Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 5 Review: I Never Want to See Josh Again
Yana Grebenyuk
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Sometimes there are no accurate words that can begin to describe the issues that were faced. Rebecca showing signs of giving up on living followed by her attempting to take her own life is one of them.
It was almost like a tightrope, raising awareness for mental illness through clear indicators without falling back on the show's ability to bring humor into everything.
That is exactly what Crazy Ex-Girlfriend managed to accomplish, with a hopeful ending that seems to hint that Rebecca is ready for some actual help.
On Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 5, Rebecca returns home where everything becomes too good to be true when Naomi secretly realizes that he daughter wants to kill herself. Meanwhile back in West Covina, everyone is trying to adjust to Rebecca not being in their lives anymore.
Cornelia appears but soon the group realizes that she isn't able to fit the Rebecca shaped hole left in their hearts.
Rebecca's entire arc reaching this final point on the plane was nothing short of heartbreaking.
There was clear foreshadowing that this is where Rebecca was going to end up, but even when she was taking that first pill, I was trying to convince myself that she would stop at that.
Her attempt to overdose though was terrifying and just painful to follow. The way it was framed let us as the audience understand how much Rebecca was hurting inside and how simple it seemed to her to take all the pills at once.
But her reaching for that metaphorical and literal help was where the show promised us it would go from the very beginning.
Rebecca needs help; she can't continue without it because it has reached that point.
She has identified therapy as something she couldn't need because it wasn't helpful, yet we saw how wrong she was. When Josh went to propose to her Rebecca was a second away from tracing back where all these miserable feelings were coming from.
It didn't happen though so instead Rebecca took us on her last adventure where she needed to hit rock bottom before she could grasp how much she needed help.
All I am counting on now is that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend continues to do right with its mental illness representation, not choosing to hide it or write it as some dramatic plot point that doesn't show how difficult this all is.
Right now there is nothing else that Rebecca needs to focus her attention on or get involved with. There is only her path to getting help and noticing that everyone still loves her and always wanted her to begin to handle her issues instead of running away from them.
I need help.
Rebecca
Naomi supported that point by reappearing but also showing the audience her discovery on Rebecca's laptop. Knowing that Naomi was aware of what Rebecca was thinking about putting a completely different angle on her actions.
Naomi adding pills to the milkshake wasn't something I picked up on right away, but I also found myself agreeing with her reasoning.
Even at the end of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 when it was discovered that Rebecca spent time in a facility, the fact that Naomi was involved made it seem like a bad idea.
Rebecca clearly needed the help, but the story was staged in a way that only showed how hard it was for her. Looking at it through the direct scope of a mother knowing her child is suffering and her trying to help the only way she knows how is very helpful.
It put into perspective many of the other things Naomi did that we say through Rebecca and learned to hate Naomi. This isn't to say that Naomi is perfect or that she didn't contribute to Rebecca's issues growing up, but Naomi is still her mother, and she is trying to figure out how to help.
Rebecca Bunch, I know what you're doing. You are looking at porn.
Naomi
Nathaniel sleeping with that stuffed animal was an inspired idea.
This dude has become a big softie, and I am happy to keep watching him evolve in that aspect.
But really, he is still crushing on Rebecca which is refreshing to see but not something that should be explored. Nathaniel is very much divided from Rebecca right now, and I appreciate that.
At this point, she would run into his arms just like she did when she knew her past was catching up with her. Rebecca isn't in a place to be in a relationship with anyone besides herself.
Nathaniel though is entirely fitting to take over that role of someone harboring serious feelings for someone else who isn't focused on them.
Daryl: This is so weird.
Maya: That Nathaniel is a furry? I know.
The firm trying to move on was funny, but it was nothing compared to the overarching story of Rebecca.
Still, that office banter was sharp and hilarious even if it was at the expense of Maya who is one of the most excellent additions.
Daryl struggling to not fall back on his ignorant comments was the perfect throwback to when Rebecca joined the firm. So much has changed but some parts of these people have stayed the same, especially their love for Rebecca.
Cornelia was a change, but just as you began to adjust to her, she was gone. There was a lot that she had to unpack with all these people thinking she was a placeholder for someone else, and that was described so well.
Maya: Mrs. Hernandez is such a bitch.
Mrs: Hernandez: Get LASIK bitch.
Paula's family trying to spend time with her was probably the best approach to the moving on from Rebecca idea.
This princess game came out of nowhere, and now I want everyone to play it, maybe at the office? The princess crown will match Nathaniel's attachment to his new stuffed animal for sure.
Going back to Rebecca and where she will go from there, Paula is the person I envision being there with her. Naomi would make sense as well after that letter that Rebecca gave her, but Paula is the one person who will show her exactly how needed she is.
Paula was trying to figure out how to move on from Rebecca, but there is no doubt in my mind that once she witnesses how much Rebecca was dealing with alone, she will never leave her side.
And that is what Crazy Ex-Girlfriend handles so well; female friendships are established, and they are real. They are even more important than any romantic relationship that could be tackled because these friendships are revisited over and over again.
You guys are my hashtag goals. I literally cannot.
Maya
What did you think of the episode? How extremely worried were you about Rebecca and her journey? Where do you see things going from here? What are you hoping to see more of and what are you hoping to see less often? Let us know what you think below.
And don't forget that you can watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend online, right here at TV Fanatic.
Yana Grebenyuk was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in April 2021.
