Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 7 Review: I'm So Happy That Josh Is So Happy!
Christine Laskodi
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There was a plan all along for my favorite crazy besties!
In recent weeks, I’ve become increasingly annoyed with Paula and the effect her enabling is having on Rebecca. I’ve also found her spying on Becks to be just a bit creepy.
After watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 7, it all makes sense. “I’m So Happy That Josh is So Happy!” might be one of the most important episodes of the series thus far and hits every note exactly the right way.
You need to be with Josh, if not for you then for me. I need this. My marriage is like The Walking Dead, okay? We’re all just trying to get out alive. You and Josh, your love story…it gives me hope.
Paula
I’ve always understood that Paula is living vicariously through Rebecca and that Rebecca landing Josh is an important victory that Paula needs for herself as well. There’s been much discussion about why. Why is it so important for Paula?
It seems that Paula is toxic to Rebecca. To be honest, every relationship on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is toxic, with the exception of the one between Josh and Greg, for now. But when specifically looking at Paula and Rebecca, fans of the show see different things.
Some see their friendship at face value; it’s a comedy and Paula is Rebecca’s wacky sidekick. Others dig a little deeper; Paula is treating Rebecca like a surrogate daughter and wants to support her happiness by making a relationship with Josh a reality.
And if you’re anything like me, you read a lot deeper into it and can’t even see the comedy involved because you’re too focused on Paula’s intentions, which were made perfectly clear in “I’m So Happy That Josh is So Happy!”
Paula doesn’t have a great life with her husband. He hasn’t made love to her in over five years without the television on. He won’t hold her hand. She feels trapped in a loveless marriage, and desperately wants to feel a spark of first love again.
Rebecca’s victory with Josh is the closest thing that Paula will get to experience that; Josh is exotic-ish, he’s traveled, he’s everything that Paula desires for herself, so naturally, she wants that for Rebecca.
When Whitefeather Law is wooing a new client, Calvin, Paula finds herself face to face with her very own Josh Chan. He’s a worldly (domestic) man who is looking for love after the loss of his wife.
Calvin can tell a good bottle of $10 red wine. He’s classy, casually tipping people for great seating and listening to sweet jazz. Most importantly, he’s quite taken with Paula.
It’s a moment of decision for Paula. Does she go ahead and have an affair and put a band-aid on the feelings of sadness and longing? Or does she decide to accept those feelings and FINALLY be honest about them (and about the decisions that she’s making)?
To answer that, she needs Rebecca. But Rebecca needs some help from a good old doctor first.
There’s nothing sexy about depression, Rebecca. Listen, you better get your act together young lady or you’re gonna run this new life off in a ditch.
Dr. Phil
I was a little leery when I saw Dr. Phil in the preview for “I’m So Happy That Josh is So Happy!” It seemed like it would be a ridiculous throw-away stunt cast gag. I was pleasantly surprised to find Dr. Phil’s appearance was actually important and well placed.
In the past, Rebecca has been driven to her bad decisions by butter commercials, as we saw in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 1 and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 4.
Dr. Phil’s role was the same as those infamous butter commercials, the difference being his advice was actually solid and DID make Rebecca see things that were important about herself and her obsession with Josh.
Rebecca: Oh, what’s that, little pill? ‘Eat me Rebecca!’ Well, I think I will.
Dr. Phil: Pills don’t talk, don’t take it. [Rebecca takes pill.]
Dr. Phil: She took it.
After an ADD pill upper goes awry and Rebecca comes down from it with some sweet weed, she finally sees her problem. Josh is a Band-Aid. Getting Josh won’t fix her problems with her parents, her insecurity, the way she views herself or how she handles stress.
Rebecca needs to seek professional help, talk through her issues, and finally understand the underlying problems.
Rebecca races to stop a hotel room tryst between Paula and Calvin and share her wisdom with Paula. Band-Aids aren’t going to help either of them.
It’s an important realization for these characters and for the audience. We saw some excellent growth for both of our crazy ladies. So will it stick?
Of course not. Rebecca is still the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Bros before…tables.
White Josh
The more we learn about Josh and his own emotional issues, the more empathy I have for him; though like Rebecca, he can easily just choose to walk away from the things that are driving him to his own craziness.
Josh is not happy with Valencia. She’s not very nice to him, she’s selfish, she’s condescending to his friends, and she’s not at all accommodating. Even Josh’s sweet gesture to build a table for her doesn’t earn him any thanks, only a request for the table to go back.
It was great to see Greg and White Josh try and nudge Josh into realizing that Valencia isn’t the girl for him. The problem with this, however, is that Josh seems to finally be realizing the girl for him is Rebecca.
He can’t keep putting a Band-Aid on his problems with Valencia. Eventually, he’s going to have to rip it off and deal with his feelings for his ex.
Everything seems to be leading to a great big love triangle between Rebecca, Josh, and Greg and my hope is that when it happens, Paula becomes the voice of reason for Rebecca and urges her to take a chance on Greg, and I'm not just talking about settling.
High Notes:
- “Cork it Karen!” is my new favorite catchphrase, replacing the How I Met Your Mother classic, “Nobody asked you Patrice!”
- "The Sexy Gonna Do It Song" tag was just excellent.
- Hector’s parking problem went on for just the right amount of awkward time.
- Do we still think White Josh is funny? I do, I’m just curious to know if you do, as well.
Low Notes:
- There wasn’t a huge standout song that got stuck in my head, as there have been in previous episodes. However, the episode stood so well on its own that music didn’t need to be a factor.
What did you think of “I’m So Happy That Josh is So Happy!” Are you sad that Josh keeps pulling Rebecca back in? Were you happy with the Paula resolution? Hit up the comments!
Catch up now! You can watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend online right here! You won't regret it!
