Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Josh Is the Man of My Dreams, Right?

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You ruined everything, you stupid...

Nope. I don’t think Rebecca, nor the winds, ruined anything.

When the “winds of Diablo” blew their way through West Covina on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11, everyone re-evaluated their choices.

And I think everyone ended up right where they belong.

Things got a little weird during an hour that shifted the direction of the series, so let’s start talking about it!

Hard at Work - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11

You might say, 'Don't do it, Winds! Leave these poor people alone!' But I'm a prankster. Tee-hee-hee-heeeee. I just wanna see what will happen.

Mr. Santa Ana

Let’s start with the winds.

I always love when a narrator takes over for an episode. It’s one of the elements I love most about Jane the Virgin - there’s just something about listening to someone tell me a story and set the stage for scenes that feels comforting to me.

Mr. Santa Ana took us step by step through the moments that led to Rebecca and Nathaniel’s unsurprising kiss, and even called back to one of my favorite songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1, “You Stupid Bitch.”

I loved the Dirty Dancing vibe that this episode had, despite the story not resembling the ‘80s classic at all.

Come on - don’t pretend that when Mr. Santa Ana’s song first began, you weren’t waiting for a chorus of “Be My Baby.” And while “Let’s Have Intercourse” may have reeked of generic pop-ballad, the choreography and the sets were totally reminiscent of Kellermans’ final “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” dance.

The Santa Ana Winds - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11

Paula: So everytime Josh touches you it's like total goosebumps, right?
Rebecca: Uh, yeah. Yeah. Oh my god, he like, kisses my neck it's totally goose bump city. My skin looks like a cold raw chicken.

Josh isn't giving Rebecca goose bumps anymore.

It's not surprising, considering her growing annoyances with him in recent weeks.

Rebecca has to choose what side of the line she wants to stay on.

Part of her realizes how unhappy she is. It's the same part that hears Josh saying, “Blah, blah, blah,” and the part that confessed to Dr. Akopian that she thinks she's ready to face her real issues.

But the more prominent part is that one that will hurt her less – the one where she lives in denial with the “safe” guy she's known since she was 16. Josh isn't the only one who wants to pop the bad thought bubbles.

But here's where it's interesting: Rebecca's life has been one musical fantasy after another since she arrived in West Covina. And it's finally not enough.

Rebecca didn't NEED the Santa Ana winds to uncover that desire for her – but in a more pressing way, she did.

Rebecca’s realizing that Josh doesn’t make her happy. She finally has everything she’s ever wanted, and it’s not enough. Rebecca, though only for a brief moment, understands that she’s avoiding the real issue: what she doesn’t like about herself.

Is it possible that Rebecca’s “woke” moment from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 10 is sticking with her, and that she kissed Nathaniel because deep down, she needs to destroy her own happiness?

Rebecca's Dirty Dance - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11

For some reason, you're now on the top of my 'to-do' list. Let's get this over with so I can focus on other tasks. Let's have intercourse. Just pretend I'm seducing you. Come on, let's quickly have intercourse so I can move on with my life.

Nathaniel

Speaking of “Let's Have Intercourse,” let's talk about Scott Michael Foster's first song and dance number, complete with thrusting dance moves and lyrics that highlighted Nathaniel’s shame over his attraction to the “girl who works for” him.

Continuing his weird obsession with animal behavior (seriously, is he into animal stuff?) he's very methodical when it comes to Rebecca – he just needs to know what it's like so that he move on.

And just when I think Nathaniel cannot be a bigger jerk, the Potter bomb drops.

Watching Rebecca and Nathaniel bond over Harry Potter was a highlight for me. (For the record, I’m definitely a Hufflepuff who wishes I were a Gryffindor, although Pottermore said I was a Slytherin – so you figure that out.)

Nathaniel: I think they're modern classics. Okay? There you go. You happy now? You've got something on me. The tough boss likes a child wizard book. There you go. Spread the news.
Rebecca: I actually think it's kind of nice. It almost makes you seem human.
Nathaniel: Don't be a dick.

I don’t think this is a side of Rebecca we’ve seen yet.

The closest she’s ever come to such a comfortable dialogue with her partner was with Greg, playing Words with Friends and dancing in her living room over a UTI, or pillow fighting on the couch while watching the dog show.

This interaction with Nathaniel feels authentic – maybe because it is.

