Saturday, June 1, 2013

Save Me, Season One, Episode Four: Heal Thee

Beth and Tom are lying in bed together, when she wakes and says that since God had come into her life that she feels like the world has gotten brighter and louder.  She looks out a window and sees a bird and says that it's like "he/she" has turned up the sound system full blast. Beth gets out of bed and says that we are not alone.  When she opens her window, the tree is now filled with birds and she tells them that she hopes they have the greatest day possible. Emily sees a spider in the tub and freaks out and when Tom goes to kill it, Beth stops him and calls the spider a gift from God.  When she walks out of the bathroom singing to the spider, Tom tells Emily that what happened stays in the house.

Beth decides that her fondness for God's creatures extends beyond animals and after praying for Carly McKenna (Tom's ex mistress) to wake up for days, she decides to pay her a visit. Tom is uncomfortable and wants to leave but Beth tells him to slow down and that they are supposed to talk to patients in a coma.  When he asks what they should say, Beth replies small talk and she tells Carly that they are helping Elliot throw a surprise party tonight.  Then Beth goes on to say that Elliot made a mistake and told Maggie the name of his ex wife and that she finds it ridiculous that Maggie is so insecure because no one liked Elliot's ex wife Diane.  Tom interjects that Carly needs her rest and then reads a text from Elliot asking them to pick up balloons on the way over to JP's.  Tom leaves the room and Beth lays her hands on Carly and says heal thee.  When she looks down, Carly is still in a coma so Beth says, "I'll keep praying for you bitch."

Tom and Beth are in the car and it is now full of balloons. Beth notices that Tom is quiet and so she asks him if he is upset that she came with him to see Carly. At first Tom says that's it great if that is what Beth needed to do and then says that he thinks it's creepy.  Beth asks if Tom wanted to be alone with Carly because he is still in love with her.  Tom denies being in love with Carly and Beth insists that he still seems mad.  Tom tells Beth that they shouldn't look back and he insists that he is not mad about anything.  When a squirrel runs into the road, Beth demands that he stop but Tom does not stop in time and hits the squirrel.  Beth gets on her knees and apologises to the squirrel.  Tom says that they have to put the squirrel out of it's misery.  He grabs a huge rock and is about to squash the squirrel, when Beth gets a message that she is suppose to save the squirrel, so she takes off her sweater and wraps the squirrel up in it.

They take the squirrel to Elliot and he says that if it were human he would run some tests to find out why he has fur and a tail.  Elliot clearly does not want to touch the squirrel. Beth tells Elliot that she promised God that she would save the squirrel.  Elliot is not convinced and says that he admires Beth's feelings for animals but that he took an oath in medical school to do no harm and sometimes it means not intervening with nature. Elliot finishes by saying, "cadaver's boobs are still boobs."

Beth is looking down at the squirrel in a diner when Jenna approaches and tells her that every life is precious. Beth says precious and unnerving and admits that squirrels have always freaked her out because squirrels have always reminded her of rats.  Jenna then asks Beth to move away from the window before their YELP score gets crashed.   When Beth looks out the window, she sees cats and dogs staring in at her.

Tom and Elliot are talking and Elliot says that he can't decide if it's weirder that Beth visited Carly with Tom, or that she is busy nursing road kill. Tom says that Beth was chatting up Carly like they were in the same traipse act and one of them got injured.  Elliot believes that this is a good thing because Beth actually forgave Tom for having an affair. Tom replies that he doesn't feel like a winner and wishes that he could erase the last six months. Tom feels that Beth's reaction is not normal and wants her to be mad about the affair. Elliot talk about the fact that he is always in the dog house with Maggie and suggests that they should do a couples switch, so that he can have all the forgiveness and Tom can have the rage that he needs.  Tom says that he would take the evil eye over crazy eye any day.  Tom adds that he always imagined growing old with Beth and didn't imagine her going crazy.  Beth approaches and says that the squirrel's breathing is laboured and that its fur is pale.  Elliot suggests that it's time to call the squirrel priest but Beth is adamant that they cannot let the squirrel die.  Beth tells Tom that they have to take the squirrel to a real doctor and Elliot says that Beth means a vet.

