My Take On…YOU’RE THE WORST S3 on FXX

August 31, 2016 Amrie

YOU’RE THE WORST — Pictured: (l-r) Aya Cash as Gretchen, Kether Donohue as Lindsay, Chris Geere as Jimmy, Desmin Borges as Edgar. CR: Autumn de Wilde/FX

When we last left Jimmy and Gretchen, our unlovable losers surprised themselves by admitting, out loud, to each other, that maybe they do love one another. Edgar and Dorothy made it through their first fight stronger than ever, and Lindsay, oh poor misguided Lindsay, put someone else’s needs in front of her own only to end up right back where she started: back with Paul, with a miracle-of-science baby on the way.

After a season of ups and downs that included a very real, often unpretty, look at what clinical depression can look like and how it can manifest (bless Aya Cash for digging in and nailing it so deftly), YOU’RE THE WORST returns tonight with a very funny and very sweet episode that finds Jimmy and Gretchen settling cautiously into their relationship, learning more about each other, and feeling weird about every little move in this “post I love you” world. Gretchen is starting therapy; Jimmy is working on his book proposal. Things are moving forward and the show finds comedy and truth in everyday occurrences, as these “trash people” work to keep the right other person in their lives.

Edgar and Dorothy are going strong; Desmond Borges continues to play the darkness of his very damaged character with a freshness that keeps it interesting, while Collette Wolfe’s Dorothy is a light for him to get out of his head, supporting him, foibles and all. In the first two episodes screened for press, Edgar starts down a scary path and I’m interested to see where things go for them, and him, as it progresses.

And of course, there’s Lindsay Jillian. Oh Lindsay. Back with Paul, feeling trapped, she does something so “classic Lindsay” and “classic awful person who might be more than a little insane” in the first episode that will have ramifications throughout the season – Kether Donahue is playing her just to the edge of insanity, a woman who thinks she’s the victim, while she brought most of this on herself. Watching her try to keep it together is hilarious and sad all at once. Just when you think she can’t get worse, she does.

YOU’RE THE WORST — “Fix Me, Dummy” — Episode 302 (Airs Wednesday, September 7, 10:00 pm e/p — Pictured: (l-r) Samira Wiley as Justina, Aya Cash as Gretchen.
CR: Byron Cohen/FX

The stand out for me so far in Season 3 is a very funny guest star turn for Samira Wiley, late of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Poussey, accent à droite), playing Gretchen’s new therapist Justina. A GREAT foil for Gretch, she refuses to let Ms Cutler walk all over her, and her sarcastic, smart, strong character has me most excited to see what comes for their relationship as season 3 progresses.

For a show that found comedy in tragedy throughout most of Season 2, exploring but not exploiting clinical depression and finding love when you think you’re unlovable, Season 3 looks to be pushing that envelope further, and asking the important questions: