Roadies: Lost Highway – Janine Attacks (Review)

The budding romance of Reg and Janine comes to a screeching halt in  Roadies this week. While last week’s episode made Christopher’s former lover seem like perfection on two legs, “Lost Highway” removes the facade completely.  Seems that unbroken egg in is indeed causing problems for the tour.

Janine did seem too good to be true. Sadly, Reg’s innate social awkwardness and perhaps his very Englishness, kept him from seeing any deception.  It is easy to see just why Christopher was so destroyed by this woman.

The band’s problems do not stop with Janine. Kelly Ann loses her laminate and has to wear the “turkey hat of shame.” Bill does put up a half-hearted defense for the rigger but is voted down by Shelli.

Rick, with Natalie Shin in tow, has been misbehaving (calling the governor’s wife and professing his love) and he brings a personal intervention specialist Marc Maron.  Rick’s antics last week had Lucius ready to file a lawsuit as well.

Double D tells the crew that he has  Jack White  set up to open for the band. They do not really believe him as one points out, “He opens exclusively for The Rolling Stones.”  Later it turns out that Reg spoke to Jack Black’s manager and Jack turned down the gig. (It did not fit Tenacious D‘s esthetic.)

Wes and the Devil Child, aka Winston (Ethan Michael Mora) have a massive falling out after Tom’s son spills a health drink on John Mellencamp’s Woodie Guthrie guitar.

Milo and Donna’s band get the nod, once again, to open. Rick’s friend Marco, however, is chosen by the bassist to open instead.  A disastrous decision as he does a 45 minute comedy routine that throws everything off.

Outside of all these peripheral problems, there is the unveiling of Janine as “woman scorned.”  Far from being the earth mother type she presented to Reg, she has declared war on her former lover and Bill.

In short order she reveals that a “tell-all’  book is on its way, that she kept everything and that Bill, Christopher’s bestie, had sex with her. Reg is beyond dismayed as he sees his perfect woman turn into a fire breathing Boudicca.

Shelli and Bill have decided that their sex session has to be  a “one off” and by the end of the episode, she is talking to Sean.  This may not end well for anyone as Bill and Shelli still seem a bit too attached.

Amusingly, Kelly Ann is forced to do “her man’s” laundry for his big date with Janine. The crew and band still believe that Kelly Ann and Reg are an item.  (On a sidenote, Double D’s socks have banana’s on them. Is this an in-joke about Bananas In Pajamas? This Aussie kids show was very poplar in Rafe Spall’s home country. Answers in the comment section below, or on a post card please…)

It seems that Phil (Ron White) and his warning about ensuring all the eggs were broken was a good one. One egg was left intact as the bus drove away and Kelly Ann saw it. In many ways the gripper’s return, after starting to leave for film school, has been bad thing. 

Reg and Kelly Ann seem to have brought a ton of bad luck to the tour. Although it does look like the rigger fits the role of Ishmael in this scenario. If things keep going so pear shaped for the tour, this may well be Kelly Ann’s new nickname.

Looking at next week’s previews, it appears that someone else recognizes that the tour is in trouble and Phil is brought back. It also appears that Wes’s instinctive mistrust of band archivist Mike Fingers was spot on.

Guest star Joy Williams killed it as the angry ex-lover.  Her transformation into a vitriol filled  shrew was splendid.  Rafe Spall with his reaction to all this was priceless.

Roadies airs Sundays on Showtime.

 

MAIN CAST:

• Luke Wilson  –  Bill
• Imogen Poots  –  Kelly Ann
• Rafe Spall  –  Reg Whitehead 
• Carla Gugino  –  Shelli
• Keisha Castle-Hughes  –  Donna Mancini 
• Peter Cambor  –  Milo 
• Machine Gun Kelly  –  Wes
• Tank Sade  –  Christopher House

Guest Starring:  Jacqueline Byers as Natalie Shin, Joy Williams as Janine Beckwith and Marc Maron 

Musical Guest – John Mellencamp