Hot in Cleveland: Elka as Kevin Spacey

You've GOT to be kidding me! This series seems to have given up its original focus, and any chance at originality, for that matter! Live shows, animated episodes, doppelgangers, big serious storylines like cancer, on-location trips, and now a House of Cards-style episode... and that's just in the current season! I think it's either time to get Betty White a new vehicle or find a way to get the comedy series back on track. Or, am I totally off here? Is this the way the program has always been and I've just been too involved to notice?

Hot in Cleveland "Strange Bedfellow" (S05E19): Melanie and Joy help Elka prepare for an upcoming city council debate, and she's acting like Kevin Spacey on House of Cards, breaking the fourth wall to note things to the camera but not the people in the room. [P.S. Elka has now been running for city council (9 episodes to date) longer than Melanie had cancer (7 episodes).] Melanie runs into a guy she used to date, and only after sleeping with him does she learn that he's working for Elka's opponent. [ha!] But, of course, she abuses the situation and feeds him false information. Soon, Elka has the upper hand because she can hold her liquor better than her opponent, who makes a fool of himself when he's so drunk that his debate coach has to feed him lines through an earpiece. [do better research, politicians!]

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Joy is the moderator at the debate, which the opposition agrees to because of how much she argues with Elka. [haha![ When Powell passes out, his aunt takes over... only she isn't informed and agrees more with Elka. [this couldn't have gone worse for the guy!] 

Victoria can't get J.J. alone as he's constantly trying to have tons of other people around on their dates. [that IS weird!] He admits that he's never been intimate with anyone but his wife, but soon they're able to get past that and enjoy themselves.