Pivoting Review: My Friend Died! (Season 1 Episode 2)

An existential crisis can pop up anywhere when death is a main subject—even a sitcom. On Pivoting Season 1 Episode 2, “My Friend Died!” it’s right there in the title.

Most of that weight falls on Amy’s shoulders as a spiral of panic about Henry’s dangerous jogging routes sends her overboard in panic about their health, the speed with which cancer took Colleen’s life, and the fact we will all eventually die. Comedy!

The whole thing is a bit heavy-handed, but that’s more in how over the top Amy goes in handling her feelings even before she hits (and/or barely taps) her husband with her car as our trio tracks him down with warnings about the risk he’s taking.

Yes, Henry does point out that death is inevitable, but it serves to help Amy realize that there’s little good in fretting about every aspect of perfect health. In turn, she becomes more open about her friend’s death and the abrupt and unfair nature of it.

It’s a bittersweet moment and one impactful to the show’s themes. Colleen is essentially a character on this show, even in her absence. Scenes like this help make her more of a real person who is loved and missed instead of just a ghost to look up to.

My inability to deal with second-hand embarrassment keeps me from getting fully involved in either Sarah’s attempts to fit in at her new workplace or Jodie trying to figure out where she stands with Matt. Oh, is the awkward strong with each of them.

Jodie’s go-getter nature is quickly at odds with grocery store employees who just want to get by. The portrayal here comes dangerously close to making essential workers appear lazy—not a great look when in reality they’re overworked, underpaid, and often poorly treated.

Fortunately, this is tempered by the fact her own painful attempts at constructive criticism mean she plays as much of a role in the tensions as her coworkers do. It’s a different type of real life experience that Sarah will hopefully start learning from soon.

Poor Jodie, though. In trying to define her “thing” or lack thereof with Matt, she just makes herself more uncomfortable than ever. From misinterpreting his invitation to attempting a full workout in tight jeans and getting him stung by a be, it’s all a bit hard to watch.

True, Matt doesn’t seem to mind and even finds it all charming. But whether that’s charming in an attractive way or a charming in a way that reminds him of a maternal figure is going to make a lot of difference in where we go from here.

Related: am I just not paying enough attention or is it unclear just where husband Dan stands in all this? Is she really borderline cheating with all the attempts at flirting that could be more, or has he actually been out of the picture all this time?

The others’ reactions certainly suggest she’s doing something inappropriate, especially since they’ve made their distaste for Dan clear and wouldn’t be looking out on his behalf, but could still just as easily be about the messy nature of the whole situation.

Either way, the attempts that fall flat on their faces here have me marginally less sure about an eventually hookup. Then again, maybe they’re just the first steps in the romance Jodie’s always deserved that she’ll be able to laugh about later.

Pivoting is doing very well at keeping a balanced tone by bringing just the right amount of gravitas in while being sure it stays a comedy. It’s also still finding its footing. I want to see more of what we want for these characters—or at least for them to figure it out for themselves.

 

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Pivoting airs Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on Fox.

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