As A Reminder
Written by Joey Murphy And John Pardee
Directed by David Warren
9.0
"Superb"
Orson (re hypnotherapy): “How’s it going?”
Mike: “It’s working”.
If looks could kill, then Mike would’ve slaughtered Orson the very moment he saw him as opposed to accidentally knocking him off a roof because at long last, at least 90% of Monique’s mystery is revealed and by God, it’s easily better than the Applewhite saga of last year.
For the past few weeks we’ve all been wondering how the writers would prove that Mike isn’t a lady killer and with the help of hypnotherapy at the beginning and end of this episode, he’s able to remember why he was at Monique’s house.
As revelations go, it’s pretty straightforward – Mike was there on a plumbing job and not actually having an affair with Monique. In fact when Monique in a drunken stupor came onto him, Mike was pretty quick to tell her that he was attached because aside from Deirdre and Susan, Mike doesn’t get much action compared to his other neighbours on Wisteria Lane.
That’s more or less okay with me but if Mike was there when Monique, then surely he would’ve noticed something but because he had to leave for a bit she had already been killed and when he came back, all he could see was some mysterious hands in gloves over a counter. It’s a great way of opening up the episode but did the writers really think that we wouldn’t have figured out that those hands belonged to Orson?
Well I more or less guessed and in the final flashback of the episode, we saw Orson doing his best to get rid of a suspicious Mike in the same way that draws even more suspicion and sadly this reveal also kills my theory that Orson ran over Mike because he thought the plumber was the one responsible for Monique’s death.
It’s a shame because the writers now really have to come up with a justified reason for Orson running over Mike and that’s going to be a hard one because in one scene with Bree, it’s more or less confirmed that Orson is responsible for Mike’s coma and subsequent memory loss.
Also if Orson didn’t kill Monique and I do believe that he didn’t, then he certainly knows who did and is more than likely being coerced into helping them covering their tracks but who on earth would have that kind of power over Orson?
I also should ask who would’ve bumped off Monique as well but right now, I bet the answer is either going to be Gloria and Alma, although I would lean more towards the former even if the both of them are crazy, Gloria appears to be that little bit more than rapist Alma.
It would make sense if it was Gloria too because while Orson may hate the very ground she walks on, Gloria still seemed to wield a fair amount of power over her son that Alma clearly doesn’t have the ability. Also if it had been Alma, Orson may have killed her or put her in jail as retaliation.
It also explains a few things that when Bree confronts Orson for not wanting to press charges against Alma, Orson is more than cagey and eventually is forced into telling Bree and while audiences don’t hear anything, whatever was said is enough for Bree to threaten the police on her husband if Orson doesn’t clear Mike’s name and when Andrew gets wind of things, his view on his step dad changes.
Isn’t it hilarious that a year ago Andrew would’ve had no problem to glad push Bree into ongoing traffic but in order to further cement how much his attitude towards his mother has changed, when Bree is taken into hospital, Andrew threatens that if Orson hurts her he will pay? Sadly Andrew is venting his anger at the wrong person but it’s a sweet scene and it makes him likeable without being melancholic and that makes me a pretty happy viewer. It would also be in Orson best interest to find ways of getting Andrew on side because he is a far more dangerous enemy than Mike to have.
As for Bree winding in hospital – could the writers have come with something that didn’t look like it came from The Itchy And Scratchy Show or Road Runner? Yeah, Bree climbing onto a ladder that was dangling the very bag with Monique’s teeth, except they were only cheap jewellery and one the ladder was cut in a way so Bree could hurt herself.
Seeing as I don’t believe Orson was responsible and knowing that Alma was locked in the only room in her home not to contain a window, the only person who would have the incentive to do it is Gloria and therefore it’s all Gloria’s fault and let no-one tell you differently. God might love a tryer but this hag is seriously pushing her luck and if Andrew learns what she’s done, then Mama Solis mightn’t be the only OAP on the street to get run over by the volatile teen.
Meanwhile when it comes to dogged pursuits, one person who certainly can’t take a hint is Zach Young and his pursuit of Gabrielle is almost enough to make me want the writers to bring John Rowland because at least, there would be some element of plausibility because it’s certainly lacking with the uncreative plot.
This week Gabrielle is pretty down about turning 31 and while she has enough sense to stop Zach from her jewellery, mainly because she only accepts it from men she plans to sleep with anyway, it still doesn’t deter Zach from making sure that he’s around her in one way or another and for a kid, Zach certainly has a way of getting what he wants in some ways.
When he realises that one of the lawyers he’s hired on a certain case is interested in Gabrielle, Zach proves that he more than can rid of them but then again, Lucas is so weak willed, I bet even the Scavo kids would’ve done that just as easily.
For Lucas, while he may be seriously attracted to Gabrielle, like many people in his profession, his job matters all that bit more and when Zach threatens to have him fired, he’s quick to get away from a randy Gabby an by telling her that she’s too old for him, he’s certainly burnt his bridges. After all, even Gabby is sensitive about her age but it is one of the comedic highlights of the episode.
