Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Review: I Need to Find My Frenemy (Season 4 Episode 15)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 4 Episode 15, “I Need to Find My Frenemy,” veers off course in a Las Vegas reverie. It is a tepid episode on an otherwise strong season. 

There are certainly more than a couple of bright spots on “I Need to Find My Frenemy,” and many of them involve the titular frenemy herself, Audra Levine. 

The Jap Battle is a slaying of compliments and it is nearly as hilarious as the original.

The concept of one-upping in the compliments games hits the spot, considering the Instagram culture we live in and how everything can be made into a contest. 

Rachel Grate (I really love that both actors are named Rachel, it adds something special to their battles), is wonderful as the new mom of triplets trying to escape how hard life has become.

I do think that the episode misses the opportunity to at least mention postpartum depression. As a viewer, it seems pretty clear that PPD is at least a possibility for Audra. 

The Vegas fling is pretty funny. How any actor can pull off saying “daddy,” TWICE, both times with a happy-face is incredible. 

I have some concerns about how lightly the show is treating something that is essentially a woman being pimped. The things Audra says about being promised an easy life and an escape from everything by Oily Guy is true to how many are lured into sexual exploitation. 

Throughout the series, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has struggled to understand certain crimes that wreak havoc on people’s, especially women’s, lives. 

Stalking, cyber-bullying, and now possible pimping behaviors are portrayed, but never fully explored. 

The series is so strong in other ways, Emmy-worthy strong, that these missteps don’t tarnish Crazy Ex-Girlfriend as a whole. But, the dismissive treatment of some of these topics is problematic and makes the episode a bit stomach churning to watch at times.

There are still many things to love on the episode. The GurlGroup4Evah is back together and the team is as strong as ever.

I love the visual references to “Let’s Generalize About Men.”

The silly song Slow Motion is pure delight. I giggle my butt off when they go too slow and it just gets awkward.

Valencia’s sneeze at the end is a wonderful bit of glitter on a fun and inventive song. 

The series originally thought it had thirteen episodes this season, and it seems that “I Need to Find My Frenemy,” is using the extra epsiode to draw out the plot and ruminating on the past episodes. 

The ruminating is fun. I enjoy the references to Denise Martinez, meeting Denise again, and the dialogue that is lifted from past songs. 

Audra saying the line of Season 2’s theme song is perfect. Her blam is A+. 

The drawing out the plot, however, backtracks or rewrites some character development and makes the story lose momentum as it comes close to the finale. 

I, in particular, take issue with what happens to Valencia on the episode. 

Why can’t Valencia ever have nice things on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend?

Even though she is incredibly central to the series, she is the least developed character of the lead ensemble. All of her songs have the super simple thesis: Valencia is vain. 

Despite the weak storylines, Valencia shines as an honest and insightful friend. She supports Rebecca when she confronts her mom, she calls Rebecca out on her privilege, and she fully sees all of Rebecca’s strengths. 

So, why is Valencia suddenly an idiot who doesn’t even realize she can propose? 

Valencia is in the wedding industry, for goodness sakes. We never got the chance to learn about her experience as a bisexual, as we did with Darryll, so we don’t know if Valencia has any gay mentors.

But, we know she’s not dumb. 

I wrongly interpreted her conversation with Beth on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 4 Episode 14, “I’m Finding My Bliss,” as being one where she set boundaries, not made an ultimatum. Clearly, the writers meant that as an ultimatum. 

For me, that doesn’t make any sense. One, Beth seems so committed to her life with Valencia that she wants to buy a house with her.

Why would a request for a proposal be even a little unusual? Beth acts like Valencia is moving too fast, but that’s ridiculous. A mortgage is in some ways a bigger commitment than marriage and it is certainly a bigger commitment than an engagement. 

Two, Valencia has already been down this road with Josh. She doesn’t need Denise to show her why she doesn’t want to force someone to be with her- she has her own life!

The implication is that Valencia is so dim she can’t even analyze her own life. This doesn’t track at all with how she has been able to deliver insight, guidance, and support to Rebecca. 

It is like there are two Valencias. One who is tied to Rebecca and she is amazing, whole, complex, and cunning. And then there is Valencia who is not tied to Rebecca and she is a one-note, manipulative, vapid idiot. 

The whole thing is confounding. 

Valencia is my favorite character so I will readily admit that I have a soft spot for how she is portrayed. 

I want her to be happy and recognized for many amazing qualities. It is painful to see Rebecca, who has stalked, cheated, lied, and used people, have three different men ready to fight for her, and not see anyone ready to fight for Valencia. 

You know what would fix this? A completely badass and redemptive song for Valencia. How about it Crazy Ex-Girlfriend?

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

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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend airs Fridays at 9/8c on The CW.

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