producer David Chase 's hand in taking the "sentiment" out of the wholesome show seems to be the turning point of the tone of the series.

How tragic.

Why do the writers constantly give so little attention to Marilyn? It would've been so fun to see her as a loud flamboyant over-the-top character. Ridiculous that she was left out.

That aside, very fun concept and I enjoyed all the new identities aside from Chris, who seemed like basically the same guy. Dr. Ruth Anne and her look were amazing. Maggie as the frumpy nanny and Shelley as the high-powered lawyer who makes more than the hubby were great! And of course Maurice as a more humble, vulnerable guy. I appreciated that the characters were so different from normal but still themselves in some ways.

Cool theme of vision and finding yourself :)