YOU'RE THE WORST -- "This Is Just Marketing" - Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX You’re the Worst Review: This is Just Marketing (Season 4 Episode 4) YOU'RE THE WORST -- "This Is Just Marketing" - Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX

You’re the Worst Review: This is Just Marketing (Season 4 Episode 4)

Drew Koenig Reviews, You're the Worst

You’re the Worst Season 4 Episode 4, “This is Just Marketing,” does something incredible for a show ostensibly filled with terrible excuses for human beings: it finds new and interesting ways to push the characters — and not all of them are good.

You’re the Worst has always operated on the belief that the world is a harsh place and most people are broken, but it’s slightly more bearable if you’re able to go through it all with someone you care about by your side.

Now, in its fourth season, that same camaraderie doesn’t exist and even the group itself has become splintered.

YOU'RE THE WORST -- "This Is Just Marketing" - Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX
YOU’RE THE WORST — “This Is Just Marketing” – Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX

In truth, this isn’t a series that requires the Jimmy/Gretchen relationship at the forefront to survive. But, we expect it to be there, because, at the end of the day, this is still a rom-com of sorts.

Regardless of how interesting it could be, the writers are never going to completely jettison the pairing, but, for the time being, the show is managing to find interesting stories to tell outside of that central relationship.

Whether it’s Gretchen deciding that Jimmy doesn’t get to dictate where she lives; Jimmy learning to accept a type of literature that doesn’t fit into his pretension; Lindsey deeply uncomfortable over her feelings towards her niece; or Edgar developing a flirting strategy that could potentially be unhealthy for him – the show is looking for new ways to explore its characters.

These are all individually intriguing plot points that can push the characters in new and fascinating territory, but most important of all, it proves that the series can work just fine without having Jimmy and Gretchen in any scenes together (minus the last one).

YOU'RE THE WORST -- "This Is Just Marketing" - Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Janet Varney as Becca. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX
YOU’RE THE WORST — “This Is Just Marketing” – Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Janet Varney as Becca. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX

The key point of the episode, and perhaps the one that hits the hardest (although Lindsey’s storyline is particularly potent), is Gretchen’s decision to move back into Jimmy’s house.

For multiple seasons now, we’ve watched Gretchen being pulled to and fro, be it by Jimmy, her depression, or her desire to be better. Now, though, Gretchen is making a move of her own accord, decided by nothing other than it is something that she wants.

Is it the best idea to live with someone who dumped and abandoned you on a hill?

No, it’s a terrible idea that you should never enact in real life, but making such a proactive decision like this feels like a big step for her, especially in contrast to her terror at leaving Lindsey’s apartment.

This would be the best part of the episode, were it not for Lindsey’s final scene where she realizes that she never wants to open herself up in such a way that she could leave herself exposed to future heartbreak and turmoil.

One of the ways that You’re the Worst has always excelled at is demonstrating a trait, a belief, or something so intensely personal that it feels all too real. The show proved this devastatingly back in Season 2 with Gretchen’s depression. Lindsey’s commitment phobia in this episode is yet another strong example.

YOU'RE THE WORST -- "This Is Just Marketing" - Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured (l-r): Todd Robert Anderson as Vernon, Janet Varney as Becca, Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX
YOU’RE THE WORST — “This Is Just Marketing” – Season Four, Episode 4 (Airs September 20, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured (l-r): Todd Robert Anderson as Vernon, Janet Varney as Becca, Aya Cash as Gretchen. CR: Byron Cohen/FXX

You’re the Worst is settling into a nice groove in its fourth season and is promising more of the same while finding ways to be completely different from what’s come before.

Stray Thoughts:

  • It should surprise no one that Becca turned out to be a Trump voter.
  • That podcasting studio is too good. I’m not at all jealous.
  • Jimmy’s look of horror during the marketing meeting is priceless.
  • Edgar should really know not to take advice from Jimmy at this point, right?
  • “I mean, sure, you regularly get outwitted by dogs, but that’s what makes you unique.” -Edgar. Best line.

What did you think of this episode of You’re the Worst? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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You’re the Worst airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FXX.

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Drew has an ongoing, borderline unhealthy obsession with pop culture, but with television in particular. When he's not aggressively trying to get out of a perpetual state of catching up, he can be found passionately defending the ending of Lost. More of his online work can be found at The Lost Cause and he also co-hosts The Lost Cause Pod.