The Exes: Phil Fools Around; The Others Dance

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Confession: I am now completely in love with the theme song. Then again, I'm fairly infatuated with the show, so go figure. I am surprised with the play-down of Eden lately (aside from giving her a surrogacy storyline), but I will admit that I like how the Core Four interact. I still don't get why Haskell keeps playing second fiddle to Stuart and Phil... a womanizer and a dork aren't all THAT exciting. In this episode, for instance, Haskell main task is to keep all of Phil's women straight for him... not exactly rocket science, and we're kinda given the implication that Phil can't be bothered to remember such things while Haskell has nothing better to do. What happened to his money-making schemes? And his alimony issues? And his dating? I vote for more episodes with larger Haskell storylines! What do you think?

The Exes "Shall We Dance" (S02E06): At the bar, Haskell stops Phil from hitting on a girl he's already been with. [because he's such a man-wh0re that he has no idea at this point.] He then runs into Karen, who actually believes that he lost her number. [honey, no.] Haskell keeps feeding Phil information on who people are, humorously doing so for Holly and Stuart as well. Later, we see that Phil has kept his streak of one-night stands, but he panics when he finds out that the latest conquest actually lives in the same building. [yep, that sounds like a nightmare!] The next day, they run into one another in the elevator. When she's not upset that he hasn't called her, he's thrilled and wants to see her again... and soon finds out that she's the female version of him - she stands him up, talks him into having sex anyway, sneaks out into the night, and claims to be going out of town on business. [anyone/everyone know where this is going??] So, when he sees her at the bar when she's allegedly away, he makes a scene, even going as far as saying that she "lost the best thing she ever had" as she walks away. [while it serves him right, I don't see him actually changing his ways...]

In the other storyline, Stuart hears that his ex-wife, Lorna, is seeing someone new and will be dancing with her at an upcoming event. Holly claims to be a sexy dancer so Stuart decides to go after all. Of course, when it comes time for the two to practice, Holly is a pretty stiff and awkward dancer., and Stuart isn't looking forward to their moment in the spotlight. [but, of course, he doesn't actually call off the plan.] At the ball, Lorna does a great job, but Stuart finds out that she hired a professional dancer to be her partner. [I don't believe that the dancer would call her out in public like that, though!] 

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Holly falls just talking and walking, putting her out of the competition with a possible bruised coccyx. [I did like that green dress on her, though.] While Stuart is partially ecstatic, it leaves him without a dancing partner... until Haskell fills in at the last minute. They win. [what was Haskell even doing there? and how, exactly, did THEY win?? ]