Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e08 – Allison’s House

Despite the title, this episode is not about Allison’s House, though there are technically two houses in the episode Annie Murphy’s protagonist could be possessive about. It’s also not really about Murphy; it is, but it also isn’t. The show’s grown quite a bit since its first episode, with Murphy realizing her life as the “too good looking for my schlub husband” sitcom wife was all bullshit and her husband, Eric Petersen, was an obnoxious, lying man child. The first season grew Mary Hollis Inboden from supporting cast to co-lead and gave Murphy a real-world character arc with high school crush grown-up Raymond Lee.

This season’s been all about Petersen’s best friend, Alex Bonifer, realizing Petersen sucks—very simplified recap—and liking liquor store clerk Jamie Denbo, who’s stuck in a miserable marriage similar to Murphy’s. There’s some beautiful echoing between the seasons and their respective adultery arcs. In the latter half of this season, Candice Coke’s gotten a lot more to do as Inboden’s girlfriend, a cop investigating, well, Inboden and Murphy, usually unknowingly. As Petersen’s dad, even Brian Howe has gotten a character arc this season. So while “Kevin” hasn’t exactly become an ensemble show, the supporting cast has become far more critical than they started.

House shows a Worcester, MA unlike any we’ve seen before on “Kevin”—one without Murphy—and how everyone reacts to it. The action picks up six months after last episode’s surprise finish, with Inboden playing amateur P.I. and trying to track Murphy, Lee becoming her reluctant sidekick. Coke has moved in with Inboden but is getting sick of living in Worcester and wants to leave. Inboden’s reluctant, which Coke assumes has to do with “mourning” Murphy.

Meanwhile, Petersen’s milking his widower status, getting Howe and Bonifer to dote on him while dating the shoe girl from the bowling alley. Erin Hayes plays the new girlfriend; she makes an excellent impression in three scenes. Bonifer and Denbo are still carrying on, just at somewhat different speeds.

By the end of the episode, everything gets resolved. There isn’t much in the way of surprises—so they didn’t introduce multiverses or time travel, like last episode briefly implied might be possible (so, no spoiler?)—just thorough, exquisite character development and acting. Show creator Valerie Armstrong gets the script credit and makes her directorial debut with the finale. She’s off to a phenomenal start.

“Kevin”’s been an almost entirely outstanding show; Murphy and Inboden’s acting is off the charts, Petersen’s spectacular, and this season gave Bonifer, Coke, and Denbo glowing adjective turns too. The first season was a wild, dangerous ride; this season’s been a far more introspective and personal one, with the finish tying the bow.

It’s so damn good. I can’t wait to binge-rewatch it someday.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e07 – The Problem

As is not uncommon for pay cable original programming, “Kevin Can F**k Himself” always ends with a teaser for the next episode. What’s coming up next week or just in general for the season; I think cable shows have been doing it for almost twenty years.

There’s not much original footage in the teaser for the next episode, the final “Kevin.” No hints for what’s to come, though there’s a throwaway line in this episode potentially introducing a whole new aspect to the show. Retroactively. Can’t wait.

But will it be a victory lap or a conclusion? This episode, which is almost entirely character development for Annie Murphy and Mary Hollis Inboden—separately, as opposed to their other big character development arcs—finishes the story to a certain degree. The show’s compartmentalized the character arcs enough next episode can have Annie Murphy waking up in the Rosebud Motel with a hangover and succeed.

The episode begins with Alex Bonifer on a bender, telling anyone who’ll listen to the wild story of his best friend’s wife who—with Bonifer’s sister’s help—tried to murder her husband. Murphy and Inboden had assumed Bonifer was safely in the drunk tank, tucked away so Murphy can go through with faking her death (she hasn’t told Inboden her reservations yet). Plus, Murphy’s got a big non-Bonifer problem: Candice Coke.

Copper Coke has discovered her girlfriend Inboden on some security cam footage before an assault and robbery (back in season one). That subplot will blow up for everyone, with Murphy needing help from odious husband Eric Petersen to ensure they don’t end up in jail. All Murphy’s got to do is convince Petersen he’s in danger of arrest; good thing he’s an amateur arsonist.

Once Murphy gets that ball rolling, Jamie Denbo tells her Bonifer’s out of jail, and the episode becomes a race to find him. Murphy’s looking for her own reasons while ostensibly doing it to help Inboden. Coke’s also looking for Bonifer, with more valiant motives; she just wants to help out her girlfriend.

Pretty much everyone gets a great scene together: Murphy and Inboden, obviously, but Murphy and Bonifer, Murphy and Denbo, Murphy and Coke, Inboden and Coke, Inboden and Denbo. Just lots of phenomenal acting as these characters can’t avoid collisions.

