Bunheads review – 2×05: ‘Money For Nothing’

This week, the people of Paradise finally start to ask themselves what we have been asking since episode two, what the hell is Michelle (Sutton Foster) doing in Paradise? We also get some fine lessons in economics from Fanny (Kelly Bishop).

Let’s discuss.

In my last post I commented heavily on the fact that Michelle’s presence in Paradise was becoming problematic because there was nothing and no one tying her down. This week we got a little bit of an answer to this problem, albeit one we all saw coming. Fanny asks Michelle to teach in her studio. But Michelle flat out refuses; this would mean staying in Paradise (imagine that!) and giving up on her career and her dream of becoming a professional dancer and Broadway star. A dream I also wish for Michelle. I am not gonna lie, part of me wants Michelle to high tail it out of there in a fabulous Mary Tyler Moore-esque montage, ending with her skipping and twirling around the streets of Manhattan throwing her hat up in the air. Yes, she might just make it after all! But I digress, this obviously would end the show, which is not really what I want.

While I understand Michelle’s hesitance in accepting the offer, I also want this storyline to wrap up. Seriously, this is moving at a glacial pace. If this was an episode of The Vampire Diaries, it would have been resolved in the first 15 minutes. Come to think of it, Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles) would also have been killed and “turned” by now. We need to start seeing Michelle fit in by now –  she needs more scenes with the girls. The scene in the restaurant between her and the girls was hilarious! She has a natural chemistry with them and they need to start exploiting that more. And, like I’ve mentioned before, the show needs to start blending Fanny and Michelle’s worlds with that of the girls. It’s all starting to feel like the first half of Gilmore Girls’ sixth season – and that is not a good thing.

The offer to teach is finally brought about through Fanny’s, shall we say, quirky accounting style. In a plot device only Sherman-Palladino could cook up, Fanny is in her “paying season,” that wonderful time of year where she pays her bills. Dividing up all her receipts into three hat boxes labelled, ‘must pay,’ ‘should pay,’ and ‘might pay.’ Paradise, indeed! I love these funny little quirks, and we need to see more of them. They add color to the show, which is meant to be a little eccentric. Michelle tries to help Fanny after learning that of the seventy-five or so students, only nine were paying for classes. This leads to a hilarious scene of Michelle being the “bad cop” demanding payment and exclaming that the money train stops here. Foster of course nails it.

Adding to the theme of economic responsibilty, Boo (Kaitlyn Jenkins) gets a job at the local oyster shack where the owner’s hot son has just gotten back from a Costa Rican surfing trip. This return prompts the girls to repeatedly show up to the bar in hopes of enticing hot boy into a conversation. But alas, their feminine charms are no match for Boo’s awkward but lovable naiveté. We are obviously supposed to be charmed by Boo and the show works at this every week, but I do hope they resolve a bit of Sasha’s hot and cold ‘tude. It is seriously giving me whiplash.

Other observations:

• I loved the character of Sal (Jon Polito) and his Hiney-sight! And of course Michelle has a multi-tush! She needs to introduce more dance styles into the show. Give me some Fosse! Give me some tap!! Give me some urban jazz!! Maybe even a bit of krumping?
• The dance at the end was so awesome! Paper or plastic? Both please! Can’t wait to see what Michelle will be choreographing.

Best lines of the week:

• Michelle: “Every day in your house is like a Kristen Wiig film festival.” – Commenting on Fanny’s accounting style.
• Michelle: “How about some non dance classes like, zumba? Or toddler classes? People love to spend money on toddlers. Or dogs? You can teach one of dog dancing classes like on Letterman where people ballroom dance with their dalmatians…I just lost the mature persons upper hand didn’t I?”
• Michelle: “Why are you guys all dressed for a Quincenera?”
• Michelle: “Oh so you need me to help? Cool! Ok, first thing you need to know about guys like that is keep your sentences short. Don’t mention Tolstoy or math, it’ll just make you look sad. Oh and it really helps if you have a car and an income, cause that guy’s got none, and he never will. No money, no car, no thoughts of money or a car. Trust me, if there’s a second set of shorts at home you’ve hit the jackpot.”

What did you guys think? Did you love Fanny’s quirky accounting style? Are you wishing the show would move things along a little quicker? Did you find yourself drooling when surfer boy took off his shirt? No…just me?

Bunheads airs Monday nights at 9pm EST on ABC Family