Many of Rebecca’s finest moments with Josh were manufactured, arranged by schemes or Paula’s detective skills. (Sure, I guess you can argue that Mr. Santa Ana manufactured the moment, but he’s not real.)

Rebecca’s rush to the altar will surely be a disaster. I think it’s pretty clear that she won’t marry Josh – but in saying that, I also don’t think we’ll run into a cheesy rom-com scenario in which Nathaniel rushes to break up the wedding.

Sometimes my body wants things that my mind does not. My body wants things that make my mind go, 'Uh, body, WHAT?'

Nathaniel

Here’s why I love Nathaniel’s character: he’s making Rebecca THINK, something she generally ignores. He’s not pining for her. Quite honestly, I don’t think he likes her very much at all.

And it doesn’t matter.

Because he’s someone who forces Rebecca to deal with herself, and that’s what this is all about - Rebecca’s mental health and her path to happiness.

Also, is anyone else wondering whether or not he REALLY didn't know George's name? Something about that moment between them felt a little villainous - and I don't know that I buy the fact that George finally made an impression on him. Just an observation.

Darryl and Paula - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11

Now that I've talked about the Rebecca and Nathaniel of it all, I need to confess that Darryl and Paula's story this hour was actually the part of the episode the I enjoyed more.

Darryl's never made it a secret that he wants to be included in Paula and Rebecca's friendship. He's also announced that Paula is his best friend on more than one occasion. 

But seeing Darryl in action, working to put Paula's life back together makes me question why he ISN'T Paula's best friend. 

He did more for Paula in one night than Rebecca has done in two seasons. 

Because when Rebecca isn't listening, he is. He knows that Paula is unhappy and wants to reunite with Scott because he cares. Does he go about it in a weird way? Of course he does. He's Darryl. 

A little from you is like a lot from someone else. Six of yours beats anyone's dozen. That's why I love you like a sister and you love me like a second cousin.

Darryl

His heart is in the right place though. And Darryl gave Paula the push she needed by calling Scott and arranging their dinner reunion, which ultimately led to their marriage reconciliation. 

I was glad to see Paula humble herself and apologize to Darryl. (Man, he's earning a lot of apologies lately!)

And that song, "You're Best Friend and I Know I'm Not Yours (And That's Okay!)" was masterful. It was simple, but full of themes that can applied to real-life friendships around the world. It was a happy, angst-free tune that uplifted the entire hour. 

Pete Gardner and Donna Lynne Champlin have been the MVP's of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2, so to pair them up for this outing felt like such a delightful treat.

After Rebecca's story is done, can we have the Darryl and Paula spin-off?

Side Notes:

  • Karen gets more and more quirky with each passing week. I'm a little worried that they're using her too much - until Stephnie Weir utters a line that make me laugh out loud, and then I'm like, "GIVE ME MORE KAREN!"
  • I love the running joke of George - and I wanted an animation of his George dream.
  • Rachel Bloom's breasts might be sacks of yellow fat, but they're REALLY NICE sacks of yellow fat.
  • Did Rachel Bloom's delivery of "en-gaged" make anyone else really miss Penny from Happy Endings?
  • I know the entire thing was cliche, but man, I loved that Rebecca and Nathaniel coffee creamer scene. "I like to saturate the wood."
  • The carrot's still in the dip? Ew.
  • I need a full chart of Rebecca's color code system.

What do you say TV Fanatics? Will Rebecca and Josh make it to the altar? Are you digging Rebecca and Nathaniel? Do you want to be Darryl's best friend? Sound off in those comments!

There's just two episodes left this season! You can watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend online right here at TV Fanatic, and debate whether or not Rebecca will finally figure it all out before the season ends!

Tune in next week for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 12. Guest Star Seth Green is helping Rebecca with her wedding planning, and we'll finally meet Nathaniel's perfect Plimpton daddy! "Is Josh Free in Two Weeks?" airs on Friday, January 27 at 9/8c on The CW.

Josh Is the Man of My Dreams, Right? Review

Editor Rating: 4.25 / 5.0
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Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 (15 Votes)
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 11 Quotes

We have the Santa Ana winds...they're the worst. They give me bad allergies, and people act weird during them too. They call them 'The Devil Winds.'

Josh

Paula: So everytime Josh touches you it's like total goosebumps, right?
Rebecca: Uh, yeah. Yeah. Oh my god, he like, kisses my neck it's totally goose bump city. My skin looks like a cold raw chicken.