Rules of Engagement – Best wishes to Heather for a safe deployment

I’m finding it intriguing that Rules of Engagement has been pretty consistent with its lack of consistency this season … the show’s humor is off every other week. Last week’s bomb was the tale of Russell moving in with Timmy after his mother cut him off. I got as far as sitting down with my notes to write an episode review, but there wasn’t anything to say.

Which means, if you’re playing along at home, that this week’s episode scored. While Russell getting blown off (and then not) by Heather didn’t quite do it for me — how in the world did he end up being right about her excuses? — I was a big fan of Jeff and Audrey’s Fun Run plot. Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price can belly flop too, but when they’re working as a team they’re generally on.

Jeff blowing up at his colleagues was curious for a number of reasons (despite my enjoyment of it!). First of all, do they not know him? Because if they did they should have been taken by surprise a whole lot less. I liked the hell he gave Marty (Chet Grissom) when the guy was asking Jeff to chip in for a cake and a baby shower gift. Second, it looked like Jeff is a lot more senior then the rest of them, because he had an office and everyone else was milling about a common area. If so, would they be so ready to solicit — and then judge — him?

Audrey just had to sign up for a run that required pledges. I’ve never heard of that outside elementary school, but it did keep her busy. The blurb on the episode, however, was totally misleading. It said that a chagrined Jeff was forced to ask his colleagues for pledges after avoiding their requests for donations. I was totally ready to see Jeff essentially beg for help, but that didn’t even come close to happening. Instead Jeff filled the sheet out himself and gave it back to Audrey. Even after he realized how much money he had to pay he didn’t go back to the office, tail between his legs. You see what happens when previewers make no effort to get their information right?

Jeff drugging Audrey was fun (not that I condone that sort of thing), but once that happened I assumed she’d somehow make it up and out to the race. I didn’t expect the sleep-training thing. I guess I felt as if there was more that could have been done but wasn’t.

Still, a solid episode, with Audrey and Jeff in fine form. And I really loved that line when Audrey came home and asked Jeff to guess what she’d just done. “I hate this game; you never appreciate my guesses,” he said. Welcome to my world! My wife never appreciates the creativity and thought I put into my guesses in response to that question … they may be impossibly outlandish, but I was always told that it’s the thought that counts. Shouldn’t that include the thought I put into my guesses?

And let’s be honest, isn’t it also nice that we’re willing to become a part-narrator instead of just the audience for your story? How about a thank you!

“Yeah, you should go back.” – Adam to Russell, after Russell snuck out on a one night stand
“Can you go back, though? Can you un-scadoodle?” – Russell
“Yeah, yeah, if you really like her, why not?” – Adam
“Yeah, I do. Alright, I’m going back.” – Russell
“Uch. It’s like running over a bunny with your car, and then getting out and shooting it.” – Audrey

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Nov 23, 2010 @ 17:28 EST5EDT