It’s not always easy being Bert and Ernie
Were back from Detroit to hazy Los Angeles.
These guysarereally the cutest couple ever.
You know who isnt as into them?
Credit: John P. Johnson/HBO
Over at Michelles, Tina is pitching in by helping with childcare.
When Michelle presses her, Sophie pulls out her ace: Why isnt Daddy sleeping in your bed?
So Michelle goes and meets Brett for coffee.
And yeah, this is very bad times.
Brett is pulling a move I very much admire and is hard to pull off: chillingly polite disaffection.
Michelle notices that he took off his wedding ring and is quietly (and powerfully) devastated.
(Side note: The Lynskey should be shorthand for any quiet yet powerful bit of acting.)
This chick, Anna, is very Cameron Diaz-y and fresh faced and energetic.
Tinas day as a stay-at-home mom is not going great.
She gets into it with averyannoying traffic guard in the carpool lane.
And things just get worse!
Theres ambient screaming baby and now this orange juice mess, and Tina is frazzled.
Theres a scary moment wheneveryoneis crying.
Tina loses it and screams, I mean…youve GOT to be kidding me!
But then something amazing happens: She starts to laugh.
Sophie and the baby, too.
Did Tina just hit rock bottom and come out on the other side?
She dances in the juice and jokes about her expensive shoes.
Across town, Christy drives Alex to work.
Christy is struggling to maintain her hey-dude-totally-everything-is-cool vibe.
She clings to her cover and tells him to go do his thing.
Its a good thing, see?
And no, it doesnt matter that they already shot three episodes, they can fix everything in voiceover!
(Ever get the feeling the Duplass boys have had some, uh, challenges working in Hollywood?)
We see him dropping the kids off with Michelle and how painful it is between them.
We see Tina bathed in a decidedly maternal glow as she hangs with the kids in the park.
Larry is careful, pointing out that it goes against everything shes ever said or did.
Really angry, and storms off while Larry is still trying to catch up.
Alex and Brett are out on the town and having a great time.
Alex is finally honest that Hollywood isnt always what he thought it would be (Brett cheers).
They talk about theirDunepuppets and melange.
(This is what theyre talking about!Nerds!)
A shero for our times.
Over at Michelles, Tina is taking refuge.
Brett is being nice and asks what is wrong.
This whole scene is very moving and very, very sweet considering whats happening with him and Michelle.
They come through sometimes, right?
