Kevin Can F**k Himself Review: We’re Selling Washing Machines (Season 1 Episode 3)

Kevin Can F**k Himself Season 1 Episode 3, “We’re Selling Washing Machines,” looks to become a smarter, more reserved version of the show we were initially introduced to.

This episode pulls back on the elements the series initially believed were imperative to its success, like the clunky transitions and Allison’s murder plot. However, it does not sacrifice an ounce of the manic chaos present on the first two episodes.

If anything, this latest installment learns to weaponize Annie Murphy’s subtly to rain terror on both genres of storytelling.

The best thing Kevin Can F**k Himself could do is release its suffocating grip on Allison’s journey, so she can explore what jumping off the deep end looks like from a more refined perspective.

This Allison may not go as far as to get highlights in her hair, but our downtrodden housewife is practically unrecognizable this time around. Turn’s out, Allison is hiding something rather big about herself — she’s absolutely terrifying!

It’s not the buzzing in her head or the wild glint in her eye when talking to Kevin. Allison is sneaky, she’s quick on her feet, and she’s volatile. She’s a masterclass in subtle manipulation, and absolutely fascinating to watch.

Murphy trades in the loud outbursts of violence for a much scarier and calculated form of violence. Her performance rivals that of Rami Malek’s Elliot in Mr. Robot as Allison observes the people in her life and realizes she’s not only struggling because of them — she’s smarter than them too.

If there’s one thing better than an underappreciated sitcom wife, it’s an unhinged anti-hero as clever as she is diabolical.

Allison poking holes in Kevin’s jokes has the potential to bring this sitcom to its knees, as we see when she expertly points out Kevin’s ego to Neil and causes a ripple in their friendship. The shit-eating grin on Allison’s face as Neil challenges her husband’s next joke is the funniest bit yet.

This more confident Allison is paying off for the show in big ways. She manages to elevate both the drama and comedy elements without breaking from their established formulas.

She’s challenging the views of the people around her and you can’t help but love the chaos that transpires from a perfectly built male-dominated world crumbling under the pressure of this new presence.

When Patty remarks not everything is about her, Allison actually stands taller and stares into Patty’s eyes until she finds her advantage. Instead of retreating, she uses the fact that Patty doesn’t want to deal with the boy’s obnoxious behaviour either to put the woman in her place.

You can’t help but admire Allison as she realizes these men don’t see Patty as one of the guys after all. She doesn’t hesitate to use this information to even the playing field, and it’s a startling change of direction for Murphy’s timid portrayal of Allison.

But as powerful as Allison is now that she’s become aware of her surrounding, she’s still got that unchecked fury inside of her.

The choice to call the cops on the car repair guy for humiliating her is an example of how her revenge tour will have greater repercussions on the town.

If those repercussions are half as clever as Allison’s story-arc throughout this episode, I cannot wait to explore them.

By exploring new perspectives, Kevin Can F**k Himself manages to give Allison’s story more significance. It’s rewarding to see the comedy world begin to directly affect Patty’s reality as well.

The joke about Neil breaking his leg in one lens leads Patty to tell the pharmacist that he broke his leg falling off the roof through the multi-camera lens. Elaborating on these jokes shows us how well the transitions between genres can work.

Patty’s backstory is crucial to Allison’s larger mission. But it’s also incredibly telling of the story this show is capable of telling.

Patty has been portrayed as sadistic and cruel, so it’s a great change of pace to learn she got into the drug dealing business to help the less fortunate. She believes she’s doing something good but in the process, Patty has unknowingly contributed to her small town’s opioid epidemic.

This, and the reveal that Patty is in a miserable relationship, allows us to understand why she lashes out at Allison. Just as Allison’s darker side is valued, Patty’s kindness is imperative to the acceptance of these new perspectives.

The one aspect that does not fit this show’s calculating and sharp-witted rebranding is Allison and Sam. One can understand the value of having someone in Allison’s life that knew her before Kevin, but the romantic themes are impossible to invest in.

Yet the show insists on exploring a potential relationship between these two married people. Not all is lost, however, as Allison uses Sam’s experiences as the basis for her lie, and shows just how wicked her observation skills continue to be.

Their disappointing storyline hardly matters when you spot Allison wearing a charm necklace engraved with her initial. Annie Murphy sporting a version of Alexis Rose’s signature A necklace is such a perfect homage to the character.

This is certainly an episode where the socialite’s presence can be felt within Allison’s newfound confidence. To let a small part of Alexis live on through her is to make sure this episode’s subtle storytelling does not go unnoticed either.

What did you think of this episode of Kevin Can F**k Himself? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Kevin Can F**k Himself airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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