Meanwhile, Petersen’s hanging out at home with dad Brian Howe, thrilled to have his most able accomplice yet—Murphy.

It’s a great episode. Writing credit goes to director Craig DiGregorio in his superb debut. His directing of the performances is particularly good; both Inboden and Murphy hit new peaks here.

So, so good.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e06 – The Machine

The Machine is the best episode of the season so far, which is no small feat, and one of the three best “Kevin” episodes overall. It’s phenomenal; Kate Loveless and Jasmyne Peck have the writing credit; Anna Dokoza, of course, directs. The episode runs long, around forty-five minutes, and saves most of lead Annie Murphy’s story for the end. Until then, she’s around, but almost as an extension of Mary Hollis Inboden’s “moving out” story arc with girlfriend Candice Coke.

Of course, Inboden doesn’t know Coke’s living together invitation has to do with Coke getting video of Inboden seemingly about to commit felony assault (for Murphy). But Inboden’s taking too long with the move, her first time leaving the house, and her estranged brother Alex Bonifer. Inboden’s incredibly conscious of the momentous changes in store, while Murphy seems oblivious. Murphy’s back working at Raymond Lee’s diner, though their on-again-off-again affair will get them in trouble when they collide with some of Eric Petersen’s sitcom antics. Add Coke finally acting on the video, Bonifer and Jamie Denbo having a messier than expected (and mutually undesired) breakup over Petersen, and it’s another packed episode.

Petersen’s antics—usually with dad Brian Howe checking in on the subplot—happen from the living room couch, starting with terrorizing a local newspaper reporter. Throughout the episode, he’ll use his misfortune-causing powers, tying in for the ominous cliffhanger. It’s an outstanding work, complete with Murphy’s character arc picking up in the second act as she reacts to the people around her being more than names in the end titles of Petersen’s sitcom life.

Great acting from Inboden, Murphy, Petersen, Bonifer, and Denbo. Coke and Lee get more challenging material than usual and do well with it; Coke and Murphy’s antagonistic relationship seems ready to go off. “Kevin”’s heading into its final two episodes; this one kicks off the last act, showcasing everything exceptional about the show, whether the performances, the sublime commentary on television tropes, or just the writing in general. Bonifer and Denbo’s romance continues to be a season two high point. It’s such good work.

“Kevin”’s almost done, but it’s sure not slowing down as it approaches that finish.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e05 – The Unreliable Narrator

Since Covid-19 doesn’t exist in either of “Kevin”’s universes, I forget this season is their Rona season, and it might have affected how they plotted the season. Because even though last episode had a surprise party gone wrong plot, I also forgot “Kevin” sometimes does sitcom tropes in their “sitcom” part of the episode. The imbalanced episodes—and Annie Murphy no longer hanging around Eric Petersen as much—have meant shorter sitcom portions.

This episode’s got a blackout, which I’ve seen in at least one sitcom I can readily recall, and there must be countless others. It’s such an easy episode (the blackout episode, not this episode of “Kevin”; this episode of “Kevin”’s an intricate marvel). The action picks up about a week after last episode, which had Mary Hollis Inboden’s birthday party, followed by a cliffhanger with Candice Coke making a show-shattering discovery.

Also continuing directly from last time is Brian Howe’s girlfriend, Lauren Weedman, who everyone finds annoying. And Murphy’s still pestering ex-boss, high school crush, ex-lover Raymond Lee. In fact, she’s bugging him when the lights go out, and Petersen, Alex Bonifer, Howe, Weedman, and Jamie Denbo show up. Petersen thinks Lee’s cafe is the perfect spot to hang out during a blackout, not suspecting he just walked in on Lee telling Murphy to stop complaining about Petersen so much.

Murphy leaves the cafe to commit a felony with Inboden; only then a couple cops—Inboden’s new pals through Coke—pull up on them and want to earn points with detective Coke by doting on her girlfriend, Inboden. It’s an incredibly stressful sequence; Anne Dokoza has done some fine directing work on this show, and I think this episode’s probably her best. The cop adventure leads to an unexpected wrench on the way to the actual crime. Meanwhile, Inboden’s sullen—more sullen than usual—and isn’t talking to Murphy about it, which turns into concurrent character development arcs. Very nice script, credited to Sean Clements.

There’s an excellent subplot for Bonifer and Denbo again, who again ably essay far more complex roles than initially written.

Lee and Petersen “bonding” is also a great bit, especially with Petersen invading Lee’s space at the cafe.

