‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Recap: “When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?”
Ivy Sears ’19/ Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Spoiler Alert: This review contains spoilers for Season 2 Episode 4 of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has, since the beginning, proven its ability to tackle intense subject matter with a playful hand. The most recent episode, “When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone,” is no different. Between Rebecca’s loud torment, Paula’s internal struggle, and Greg’s exit, the latest episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is painful while also providing some of the funniest songs so far this season.
“When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?” opened where last week’s episode left off, with Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) catching Greg (Santino Fontana) at the airport as he heads off to Emory in Atlanta. Although Greg and Rebecca confess their love, it is not enough to convince him to stay in West Covina. They bid a tearful goodbye to one another while Greg sings a Sinatra parody, “It Was a Shit Show,” leaving Rebecca (and every fan who ever loved Greg) heartbroken.
As Rebecca struggles to figure out who she is sans Greg and Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III), they both appear to her in the form of “memory spirits.” They explain to her that she won’t ever be able to get rid of them completely as memories of them remain all over her house. The two break into the most fun song of the episode, “We Tapped That Ass,” detailing every spot in her house where they had sex. The tap dance number leaves Rebecca realizing that she is going to have to take action if she ever wants to forget about the men in her life. This leads to her accidentally burning down part of her house. After the fire, Rebecca decides to stay with Heather (Vella Lovell) and her family.
Meanwhile, Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) continues to struggle with the decision to either have another baby or go to law school. Her husband urges her to follow her dream, reminding her that she has options if she doesn’t want to have the baby. Paula insists she is too old to have an abortion, and after seeing the stress she is putting on her family, decides to keep the baby and give up on her dreams.
After paying bots 5K to like her Instagram photo, Rebecca makes it into the final round of the Miss Douche competition. Meanwhile, Paula, who has taken on the entirety of the Miss Douche case, presents her argument to the planning manager. This is when both Rebecca and Paula must face the one question they have been desperate to avoid: “who are you?” While both women initially struggle to find the answer, they both end up realizing what they need to do to be happy. For Rebecca, it’s to stand on her own two feet and learn who she is without Greg and Josh. For Paula, it’s to get the abortion and follow her dreams.
The episode ends on a hopeful note as Rebecca goes back to her normal look and makes the decision to find a new place to live with Heather as her roommate. The two sit and look at apartments, both feeling excited about their future. As they talk, Rebecca looks up to see Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) scarfing down a donut, which is our first look at Josh’s ex so far this season. “When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?” is painful and hard to watch at times. Greg’s exit from the show is heartbreaking and he will be greatly missed. But despite this, the episode still leaves the audience with a smile and a feeling of excitement for what is to come.