It's natural for a show centered on mid-life crisis and post-40s angst to lose its sense of self. In fact, there may be something poetic about it. To their credit, Jay & Mark Duplass and Steve Zissis' Togetherness hasn't become dull or pandering, but, thankfully, this week's "Ghost in Chains" feels like its revitalizing itself once again after weeks of watering itself down by heavy drama and big themes on marriage today.
Part of this may be the Duplass surprisingly stepping away from the directors' chairs to let Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said) call the shots. Her intimate, character-focused style fits naturally into the Duplass' vision (and they are still created as the screenwriters for this episode). It also lets Holofcener avoid the continuously off-the-cuff antics of the Duplass in favor of actual, hard-earned character development. It's a refreshing change of pace, while also letting Mark Duplass, Zissis, Amanda Peet and especially guest star Mary Steenburgen shine.
By far, "Ghost in Chains" is the loudest episode of the series so far. Following the rise in tensions which came from last week's "Kick the Can", characters find their predicaments at odds. Disappointingly, Brett (Mark Duplass) and Michelle's (Melanie Lynskey) marriage squabbles are put on the side lines in favor of Brett's fork-in-the-road in his career/life and the every-growing sexual tribulations between Tina (Peet) and Alex (Zissis). But these subplots that are actually focused upon are so meaty and ready to be pounced that it's hard to complain of a lack of story this time around.
That also doesn't mean Michelle is without screen time, however. In fact, she has one of the episode's best little moments with her will-she, won't-she fling with single-parent David (John Ortiz), who, for the record, may be a tad too perfect to achieve believability. A scene with them clearing a room filled seemingly endlessly with chairs is classic Duplass, though, as is Alex's workout montage to the tune of Eric B. & Rakim's "Don't Sweat the Technique" in a public park. It's little touches like this that Togetherness may be forgetting in light of their growing drama. Not that the heavier stuff isn't appreciated, but that doesn't mean everyone has to yell and muddle about relationship/sense of self issues.
This is probably why Steenburgen's character is so likable, as a free-loving, middle-aged hippie chick almost always in the woods it seems. Her character is always at risk of seemingly like a cartoon character, especially in contrast to her fairly believable characters around her, but Steenburgen's makes her so down-to-Earth in a very funny and endearing manner, therein by making these threats unearned. It's some of her most confident and impressionable work in years, and reminds us this Oscar-winner deserves more than mostly bit parts in sub-par features.
Togetherness, much like Girls, always seems at risk of losing itself in melodrama and existentialism. And given the themes they have at weight here, it's not hard to see why this HBO program may juggle these problems. But if they can keep their series on the same level as "Ghost in Chains," everything may turn out alright. It's hard to tell exactly how much weight is in this thing, but it definitely deserves to be appreciated for what nuances and gifts it commands.
Image courtesy of INFphoto.com
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