“Kevin”’s second season is quieter than the first (so far) but just as impressive an accomplishment for cast and crew.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e04 – Jesus, Allison

There are three big swings in this episode. Two are significant but subtle; one is not subtle at all. The first involves Annie Murphy and Candice Coke. They’re teaming up for the day to put together a party for Mary Hollis Inboden’s birthday, which no one knew about until the day before. Murphy and Coke are running errands and having a miserable time together, but then they get around to talking about Murphy’s husband, Eric Petersen, and how much it sucks being around shitty dudes. Inobden’s got a soft echo of that experience, hanging out with drunken brother Alex Bonifer for her birthday tradition at the ice skating rink.

Before “Kevin” started, the advertising played up the “sitcom wife realizes her husband’s a jackass,” but the show doesn’t treat the sitcom universe in that way. The show’s a fascinating examination of characters through various television trope lenses. This episode is the first time there’s really been something outside Murphy’s sphere, and it’s Coke’s, and it shares space with Murphy. It’s excellent, gentle but barbed because bickering sequence. Grace Edwards has the writing credit for this episode, and it’s awesome.

The second subtle swing involves Bonifer and Jamie Denbo. The reason Petersen helps Murphy with the party is because he wants to set Denbo up with his dad, Brian Howe. Howe’s new girlfriend (Lauren Weedman) has a terrible laugh. Petersen thinks Denbo’s available because she’s separated from her shitty husband; the plan goes terribly, particularly for the ambushed Denbo. Later on, she confronts Bonifer about it, and we get to see Bonifer’s character development start to pay off.

They’re outstanding. They’re not Murphy or Inboden, but they’re outstanding. Bonifer’s arc this season is incredibly difficult, and he’s nailing it every time. Then Denbo’s scaled up nicely.

Of course, the third swing is for Murphy alone. She’s seeing Robin Lord Taylor around town, stalking her, even though he’s comatose. The show’s letting Murphy’s character development boil unattended while giving Inboden the dramatic interactions. Very cool.

I can’t wait to see where they take this season; there’s going to be so much great acting.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e03 – Ghost

I didn’t understand what Eric Petersen was saying when he says, “Pal-o-ween;” I thought he meant Halloween, and then the dialogue implied he thought every month with a thirty-first meant that day was Halloween.

I figured out what had happened quickly, but it was strange because it wouldn’t not fit the show.

Petersen’s regular but not monthly Pal-o-ween events involve him and Alex Bonifer watching scary movies while Annie Murphy dotes on them. They probably make fun of her too. She’s not interested this month (I mean, is it set in August, it could be) because she and Mary Hollis Inboden have to go look at dead bodies. Murphy’s faking-her-death plan involves finding an identity to assume from a recent, unclaimed corpse. Her P.I., Tommy Buck, knows a guy who likes to claim unclaimed corpses. Inboden and Murphy have a hilarious discussion on that subject as they walk through the creepy, empty funeral home.

Murphy doesn’t tell Inboden going in, but sixteen years before or whatever, her father’s funeral was in the same funeral home, and that night was when she met Petersen (and Inboden) for the first time. “Kevin” makes a big swing with the flashbacks, which have the actors playing themselves with different hair and clothes, obviously, but no big make-up things. No CGI de-aging or youth casting. It works once Peri Gilpin shows up; she’s got a scene as Murphy’s mom, who berates Murphy after the funeral. And Murphy goes from the funeral home in reality—in the flashback, obviously—into the sitcom universe for that scene with Gilpin, which raises all sorts of questions.

It also makes the flashback hair and make-up approach “TV,” meaning just focus on the content and the performances. They’re memories, after all, almost entirely from Murphy’s perspective because Inboden doesn’t want to think about it. In the flashback, we see Inboden’s spirits fall, watching Murphy surrender to Petersen’s amiable influence. In the present, Bonifer’s having a breakdown about the whole thing—the whole thing being him assaulting Murphy, then Murphy and Inboden smacking him into reality from the sitcom universe—and forgets to go to Pal-o-ween.

There’s a subplot for Inboden and girlfriend Candice Coke, with Coke trying to involve Inboden in her life, but Inboden is still hanging with Murphy instead. Corpse-hunting beats game night. There’s some good material for Coke in this episode; she gets to interact with different people, not just whine about Inboden being friends with Murphy.

I still feel like the season’s a little unbalanced, with this episode the first to deal entirely with season two issues.

It’ll be fine. I’m just obsessing because I think “Kevin” might wrap up super.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e02 – The Way We Were

First things first, “Kevin”’s not grungy, it’s bitchin’, and I’m a dirty bird for worrying otherwise. Secondly, it really feels like they had these first two episodes of the season and picked the wrong place to cut between them. This episode addresses and resolves most of the problems with the first episode. It also gives guest star Jamie Denbo a full arc. One of the show’s first completed arcs; well, arcs not achieved with a fatality.

