This week we received a GCB double feature, and two was definitely better than one.

First up is “Turn the Other Cheek” which had Amanda getting into Carlene’s good graces so she and Luke could go to her 16th vow renewal ceremony.

I need to get one thing off my chest, though. It’s the first season, and I understand there needs to be a period of time to find what is and isn’t working for the series as a whole, and while many things worked tonight in “Turn the Other Cheek,” there is one thing that isn’t, and hasn’t, been working:

Amanda continually bending over backwards for the women.

I’m all for Amanda making it right after all the poor things she’s done in the past, but there comes a point in time for these women to put a foot in the ring as well. A lot of the men have watched as Amanda has continually bent over backwards, worked hard for them, and graciously turned the other way as their wives are constantly throwing put-downs at her.

And that was the argument I was going to make had tonight not been two episodes.

Thankfully, "Sex Is Divine" finally decided to put Carlene and Amanda together in an attempt to convince their children to be abstinent after they failed Carlene’s "PP" seminar.

As much fun as Carlene and Amanda are when they’re at odds, they might be even better together. It’s nice to see the two still have a fun, playful chemistry when they’re working together for the betterment of their children. Allowing themselves to open up to each other about their indiscretions and mistakes as kids takes a level of trust between them that we haven’t witnessed before.

Cricket and Blake had their own problems this week as they both had to come together, mentally and physically, on the decision to have another baby. Again, tonight was all about different character beats, and Cricket was no exception. Not only is she one of the funniest of the bunch on this show, but there’s also a real vulnerability to her that is so satisfying to watch.

Cricket is such an emotional rock because of her circumstances, and to watch her breakthrough that exterior really heightens GCB’s ability to pull of emotional moments with just as much timing and savvy as the comedy.

The relationship Cricket and Blake share makes a lot of sense, and in many ways they are closer to each other in ways that the other couples on the show couldn’t dream of. There’s true love and affection for one another, it’s just not of the physical variety.

And then the two of them decided to take matters into their own hands in making that baby and took some organic “enhancers,” and the funniest scene of the night happened as Cricket and Blake felt some of the affects of the enhancers. My favorite quote of the night happened during this scene as well:

Cricket: If this is what it takes for Panda's to hump no wonder they're going extinct! | permalink

All in all, tonight’s episodes stretched the boundaries of the show emotionally and comically.

Other thoughts:

• Amanda and Luke continue to have sizzling chemistry together. I sincerely hope he gets to stick around for the rest of the season (and the next. Get on that ABC!).
• Carlene getting shot in the ass and her turmoil afterwards? Another high point of tonight's episode.
• I’m usually not the biggest fan of Sharon and Zach, whether they’re together or apart. But toning down Sharon’s dumbness a little bit has really helped her become a more endearing character, and her manipulation to get him to open up and talk to her after sex was awesome.
• Elizabeth, I absolutely love her, but isn’t it a little soon with Burl?
• I like that the Heckhouse had unpopularity as a sin.
• Do all of the men on this show walk out of a GQ magazine?
• Be sure to head over to our GCB quotes page to see more of our favorite quotes from tonight, as well as previous episodes.