Which then lead to a low one when Zach managed to play sympathetic best friend but as soon as Gabby consumed enough booze to put herself to sleep, you can only imagine what Zach might be thinking and if Alma did it with the use of sleeping tablets and Viagra, what’s to stop Zach from doing the same?
Elsewhere another pair of people using their thinking caps this week as Tom and Edie when they both realise that Austin could be a way of solving their problems but between them, Edie had a better point. The woman is understandably sick of Austin moping over Julie dumping him and short of throwing him out; she figured getting him a job at Tom’s restaurant would be a better option.
Tom was reluctant at first but seeing as Austin has the all American surfer look that teen girls and certain lads tend to like, he figures that Austin is good for business despite the fact he seems to be a pretty inept worker and that when caught smoking a joint, Lynette has no problem in getting rid of him.
Now here’s the drawback of Lynette ditching her career for Tom’s – she’s not a passenger in any sense and if anything in that restaurant arises, she is going to step up and stick her beak and because Tom is the actual boss and somewhat threatened by her feistiness at times, there are going to be some serious rows between them.
Tom wasn’t thrilled with her firing Austin without consulting and although the both of them staged a funny fight in front of the staff, Lynette was far from thrilled with Tom dictating whatever authority she has within the restaurant and this basically reinforces that these two working together probably isn’t a good idea.
The least interesting plot goes to Susan and Ian which isn’t to say that it’s a bad plot; it’s just not as amusing or gripping as the other ones have been this week. Both Susan and Ian are dealing with Jane’s funeral the only way they can – as unconventionally as humanly possible.
Susan does this by trying to be discreet but when an irritating friend of Ian’s named Lindine has her eyes on the widower; Susan just doesn’t have enough willpower to let things lie and blurts out that her and Ian are an item. Normally I’d berate Susan for not keeping a lid on it but seeing how irritating Lindine is and how indiscreet Susan and Ian have been about their relationship since day one, there’s not much point is there?
Of course Lindine isn’t thrilled and decides to humiliate Susan by telling the entire congregation that she’s sleeping with Ian which makes her look even worse than Susan given that she was practically prepared to handcuff herself to Ian at one point.
But if the congregation are thinking fools rush in with Ian suddenly acquiring a girlfriend shortly before his wife’s death, then how are they going to feel when they learn that him and Susan are now engaged? I bet Lindine won’t be the first to congratulate them and a viewer, while both Dougray Scott and Teri Hatcher have chemistry, this engagement is way too telegraphed to ring true.
Also in “I Remember That”
Husband of the week: This episode opened and ended with Mike retracing his steps and was shot similarly to the flashback at the end of “Sweetheart I Have To Confess”.
Mike (re the chat up line): “I’m flattered but I’m seeing someone”
Monique: “Me too but he’s married and I’m drunk”.
When exactly in the series did this murder take place? Early in Season Two when Mike and Susan were dating or before Alma left Orson or before Susan met Orson in the cinema in “Don’t Look At Me?”
Orson (to Bree): “I had sex with Alma and I wasn’t even conscious? How reminiscent of our marriage?”
Orson flinched when Bree mentioned Mike being ran over? Do you think this will get Bree to make amends with Susan?
Susan: “It’s not about me; this is about Jane and Ian. What if I wore this one?”
Julie: “Then it’ll be about Jane, Ian and your boobs”.
Gabrielle: “It was a shameless sex joke, I was flirting with you”
Lucas: “Oh right, I’m a little dense can we start again?”
I just noticed that when Susan moans about having funeral clothes, why didn’t she pick any of the stuff she wore in the “Pilot”, “There Won’t Be Trumpets” or “Next”?
Zach: “You think this guy is into you?”
Gabrielle: “He seemed to like me in the mattress department so here’s hoping I like him in the mattress department”.
Gloria (to Alma): “I usually don’t say this to expectant mothers but for God’s sake, have a scotch”.
Bree’s accident was to cover up Marcia Cross’ real life pregnancy but so far I haven’t really noticed her bump until now.
Susan (to Lindine, re Ian): “Okay I’m the bimbo, he’s my meat”.
There were some funny nicknames in this episode with Lynette calling Austin “Joe Bong Head” and Alma calling Bree “Tammy Tight Ass”.
Lindine: “Susan Mayer, say hello”
Susan: “Hey”.
This is the first episode in the series to use a “To Be Continued” title card at the end.
Andrew (to Orson): “There’s a reason my Mom put me out in the streets last year. You’ve never met that guy; you’ve never met Bad Andrew. Hurt my Mom and you will”.
Chronology: Few hours since “Come Play Wiz Me”.
You know what, I frakking loved this episode, Finally we’re closer to learning what really happened to Monique and the revelations so far presented in “I Remember That” have delivered in spades and with an ending like the one, we’ve gotten it’s no wonder viewers are loving the series all over again.