At the vet, they learn that the MRI revealed that the squirrel has a couple of broken ribs.  Tom says that he cannot believe they are having a conversation about a squirrel MRI. The vet adds that the squirrel also has a shattered pelvis with internal bleeding and Beth asks what they can do.  The vet recommends euthanizing the squirrel and Beth says no and Tom adds that they should have just done the rock thing.  Beth says no again and asks the vet what he can do.  The vet suggests surgery and Tom is concerned about the cost.  The vet tells him that it will cost between 1700-1800 and Tom immediately says no. Beth tells him that they cannot think about money and should focus on the precious life. Tom denies thinking about the money at first and then says that he is thinking about the money and the poor squirrel.  Tom points out that by doing this that they are extending the squirrels suffering and adds that if he had this much damage, he would want her to put him down.  Beth again points out that God really wants her to save the squirrel and that maybe this is all connected to Carly.  When Tom expresses doubt, Beth replies that if he had spent the fifty minutes with bible that she has, he would understand that God works in super weird ways. Tom says that this had been made really clear.  Beth suggests that maybe if she saves this squirrel that she can save Carly and Tom replies that maybe if he eats a really big meal that he can solve hunger. The vet returns to find out if they have made a decision and Beth tells him to do the surgery. Tom leaves to help Elliot and the vet calls for his nurse to prep the squirrel for surgery.

At the party, Elliot thanks them and says that he is looking forward to gratitude sex with Maggie. Jenna says that Maggie just texted her and is on her way there and that Beth has been texting updates on the little guys surgery.  Tom points out that the squirrel is not his little guy and that he is the most loved squirrel in the world.  When Maggie walks in, everyone yells surprise.  Elliot tells Maggie happy anniversary and Maggie asked him how he didn't know that surprise parties are her worst nightmare. Elliot tells everyone that Maggie is very happy.

Back at the vet, Beth says that she is confidant that when she gets the squirrel up and running again that Tom would appreciate all of her efforts.  The vet walks into the room with the squirrel in a box and tells Beth that the squirrel didn't make it.  Beth says that it's not possible but the vet assures her that they did all that they could and that it's just a squirrel. The vet hands over the box and tells Beth that she can see Gena on her way out and that if she pays cash, they will validate and incinerate.

Maggie's party is in full swing, as Beth watches Tom make mix a drink.  Beth say that she is worried that her attempt to save the squirrel has caused some internal bleeding in her marriage as well.  Jenna tells Beth that she gets it and that she once lost a job because she stayed home three days to nurse a lame butterfly back to health. Jenna adds that the butterfly got better and then flew into her fan.  Beth asks how she could fail at something God wanted her to do. Jenna tells her that she will get through this and instructs Beth to put her present down and to ask Tom to make her a drink.  Beth admits that the box she is holding is not in fact a gift but the dead squirrel.  Beth asks to put the squirrel in the fridge because it is starting to smell.  Jenna says that she cannot have a dead animal in there and suggests that Beth take the squirrel home and change into something more festive and come back.


Beth decides that she can't take her dead squirrel home until she patched things up with Tom, so she puts the box on a chair and covers it with a coat. Pete, Maggie, and Elliot are chatting and Maggie is still not happy about the party.  Beth approaches Tom and asks for a glass of water and then apologises for the money spent trying to save the squirrel.  Tom says that it's fine but Beth believes that he is bordering on rage.  Tom replies that he already told her how feels and that he just wants her to let it go.

Maggie and Elliot are continuing to bicker about the party and Maggie says that maybe Diane would have liked a surprise party. Elliot tells her that he is doing it for her because Maggie is always saying that they don't socialize like they used to. Maggie accuses Elliot of doing his Asian voice and he denies it and then does a racist Asian voice to prove the difference.  At the bar, Beth tells Tom that they should be more like Elliot and Maggie and Tom asks why Beth isn't preparing a squirrel memorial. Beth agrees that she needs to do this after they fight because healthy couples fight like Maggie and Elliot.  Tom says that he doesn't think that their marriage can handle this. Maggie and Elliot continue to fight and he tells her that it's offensive that she is upset about a party that he and their friends worked so hard to make happen for her.  Elliot adds that if Maggie threw this party for him that he would be having a great time. Maggie tells him that if he had taken her to the spa that he would have been having a better time because she was planning on giving him his present with her mouth.  Elliot says not here and Maggie agrees. 