But this episode’s got the season one follow-up to Annie Murphy and lover Brian Howe. It’s got more with Candice Coke and Mary Hollis Inboden’s relationship. It lets Alex Bonifer be a person separate from Eric Petersen’s sitcom existence. All the things. Including Murphy and Denbo having a subplot involving a shady private investigator played by Tommy Buck. It’s the episode setting up season two.

Murphy’s got a plan—faking her own death to escape now famous Petersen—but can’t tell anyone but Inboden about it. Meanwhile, Bonifer wants to tell Petersen about Murphy trying to kill him, but he’s having flashbacks to his breakthrough to reality, and we have no idea how he’s experiencing those memories, which is one of the show’s nicest flexes this season so far.

Petersen’s plot this episode involves a TV interview about his new “Wild Dude” persona. He needs his cool Red Sox cap so he makes Bonifer his assistant and sends him off to the storage unit.

Murphy’s just found out about the same storage unit, where Petersen’s hidden their valuables after surviving last season’s break-in (and, you know, attempted murder).

The Petersen plot comes into the episode late—which also makes it seem like they just split the first two episodes in the wrong place—and is fairly self-contained, though it does give Murphy some character development away from her regular costars.

There’s some particularly strong acting this episode from Inboden, but also Coke, with their new relationship already navigating some rough patches. It doesn’t help Bonifer’s loitering around the house, plotting against Murphy, but only when he’s not wandering around incoherently.

And, Murphy, of course, is fantastic.

Lots of stressors on everyone. Lots of complicated drama and performances. A fair amount of sitcom observations in how Petersen abuses “best friend” Bonifer, who’s now able to start recognizing it. So good.

I think I just forgot I didn’t have to worry about this show.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s02e01 – Mrs. McRoberts Is Dead

“Kevin Can F’’k Himself” picks up right where the show played chicken with renewal at the end of last season. Dopey sitcom sidekick Alex Bonifer discovered his sister, Mary Hollis Inboden, and his best friend’s wife, Annie Murphy, were planning on killing his best bro. So he broke character and tried strangling Murphy; Inboden smacked him down, pulling Bonifer into the “real” world.

This episode’s primarily about what to do with Bonifer, who at the very least plans on telling best pal Eric Petersen what he heard. Simultaneously, Petersen and his dad, Brian Howe, are planning Petersen’s political career. It starts with a city council appointment, but after Howe gets the idea for some public access commercials, who knows what could happen. Especially as Murphy gets involved, trying to keep Petersen from any chance at office.

Having Bonifer tied up in the basement while plotting, Inboden slowly decides she can’t trust Murphy to consider her considerations enough, not with Bonifer a potential witness. Plus, Bonifer’s (sometimes unintentionally) working on his captors. He tries to convince Inboden she can’t trust Murphy, but then with Murphy, they have some frank discussions about Petersen’s character and behavior.

Since they’re estranged—Murphy interfering with Petersen’s political plot, which is often way funnier with bad jokes than it ought to be—Murphy and Inboden have time for subplots with other people. Inboden’s got cop girlfriend Candice Coke hanging around, and Murphy falls back to hanging out with Jamie Denbo’s depressed, devastated housewife.

As a season premiere, the episode’s okay but little more. Anne Dokoza’s direction’s excellent, and the acting’s great, but it’s muddled overall. It hints at season two plot lines—they’re done after this one, which means someday “Kevin” will be a sixteen-episode marathon without a significant break. But there’s nothing concrete. This episode’s plot lines get things set for later, without establishing later.

The Bonifer resolution is incredibly underwhelming after all the build-up last season.

Hopefully it’s just an uneasy restart and nothing significant; the acting’s fantastic from Murphy, Inboden, and Petersen, so it’s still fine. But I’d assumed they knew what they were doing with last season’s cliffhanger; it appears maybe not so much, which isn’t unconcerning, but also it’s just the first episode back, so uneasy restart. Hopefully. I love this show and don’t want to lose it.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s01e08 – Fixed

The first season of “Kevin Can F**k Himself” features singular performances from Annie Murphy, Mary Hollis Inboden, and Eric Petersen. The writing is ambitious, excellent, and successful. The direction—usually from Anna Dokoza, who directs this episode to make a total of directing six of the eight first season episodes—is phenomenal.

Also, you might just want to wait unless it gets picked up for a second season. Basically, it’s all about relying on AMC to do the right thing, and AMC infamously added commercials to classic movies. So who knows.

