Throwback Thursday, a weekly article in which we look back at our favorite TV episodes from over the years.
Hello everyone, it has been a while since you've stared at my words on here. I decided to write about a show near and dear to my heart,
Please Like Me. Some of you may not even know what this show is, or that it has ended. If you are interested in the basics of the show,
I wrote an article about what you need to know to determine if you will enjoy it or not (which you no doubt will). As for the ending news, well, a month ago today,
Josh Thomas posted a tweet saying that they're happy with what they have made and that'll be it for the show. This was a huge bummer to me for many reasons, but I don't need to discuss them here. Instead, I want to celebrate the show's legacy with all of you, now that you're up to speed on the basics, right? Good. Alright, so I had to pick the best possible episode to talk about here today. I toyed with "Eggplant", "Degustation", "Horrible Sandwiches", "Pancakes With Faces", and "Simple Carbohydrates", though nothing could even come close to what "Scroggin" did for the show. So, if you will, let's all jump in to the world of one of the best shows ever.
First off, and I googled this for the first time today, apparently Scroggin is the Kiwi word for trail mix. Which makes
perfect sense as nearly every episode of this show is related to a food item that will be seen/talked about in that episode, and this episode was no different. This was a breathtaking showcase of the beautiful natures seen in rural Australian cities, and also a phenomenal breath of fresh air for the show as only two characters are featured in it. Josh and his mum take a trip to these places to clear their heads after a tragic loss hurt them both. I really don't want to spoil you on all the details, because it is
so much better for you to experience the magic yourselves. So, I won't. I'll be as vague as possible here. Even from the first shot alone, you know you're in for a treat. This isn't the last time a caravan of this sort transported characters to pretty destinations, however it was the first time so it feels more special. They really made the outdoors feel like a character in the episode. It was an epic character study, for both Josh and Rose, from start to finish. Back to the case at hand, Rose expresses worries about her forgetfulness, but Josh reassures her throughout the trip. Another amazing thing to point out is that the actual theme song cannot be heard here. Instead, the lovely voice of Debra Lawrence serenades us all. The show was always creative in that respect, and it was no different in this piece. We get great jokes like, "Try not to be the Donkey to my Shrek.", followed by, "I'm sorry, Shrek, I'm just trying to give you some quiet space." later. Josh and mum embark on all kinds of conversations later. It's truly quite incredible. Josh Thomas really outdid himself with this one.
You get to know these characters even more. You get to
feel what they are feeling. They're in a new environment than we are used to, and apparently than they themselves are used to as well. So we get to see them do all of these activities and afterwards they start opening up to each other about things we couldn't imagine they would discuss. Normally in these kinds of reviews I break down each part of the episode: the meat, the specific topics, and the impact. It's hard to do so with a show like this that is so new and with so much untapped viewer potential, so I will save all of the important bits for you all to discover for yourselves. However, I will tell you that there's a hilarious scene involving Rose who traversed across a river, only to find a snake near her. She's screaming for Josh to come rescue her, and it's all gold, let me tell you. Later there's a scene in the woods at dusk involving tea and marijuana. As I said, they do things you never thought these characters would do, accompanied by some of the most awe-inspiring directing ever put to screen. You want to jump right in there and explore these areas. It ends on a somber note, but a hopeful one, as Rose discovers a letter that correlates to the loss she experienced, but it's not as grand as she perhaps thought it would be. And Josh is there, as always, to keep her spirits up. Beautiful, glorious, legendary, inspiring -- all those adjectives you joke about can describe this episode perfectly. You cannot miss this, or this show. Even at its lows it was still such a thrill and joy to watch, and THIS was its highest high (pun intended).
All I really can say about this episode is: be prepared for it to stay with you for a long, long time. You get real with Josh and Rose, and they get real with each other. They confront the loss head on and mental illness is discussed at length in refreshing and enlightening ways. They do not romanticize or shy away from anything. This episode just feels like you're watching a real mother and son converse about real things that happened to them. It's so intrusive, and it's all the better for the show. It is engrossing from start to finish. This is television everyone should strive to make. As for its impact? Well, you can feel it in later episodes, but the main impact of this episode is the one it has on you. It will penetrate your thoughts and you will find yourself thinking about it when you least expect to. I must to commend Josh Thomas, Debra Lawrence, Matthew Saville, and everyone else involved in making this masterpiece. I would give you every award imaginable for this. In closing, I will miss
Please Like Me very dearly, and I can't wait to see what these geniuses come up with next.
Now, what did YOU think about this episode, if you have seen it (which ALL OF YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD)? Please leave a comment down below! And thanks for stopping by. Sorry to be so vague, but trust me, you'll be happy I didn't spoil this one for you.
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