Jenna and Pete bring out the cake and she asks if everyone is ready for the next crappy item at the disappointing venue because it's cake time. Maggie walks over and apologises saying that she adores the diner for everyday meals. Jenna says that they're not trying to be fancy but casual.  Pete pipes up that "it's like wear shorts if you want but shorts with pleats are preferred."  Maggie says that she feels badly because she insulted Jenna and Pete and that she just wants to go home.  Maggie grabs her jacket off a chair and of course sees the box with the dead squirrel. Maggie thinks it's a present for her and so Elliot takes the box and opens it and sees the squirrel.  Maggie says that it's dead and disgusting and that she cannot unsee it, so Elliot wraps his arms around her and says that it's okay. Maggie apologises for being rude and says that she wanted to go the spa because it's the only time they get to be alone and relaxed together. Elliot tells Maggie that Diane hated hugs and Maggie says that it makes her feel better.

Maggie and Elliot go to leave and Jenna rushes over.  Elliot says that it was a great party but they need some alone time together. Jenna picks up the box and screams for Beth saying that she told her to get rid of it. Beth rushes forward saying that she is sorry and Beth says that she couldn't leave it outside. Beth grabs the box and begs Tom to hide it behind the bar.  Tom says, "how about I bury it so far up your ass you wouldn't need a grave stone."  The crowd is shocked and Beth says that Tom is indeed mad.  Tom tells her that the squirrel is just the beginning and adds that she pulled out all of the stops to keep the squirrel alive but when their marriage was dying that he couldn't get her to go to therapy, stop drinking, or do anything to save it. Tom adds that he is so pissed off about that but cannot talk to her about it because he had an affair.  Beth tells Tom that she forgave him about that and Tom says that he doesn't want her forgiveness because he wants her to be as pissed off about it as he is.  Tom adds that he cannot talk to her about this because she has become the all forgiving prophet of God and that he is just the cheapskate philanderer.  Tom complains that it's a fixed fight and Beth says that's what it was and that she gets why he is mad.  Beth encourages Tom to throw a drink in her face because it will make him feel better.  When Tom resists, Beth starts to pitch things at him and he throws several drinks in her face.  Tom starts to laugh and Beth gets a message that Carly is awake.

Tom and Beth go to see Carly and she has clearly lost her memory. Carly tells Tom that it's nice of him to visit and asks if she met Beth at the christmas party last month.  Beth asks if she means last year and Carly says that she is still on coma time and the doctors said that she lost about six months of her memory. Carly says that she is reading her calendar and it says that she and Tom play racquetball every Thursday at lunch and that it's weird because she has no memory of how to play.  Carly then asks them to leave because she has to go the bathroom.

At home, Beth asks Tom if his ego is bruised because Carly cannot remember a time with him and Tom says that it's prefect because now he gets the clean slate that he wanted. Beth says that in the future she hopes that a squirrel doesn't have to die for Tom to be able to tell her how he really feels. Tom tells her that he doesn't believe that she really talks to God but does believe that Beth believes and that she has developed an amazing sense of intuition.  Tom asks if they can agree to disagree and Beth says that there is no one else she would rather agree to disagree with. Tom tells Beth that she will always be her number one, even if he has to tie her jacket on at the back.  They start to kiss and Emily walks in and tells them not to try to model a healthy relationship for her because she knows better. Tom asks Emily to help dig a grave in the backyard and Emily quips that Tom really has his pulse on what teenagers like to do on Saturday nights. Beth leaves and says that she is going to prep the squirrel but when she opens the box the squirrel is gone. 

In bed, Beth says that she thought about how the death and resurrection of a squirrel had brought her marriage back to life. Beth adds that she would always be Tom's number one and that he would always be her number two.

Okay and thus we have another episode of "Save Me."  Once again, we saw no evidence of Beth having special powers and the entire fantasy aspect of this episode basically comes down to Beth talking to God.  This is feeling more like a situational comedy than a fantasy/supernatural show. 

Alright we had Elliot do his Asian voice in this episode and it was highly offensive. Of course, Maggie didn't fixate too much about this.  As someone who is in an interracial relationship, I found this to be extremely problematic because for an interracial relationship to work, couples cannot view race the way Elliot does.  Not only is his wife Asian but so is his daughter so not only was his comment racist, it was offensive to his family.

Elliot's other offensive line had to do with cadavers and boobs.  I really could have done without the line.  Are we ever going to get to the point when we stop reducing women to body parts?  The line didn't even make any sense in context of the entire scene.

We again had the "he/she" comment and I continue to have problems with this choice of terminology.  No, they are not referring to a person but the term in and of itself is cissexist.

I am finding it harder and harder to get into this show.  I don't buy the comedy aspect of it whatsoever.  It feels old and tired.