Because the episode, with series creator Valerie Armstrong getting script credit, is all about what happens next. For everything and everyone. The resolution to last episode’s cliffhanger on whether or not Petersen survives a home invasion is either big swing plotting or where they decided to go for a season two instead of wrapping it up here. That resolution is the only concluding they do this episode. Everything else is left open.

The episode proper begins with Murphy asking Inboden to snoop on “girlfriend” Candice Coke’s investigation notebook. This thread runs under Inboden’s entire episode arc until there’s an insert scene with her ex-boyfriend, Sean Clements, trying to set cop Coke on Inboden’s trail for drug dealing. It goes absolutely nowhere because it’s season two material, leaving Coke even more in flux because apparently Inboden skips out on Coke—telling her she’s buying cigarettes—and never returns to her shop. For hours.

Or the episode skipped the scene, which is a narrative fail.

Meanwhile, Murphy’s got to deal with her machinations’ immediate fallout, which the episode principally reduces to arguing with lover Raymond Lee. Lee gets the worst arc of the episode. Seems like he’s on his way out for next season, with his cliffhanger from last episode quickly rendered immaterial here. It’s narrative vamping, with only the sitcom aspect and then the season cliffhanger bringing much drama.

Worst of all, Dokoza’s direction of Murphy and Inboden’s big blow-up is blah. Suddenly, she and Adrian Peng Correia can’t figure out how to shoot a scene, which is set in the “All in the Family” living room, only the real-world version of it. Dokoza shoots it like they found a 704 Hauser pop-in, and guerrilla shot a scene. Adding to my conspiracy theory the ending’s been rejiggered for a cliffhanger, though the actual cliffhanger is pretty good and has lots of promise for next season.

If it gets one.

So is “Kevin Can F**k Himself: Season One” a success? It’s successful. Murphy, Inboden, and Petersen all give superb performances. It’s an accomplishment. But whether or not it “works” depends entirely on renewal, which sucks. Playing chicken with the network is so dated.

The episode doesn’t even finish Petersen’s arc. It really just does kick every last thing down the road.

It’s frustrating as all hell. And great. But don’t watch it. Well, watch it but maybe after the renewal news is out. Knowing it’s incomplete (or not) might help.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (2021) s01e07 – Broken

High narrative density this episode, starting with Robin Lord Taylor getting this great prologue where we get a glimpse into his daily life. Then we see how Annie Murphy getting too involved with it doesn’t help anything. Then there’s excellent material for Murphy and Mary Hollis Inboden, not to mention the absurdly effective sitcom riff. Still, nothing really compares to the end teaser saying next episode is the season finale.

Season? Season? I don’t know if I can handle another season of “Kevin.” It’s too raw. Murphy starts the episode three times. First with Taylor in the prologue, then she’s in an interrogation room for a separate framing device. The episode proper finally starts with Murphy fighting with Raymond Lee. He makes some very sharp, very mean observations about her, and it sets her down a spiral. However, it’s not the right time for a spiral because she and Inboden are planning on killing Murphy’s husband, Eric Petersen, and framing him as an oxy kingpin. Taylor’s the trigger man. And Inboden is dating Candice Coke now; Coke’s the cop after the oxy kingpin.

So most of the episode is Murphy planning this murder while spiraling out about herself. It’s very dark, and it’s very intense. There’s a diffused bright spot for Inboden in the newfound connection with Coke, but it’s based on just as many lies as anything else in the show. Everything’s tainted; everything’s corrupted. It’s magnificently dark.

And I don’t know if I can handle another nine episodes. Especially if it means worrying about a cliffhanger and a renewal.

I mean, I’ll figure out how to handle it, obviously, but the show’s constantly upping the ante, and there ought to be a good enough somewhere.

The sitcom has Petersen and bestie Alex Bonifer starting a band. It’s ridiculous and often quite funny. We even get to see Coke in the sitcom universe, as Bonfier manifests it too. Though there’s some wonderful stuff from Inboden about the nature of perspectives and such. “Kevin” is very self-aware this episode—Craig DiGregorio and Kate Loveless get the script credit; it’s excellent. Anna Dokoza directs again. Again, excellent.

They even manage to make this episode’s cliffhanger feel like a cliffhanger on a sitcom (the laugh track editor on the sitcom sequences is phenomenal). Even though it’s this precisely layered, forecasted event, the ending still comes as a surprise.

I have no idea what to expect from next episode, which is great and all, but I hope they don’t mess it up. Murphy, Inboden, Petersen, and Dokoza deserve an unqualified win. Fingers crossed.