Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 10 Review: I'm Back at Camp with Josh!
Christine Laskodi
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Sometimes, a kiss on the cheek means EVERYTHING.
For Rebecca (and unexpectedly, Darryl) it looks like things are about to change because of one innocent, yet meaningful, kiss on the cheek.
The majority of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 10 is somewhat slow, especially given the powerful groundwork laid in the final moments of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 9.
Yet here we are, back from intermission, and what feels like the slowest hour suddenly speeds up and we find ourselves contemplating a few tender moments between the show's couples.
And one is so shocking that we never could have seen coming.
I’ll start by talking about the big couple in question. Joshbecca? Rebosh? Bunchan? What's a good ship name for these two crazy kids?
I love Joshua Felix Chan.
Rebecca
Rebecca is in love. She’s reveling in her feelings for Josh, now out on the open, with Paula. It’s amazing how much adult Rebecca sounds like the teenage versions of nearly everyone who’s ever had a crush.
When the opportunity presents itself for Rebecca to revisit her summer at camp with Josh, she obviously jumps. Reminding Josh of their season of love seems like the perfect way to reignite any lingering feelings he may have.
Rebecca buys her way into camp so that she can make a boy love her, literally.
After writing a huge check, the camp director allows Rebecca to become the Director of Female Empowerment for the young impressionable girls in attendance. (Don’t think that irony isn’t lost.)
Josh, meanwhile, is preparing for his trip to camp by listening to his girlfriend, Valencia, complain that he’s wasting his time. Time that, she feels, is better spent working extra hours to make more money for their life together.
Josh: Sometimes it’s like you don’t understand me, or even believe in me. It sucks.
Valencia: What? Of course I do! I believe that one day you will focus on our future instead of fun stuff.
I have to say; Josh Chan is growing on me week after week, something that I never would have believed to be the case just a few months ago.
Vincent Rodriguez III, who plays the object of the crazy ex-girlfriend’s affection, has done such an amazing job of taking a very one-dimensional character, as Josh was, and giving him huge depth and copious amounts of heart.
Josh has really gone from zero to hero in my book.
I can’t be the only one who’s noticed the change in the chemistry between he and Rachel Bloom’s Rebecca. That shift is not only changing my opinion of the characters, but it’s also playing a huge role in completely evolving the story.
Where I once watched Crazy Ex-Girlfriend assuming the overall arc was about the budding and comical romance between Rebecca and Greg, I now find myself aligned with the Paula character, hoping that Rebecca and Josh can make it work.
Josh Chan is in such a bad place with Valencia. She’s not supportive of who he is, or of the sensitivity he feels toward the less fortunate. Valencia has a great guy who wants to be charitable and selfless, and she can only see what he isn’t doing for her.
Which is why, as crazy as it seems, considering where she started, Josh really deserves Rebecca as he propels forward.
Take notice that I’ve used the word, “deserves” and not the word, “needs.”
You know, all my life, I’ve wondered if I was good enough, or smart enough. But now I know you’ve always believed in me. You’ve always supported who I am…You never tried to change me. That means so much. You have no idea.
Josh is working hard to become the best version of himself; getting a job he has a true passion for, standing up to his emotionally abusive girlfriend, not compromising what he believes in, and giving back charitably with a selfless heart.
That version of Josh Chan deserves Rebecca, our heroine we root for, as she becomes the best version of herself.
Without even completely knowing it to be true, both Josh and Rebecca are being propelled to their better selves by one another, which is why this new chemistry is so well-timed and works perfectly.
Josh digs the letter that sixteen year old Rebecca wrote to him out of the trash can, and rather than bash its contents or laugh at it’s quirky words, he reads the greater truth of it.
Rebecca doesn’t put down what Josh wants. She’s knows what he’s capable of, and looks at him with admiration that goes beyond a physical attraction.
That vote of confidence means so much to Josh that he thanks Becks with a kiss on the cheek, one that quenches her love thirst…for now.
Rebecca is hitting all of the right notes with Josh, as he is with her, and their harmonious love ballad is on the horizon…just as soon as the writers get Valencia out of the way.
It’s almost a sure thing that Rebecca’s letter will find its way into Valencia’s hands, and this love triangle really ramps up very shortly.
So obviously, I told her we needed some space because not seeing other people is like an inch away from hiring a wedding band. It’s better this way. We have too many differences.
Greg
Another couple hitting all of the right notes is Greg and Heather.
What I enjoy most about Heather is that she’s very upfront about what she wants. She tells Greg that he gives her butterflies, a sweet confession that I honestly didn’t expect from her.
When Greg gets scared because things are heating up with Heather, he tries to break things off. Thanks to a run in with an old crush, Greg realizes that what he has with Heather is actually pretty great.
Heather calls Greg out on his crap, once again, and forces him to confront his issues and not bring them into every relationship he has. It’s great to watch Greg becoming a better partner and also to see how their romance is softening Heather.
I don’t know what the long-term plan is for them, but for now, I’m enjoying their little song and dance and I hope that it continues.
And then there’s that kiss on the cheek that we never ever saw coming.
Darryl: They used to call me King of the Spread.
Hector: Nice! Because you had your way with the ladies?
Darryl: No, it was because I make pate!
I had hoped that Darryl would play a larger role in the back half of the season, and I’ve also been charmed and entertained by White Josh since day one.
Did I ever believe their stories would be intertwined, romantically? Absolutely not.
The bromantic moments he shared with Darryl on the party bus must have made quite an impression on White Josh. Or maybe it was just Darryl’s spread.
I absolutely LOVE this storyline.
Throughout the party at Darryl’s house, I feel so sorry for him. He makes that pathetic little cheese platter and invites the guys over for a sporting event he’s not even sure of.
Darryl’s been lonely and desperate for a companion. So this party means everything to him. He’s a downtrodden man who needs a win.
That win comes in the form of White Josh confirming their friendship, kissing him on the cheek, winking at him, and then walking away, leaving Darryl speechless and dumbfounded.
At first, I was unsure of how Darryl would react to White Josh’s advances, but seeing his smile light up as Paula spoke about cheek kisses sometimes meaning EVERYTHING, it was clear that he’s thinking fondly about White Josh.
Forget Josh and Rebecca or Greg and Heather. THIS is the love story I’m currently all-in on. I’ve already got my fingers crossed for a confusing musical number for Darryl as White Josh sings to him.
I’m also hoping that this storyline isn’t just a gag for laughs. I think having Darryl question his sexuality is a great turn for the character and I can already see Josh, Greg, and Hector’s confusion when they discover that their bro is into other bros.
What do you say TV Fanatics? Are you loving Josh Chan right now? Are Heather and Greg giving you butterflies? What do you think of the budding romance between Darryl and White Josh? Sounds off in the comments below!
If you’ve missed a moment, you can always watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend online right here at TV Fanatic! Be sure to tune in next week for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1 Episode 11, when Rebecca accidentally sends Josh a text that was meant for her bestie, Paula.
