Difficult People “36 candles” continues to knock it out of the park in terms of comedy. Last week’s “special episode was hysterically funny, but this week sees the funny being provided “across the board.” Billy with his DeNeil Tinder (Sean Phillips), Arthur and his “manly” transformation and Julie’s drunken birthday party are all high on the comedy chart.
We also learn what “Sharon Stoning” is.
Arthur accidentally scores on the basketball court providing his PBS team with what appears to be their only win. He is instantly transformed into a “man’s man” and drinks brewskies while watching sports. Arthur now sees himself as an athlete. Later in the show he volunteers himself as the most athletic member of Julie’s birthday party.
Billy finally meets “DeNeil Tinder” after carrying on an online “romance” for months. The two hit it off brilliantly and later, after sex, they are caught out by Billy’s boss Denise (Gabourey Sidibe). DeNeil, it turns out, is Denise’ cousin. She invites Billy to a meal with her two aunts.
Billy is horrified to learn about the meal. He has issues with “feelings” and finally decides to “Sharon Stone it.” Sharon Stoning means to fake an emotion if you cannot really feel it.
At the dinner, the two normally vicious women adore Billy and are supportive of his relationship with DeNeil. Denise is furious.
Eventually the two come unstuck when Billy becomes too “soppy” with his emotions. The breakup is helped by Matthew (Cole Escolar) gate crashing Julie’s party. He tells DeNeil that Billy was faking his feelings for him, in other words, he Sharon Stoned DeNeil.
Julie and her mother spend a day celebrating as a pre-birthday buildup to the actual day. The two women argue at first, Marilyn left a young Julie at Benihana’s and it scarred her for life. Her mother argues she was only gone for a moment and she came back at once when she realized what she had done.
The Kessler women eat at Marilyn’s country club and get a free spa day. At the spa, they are given complimentary champagne as Chloë Sevigny has treated the entire American Horror Story cast to a spa day. Lady Gaga is not there.
The women get drunk on champagne and any ill feelings are left in the bottom of a champagne flute. Later they go put a paper bag of dog poo on an old adversary’s doorstep and set it alight. They learn that the woman does not live there any longer and a complete stranger stomps the poo filled burning bag with her foot.
Marilyn takes Julie back to the scene of the year’s old crime, Benihana’s. Arthur, DeNeil, Billy, Julie and Marilyn are there. As Julie’s mother begins a long rambling speech, she excuses herself. Julie goes to the restroom and throws up.
She meets her childhood idol Kate Pierson and gushingly tells the disinteresting celeb how much she meant to her growing up.
Meanwhile, back at the table, Arthur gets up to cook some food and falls on the grill. DeNeil and Billy rush out because of Matthew and Marilyn scrapers when “dog poo” woman turns up and points her out.
Julie returns from the toilet to find everyone has gone and she is alone, “again.” Cue flashback sequences where little Julie chucks away her party hat and sets at the table alone.
Having hated the first season of Difficult People it is hard to believe that now the antics and misfortunes of both Julie and Billy are unmissable. Their close circle of family, friends and co-workers are addictive to say the least.
Matthew being angry that he now has to do deliveries rather than Billy and getting mugged by prepubescent children right outside the door was hysterically funny. Even the trans waitress (Forgive us LGBTQ if we have wrongly identified this character. We know not what we do…) shouting out about no one else working at the diner was funny. *Normally she just irritates.*
While this episode was not as funny, overall, as “Patches” it came very close. Everyone got a chance to be funny. Even Denise’s two aunts, a clear homage to The Simpsons’ Patty and Selma, were funny.
Difficult People has become a Hulu classic that should not be missed. The show airs Tuesdays on Hulu.
CAST:
- Julie Klausner – Julie Kessler
- Billy Eichner – Billy Epstein
- James Urbaniak – Arthur Tack
- Andrea Martin – Marilyn Kessler
Guest star –
Mikes Film Talk 