Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Review: To Josh, with Love (Season 3 Episode 2)

Everyone on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is faking it. On Season 3 Episode 2, “To Josh, with Love,” Tim’s wife is faking orgasms, Nathaniel is faking his detached narcissism, and Josh is faking wanting to be a priest.

Even though the charades are enjoyable to watch and full of laugh-out-loud funny lines, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend needs to throw out the fake and find its way to authenticity, or else it is going to lose its audience faster than Josh Chan lost his priestly calling.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 2, “To Josh, with Love” begins where Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 1 left off. Josh gets thee to a nunnery to become a priest, and Rebecca is chugging alongside Paula with a revenge plan to sue Josh Chan.

Nathaniel Plimpton gets a pep-talk on being a man (which, according to him, means being being cold and brutal) from his most trusted confidant: a picture of himself rising out of the water, about to score a point in the most ruthless of sports — water polo.

Attracted by his renewed bad-boy presentation, Rebecca seduces Nathaniel into helping her get revenge on Josh for leaving her at the altar. This sets the pair off on a 50 Shades of Grey-esque satirical jaunt that is at times amusing and at times arousing, but ultimately fails to compel.

Here’s the thing: I don’t care about Rebecca.

Her emotional landscape and decisions are convoluted and erratic. Don’t get me wrong — she is an incredible performer and fun to watch unravel. But Rebecca’s delusional world is so convoluted and detached from relationships with other characters that I never connect with her. I don’t know her or understand her.

In the final scene of the episode, Rebecca confesses every crazy thing that she has done to get Josh Chan. Rather than gasping or feeling relief from this overdue reveal, I feel completely indifferent.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has a great deal to say about feminism, toxic masculinity, mental health, sex, and other important topics. But its messages are never going to have lasting power if we don’t care about the characters that are experiencing them.

The episode delivers sharp, much needed social commentary point after point, like a bound-to-go-viral Twitter thread. But it never lets the audience get to know the characters deeply enough to empathize with them. The most significant mask in this episode is the one Crazy Ex-Girlfriend itself is wearing.

Rebecca needs to be impacted and changed by the relationships she’s having. Paula needs to grow from her marital challenges. Heather needs to develop as she takes on new roles and identities.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend needs to ditch its sketch series approach in favor of lasting character development. No more one night stands, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — it’s time to commit.

There is one more bone to pick with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 2, “To Josh, with Love”: Rebecca is hogging all the shipping.

Sexy and stellar Scott Michael Foster plays Nathaniel. During a masquerade soiree, he pulls a masked Rebecca in to dance, just because he wants to dance and not scheme for a moment. Ship-drunk butterflies are released and there is a sigh of relief for the moment of sincerity in an otherwise farcical sequence. The chemistry between Rebecca and Nathaniel is fire meets ice, too steamy to see through.

But I think those scenes and the ship to watch should be between Nathaniel and Valencia.

Rebecca already has too much going on in the romance department. It is time to give some love to Valencia.

The chemistry between Nathaniel and Valencia would undoubtedly be just as hot. More importantly, a ship between Nathaniel and Valencia would allow the audience to explore a perspective other than the neurosis-laden Rebecca.

Valencia would have been hilarious at the “50 Shades of Networking” event. Rather than encountering conservative views on education, she could have faced microaggressions. Valencia finding a sincere romantic connection with Nathaniel would open amazing chances for character growth.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend as a true ensemble is ideal. The performances of supporting characters on this episode proves it.

Tim sang a gorgeous and soulful tune all about realizing his wife fakes orgasms after hearing the buzz of her vibrator post-sex.

Hector appears for a brief scene, but he knocks it out of the park when he calls out Josh for wanting to become a priest just to avoid having an awkward conversation.

The show is strongest when minor characters like George, Dr. Noelle Akopian, Maya, and Tim get major screen time. Father Brah’s absence is deeply felt on the episode. It is a missed opportunity that is close to unforgivable for an hour that deals so prominently with themes of confessed sins.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend can (and should) provide more opportunities for its superbly talented supporting cast to be on screen.

Despite its areas in need of growth, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 3 Episode 2, “To Josh, with Love” dazzles with its remarkable writing and acting. One watch is not enough for the dense dialogue that is filled with quick lines that zing for days. White Josh’s “You Father, Son, and Holy Ghosted yourself!” is a stand-out example.

Just as The Good Place is finding its emotional footing, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has time to figure out how to connect us with its magnificent cast of characters. I am greedy for even more from this woke musical-dramedy.

What did you think of this episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend airs Fridays at 8/7c on The CW.

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