Mr. Corman Review: Funeral (Season 1 Episode 6)
On Mr. Corman Season 1 Episode 6, “Funeral,” Josh hangs out with his ex, played by Juno Temple in an outstanding guest star appearance.
While the previous installment, Season 1 Episode 5, “Action Adventure,” was filled with, well, action and adventure, this episode is simply two people attending a funeral and reconnecting after a breakup and time apart. It is subdued yet absorbing, showing us different types of grief and the ways it can manifest.
It must be said, Juno Temple has the range. This is the third series I’ve seen her in this year and her characters are wildly different, even unrecognizable from one to the other. The way she portrays Megan going through grief, and a grief that is adjacent to her life, is captivating to watch.
And infectious, too.
She starts crying in the grocery store while talking about her mother’s love for her dog, Cosmo, and what will happen when he passes away. The tears come suddenly, surprising both her and Josh. Then it turns to unexpected laughter at Josh’s expense.
The sorrow and levity translate to the audience so well, largely due to Temple and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performances.
Megan also exhibits another very common reaction to tragedy, which is to try and find meaning in the loss. Josh repeatedly shuts down this idea, thinking there is no meaning to be found.
But it’s not totally convincing—I’m not sure Josh really thinks that. It could be his depression and anxiety causing him to lean into the hopelessness. We know it’s a difficult time for him because of what happened with Dax and the complete fluke of having been one of the last people to see him alive.
Josh witnessed the fight that caused Dax to hit his head, an injury that later led to his death. He has to explain that night to Dax’s mother and other guests at the funeral which is painful, but awkward, too, considering he wasn’t very close friends with Dax.
Understandably, this is a stressful and sad situation that is sure to trigger anxious and depressive thoughts. We know he’s going through it, but Mr. Corman adds visual and auditory stressors. That dreaded fireball from Season 1 Episode 2, “Don’t Panic,” is back, along with that unsettling chord that seems to signal impending doom or a panic attack.
Megan and Josh take their bulky loads of varying emotions back to her parent’s house where Megan’s mom, Cheryl, is struggling with her own. Lucy Lawless is flawless in her portrayal of this quirky character and brings so much to this brief appearance. Lawless proves that old adage, “There are no small parts, only small actors,” by taking a small role and making it big and unforgettable.
I promise you, I will never forget Cheryl puking up her famous fruit dip at the table.
“Funeral” is a somber episode filled with people dealing with difficult emotions, but also tempered with lightness and humor. Mr. Corman is showing its own range, tackling different genres successfully as well as quiet character studies with impressive finesse.
What did you think of this episode of Mr. Corman? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.
2 comments
Great episode! Megan’s parents were funny especially when the dad said “You’ve got the rest of your life ahead of you, not like me!” Looking back at the very beginning of the episode, it shows Josh playing his music.
Yes! He was randomly hilarious. I like when he said, “The world’s burning down and we’re all just living our stupid lives.”
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