While I did enjoy some of the Laszlo and Colin subplot (and it was nice to see old Colin back), the majority of this episode either felt old (Nadja's subplot) or bizarrely cruel (the Freddie plot).
To start with the Freddie plot, I could see how on its own in a vacuum that cloning someone and eventually having the clone and the original person dating themselves would be humorous and could fit in with the show's comedy. However, I found Marwa's "transformation" a horrible end to her character. All season she had her body changed ("the grand opening") and her free will taken away from her ("the night market" and "the wedding"). While I didn't enjoy seeing what she was going through, I assumed all of these wishes used against her would eventually blow up in Nandor's face and she would - somehow - get herself back.
But what happened instead? She got completely erased - body, personality, and soul - into a white man, and never got turned back. In fact, the narrative (through Nandor) states that she would be much happier now living as Freddie. What kind of ending was that for her? An intelligent Iranian woman gets everything taken away from her in service to a man she's forced into marrying, never getting to pursue her own interests or ambitions, and then gets told as Freddie that he can pursue his dreams. It was just misogynistic and racist writing, with no thought or regard to its implications.
Guillermo was also not immune to this episode's poor treatment of its characters. While Guillermo has often been the character most likely to be treated badly by either Nandor or someone else in the show, the narrative itself has never felt so cruel to him. Having to see not only his first boyfriend in the arms of his boss/friend/former crush, but also having the ""joke"" at the end of the episode where he sees Freddie cheating on him with himself? It felt pointlessly callous and mean to Guillermo's character, and for no true reason. Guillermo and Freddie's relationship was probably never going to last, but a stronger way to end it would be because of Guillermo's flaws - with him lying to Freddie - rather than having his first love go up in flames through no fault of his own. Also, to focus on the misery of a very recently out gay man feels, again, cruel and not funny.
While it's not as important, Nandor's sudden infatuation with Freddie felt odd and out of character, since this whole season has been building up Nandor's character to show him being more kind to Guillermo and most likely having deep feelings for him (as shown through Marwa kissing him many times in "the wedding"). It would have felt more in-character if Nandor had just been extremely jealous or passive-agressive towards Freddie, which was where I thought this episode was initially going.
Lastly, while I liked some of the intro jokes and Nadja's attempts to save her club, the plotline itself had already been done. "The grand opening" showed her struggling to find entertainment, and "the night market" had her trying to solve workers' disputes. What occured this episode? The same exact thing, with the difference being Laszlo arguing for Colin to get a contract instead of the wraiths unionizing. Also, to just have the nightclub plotline be done for this reason, and not because of Nadja or Guillermo's embezzlement or any actual character conflict feels like cheap and lazy writing.
Overall, I really had high hopes for this episode when I heard about it, but the writing's tone turned excessively harsh and cruel towards its characters, with barely any actual jokes that weren't just "look at this character suffer". Marwa as a character deserved a better send off, and her whole plotline this season shouldn't have happened if this was always the planned end.
To start with the Freddie plot, I could see how on its own in a vacuum that cloning someone and eventually having the clone and the original person dating themselves would be humorous and could fit in with the show's comedy. However, I found Marwa's "transformation" a horrible end to her character. All season she had her body changed ("the grand opening") and her free will taken away from her ("the night market" and "the wedding"). While I didn't enjoy seeing what she was going through, I assumed all of these wishes used against her would eventually blow up in Nandor's face and she would - somehow - get herself back.
But what happened instead? She got completely erased - body, personality, and soul - into a white man, and never got turned back. In fact, the narrative (through Nandor) states that she would be much happier now living as Freddie. What kind of ending was that for her? An intelligent Iranian woman gets everything taken away from her in service to a man she's forced into marrying, never getting to pursue her own interests or ambitions, and then gets told as Freddie that he can pursue his dreams. It was just misogynistic and racist writing, with no thought or regard to its implications.
Guillermo was also not immune to this episode's poor treatment of its characters. While Guillermo has often been the character most likely to be treated badly by either Nandor or someone else in the show, the narrative itself has never felt so cruel to him. Having to see not only his first boyfriend in the arms of his boss/friend/former crush, but also having the ""joke"" at the end of the episode where he sees Freddie cheating on him with himself? It felt pointlessly callous and mean to Guillermo's character, and for no true reason. Guillermo and Freddie's relationship was probably never going to last, but a stronger way to end it would be because of Guillermo's flaws - with him lying to Freddie - rather than having his first love go up in flames through no fault of his own. Also, to focus on the misery of a very recently out gay man feels, again, cruel and not funny.
While it's not as important, Nandor's sudden infatuation with Freddie felt odd and out of character, since this whole season has been building up Nandor's character to show him being more kind to Guillermo and most likely having deep feelings for him (as shown through Marwa kissing him many times in "the wedding"). It would have felt more in-character if Nandor had just been extremely jealous or passive-agressive towards Freddie, which was where I thought this episode was initially going.
Lastly, while I liked some of the intro jokes and Nadja's attempts to save her club, the plotline itself had already been done. "The grand opening" showed her struggling to find entertainment, and "the night market" had her trying to solve workers' disputes. What occured this episode? The same exact thing, with the difference being Laszlo arguing for Colin to get a contract instead of the wraiths unionizing. Also, to just have the nightclub plotline be done for this reason, and not because of Nadja or Guillermo's embezzlement or any actual character conflict feels like cheap and lazy writing.
Overall, I really had high hopes for this episode when I heard about it, but the writing's tone turned excessively harsh and cruel towards its characters, with barely any actual jokes that weren't just "look at this character suffer". Marwa as a character deserved a better send off, and her whole plotline this season shouldn't have happened if this was always the planned end.