User Reviews

In the first season was an episode where Judd Hirsch as Alex Reiger was talked into meeting "Angela", the nice lady who worked for an answering service, and Alex had had good, interesting conversations with her. But Angela turned out to be a very large woman who was not only down on herself, but gave Alex a hard time for taking pity on her.

In this episode Suzanne Kent returns as Angela Matusa. When Alex tells everyone that she is coming to visit at the garage, Louie begins to make very bad, "fat" jokes. But, when Angela shows up, she is a different person, while she isn't skinny by any means, she looks pretty good, and she says she lost 100 pounds.

So, Alex tries to celebrate by taking her out to dinner at Mario's again. But during the discussion Angela reveals that she really did it for only one motivation, to get men attracted to her. But it wasn't just any 'men', it was Alex.

When Alex balks, Angela loses hope, and starts to visit local restaurants and stuff herself again. One of her "fat support" friends, a guy, enlists help to find her. It turns out they both had affection for each other, and acknowledging that gives Angela a smile and hope.

SPOILER: As the new "couple" walk out Angela turns to Alex and says, "You want to know why I was not interested in him before? He is married and has a family." Poor Alex!

I'm not sure some of this episode would even be aired in today's politically-correct world of entertainment. Overweight people are really slammed in here. There are so many fat jokes - almost all made by the brutal "Louie De Palma" (Danny De Vito), who says them in a very mean-spirited put-down manner - that I think network executives might be afraid to air this. Louie is at his worst (so far, this season) in here with some really nasty insults. Yet, in the end, there is sympathy for people who struggle with their weight, so it balances out (pun intended).

The object of De Palm's crudeness and insensitivity are "Angelus Matusa" (Suzanne Kent) and then "Wayne Hubbard" (Phil Rubenstein).

Angela went out with Alex about a year ago (in a Season One episode) and the date didn't go well because she was way too sensitive about her weight and stalked out of a restaurant, even though Alex didn't say anything that warranted that response. He still wound up dating her off and on for six months, but then she faded out of the picture.

Suddenly she shows up at th tax garage 100 pounds lighter! The problem, though, is now she wants Alex - the only man who ever paid attention to her when she was ridiculed for her weight.

That turns out to be a bit uncomfortable but Alex is rescued soon later when another guy ("Wayne") comes forward. He's part of of Angela's weight-control group and he has a crush on her.

There are some laughs in here, to be sure, but there is a lot of seriousness in here, too. Sometimes this comedy show featured more drama than comedy and that's fine - it all worked together beautifully. It all makes you feel closer to all the main characters, as it did in last week's episode featuring "Bobby."

The ending, though, with a big surprise, left me a little unsatisfied because the situation is not one to make light of- ask any married person.