No Good Deed
Letters of Intent
Season 1
Episode 3
Editor’s Rating
Photo: Netflix
Okay, now we’re cooking. This is what I had been hoping to get from No Good Deed; a bit ridiculous shenanigans over there, a bit gasp-worthy ending over right here, even our major couple’s comedic chemistry appears to be gelling a bit bit extra. See? There was no motive to fret (I used to be getting very frightened); we had been simply getting warmed up.
Let’s begin with the ridiculous shenanigans. Who would’ve guessed that Paul and Greg the Realtor would give us the primary nice character pairing of No Good Deed? Or that Ray Romano and Matt Rogers would make for such a complementary comedic duo? I by no means would’ve flung these two collectively, however I’m so, so glad another person found out how enjoyable it could be.
When Paul tells Lydia concerning the new blackmail menace from Mikey and his plan to present him the $50,000 Rolex from the theft stash, she places her foot down: They can’t have any extra proof on the market floating round, particularly now that Leslie the lawyer is up of their enterprise. It’s too dangerous. Plus, she says, Paul ought to be attempting to assist Mikey. He did a lot for them, he was once sort, and he wants assist. Handing him extra money most probably means he’ll simply exit and purchase extra medicine and land himself again in jail. Paul backs off the Rolex plan, however we are able to see his head turning with another plan.
And that different plan is to go discover out if Greg is aware of any drug sellers in order that he should buy some coke, plant it on Mikey, and get that man out of his life for good. As Greg will later comment upon studying the complete extent of Paul’s plot: “Well, that’s darkish.” He isn’t mistaken! He can be very a lot keen to assist his consumer for a candy, candy fee bump. Because no, Paul, Greg shouldn’t be some stereotype of a homosexual realtor in Los Angeles, he’s an individual, Paul, and he’s at all times sniffing as a result of we’re in the course of an excellent bloom, PAUL, God. But additionally, sure, in fact he does coke.
Greg introduces Paul to his vendor, Trish, who sells huge quantities of medication and runs a profitable pet grooming enterprise. I’ve been having fun with Romano on this position all through (can anybody do Man Attempting to Repress All His Feelings While within the Middle of a Category 5 Crisis higher?), however he’s by no means extra pleasant to observe than right here, attempting to behave like he has any concept the way to buy cocaine in an excellent remotely chill approach. He declares he’d like a brick of coke. “Okay, kingpin, it’s giving cartel,” says Greg, impressed. (Only Rogers might pull off a line like this so simply.) Of course, all of that goodwill goes out the door the second Paul makes an attempt to pay for this brick with the Rolex, which Trish promptly informs him is a faux. This is a very fascinating element contemplating the place that watch got here from. Remember, Margo gave it to JD as a present, and JD remains to be beneath the impression that it’s the actual factor. Regardless, Greg fronts Paul the cash (for an additional fee bump) and the 2 guys get all coked up as they await Trish to return since you didn’t assume we’d get out of this scene with out Paul attempting medicine for the primary time, did you?
The flip from Greg being so disgusted with Paul attempting to barter for coke to the 2 of them excessive off their gourds turning into finest mates as Greg explains that he hasn’t spoken to his husband in per week as a result of he forgot to select up his IBS treatment is so, so good. Not so good? When Trish comes again with the medicine, all three of them instantly get busted by the cops ready exterior the door. They’re carted off to jail. (Nosy neighbor Phyllis occurs to be on the store when it occurs, so you understand that’s going to be a factor.) But hey, Greg lastly speaks to his husband. Sure, it’s to bail him out of jail, however as he notes, communication is communication.
This transient stint within the slammer additionally offers Paul a bit time to rethink how he’s coping with Mikey. We lastly get the reality about Mikey’s identification: He is Paul’s older brother. Makes sense, proper? And as Paul admits to Greg, sure, he hates his brother for like half a century’s price of shit, but additionally he loves him as a result of he’s his brother. It’s difficult. And he most likely doesn’t wish to ship him to jail once more.
But this isn’t the one Mikey reveal in “Letters of Intent.” While Paul was out attempting to enact his plan to maintain Mikey in line, Lydia had her personal approach of coping with her brother-in-law. She invitations him over — and even places on a bit lipstick — to kill him with kindness and tiramisu.
The Morgan brothers might have points, however Mikey is a giant fan of Lydia’s. Maybe an excessive amount of of a fan, you understand what I imply? Because as the 2 of them get to reminiscing concerning the previous days, taking a look at Jacob’s child footage and Paul and Lydia’s wedding ceremony pictures, Mikey laments concerning the evening all of them met. It was Mikey who met Lydia on New Year’s Eve, however as a result of he was so drunk, he requested Paul to drive Lydia residence, and the remainder, as they are saying, is historical past. This little journey to the previous, plus Lydia’s want to assist Mikey begin over, to get clear and repair his life, offers the man the mistaken impression, and he leans over for a kiss. Lydia shuts it down instantly and runs off to admonish herself for placing on that lipstick. Any friendliness Mikey might need had disappears.
It is at this actual second that Leslie and Sarah present up on the door. Earlier that day, they’d realized they had been out of the operating for the home; Lydia and Paul thought it finest to not have a prosecutor operating across the place. But after the couple has a heart-to-heart about Sarah’s being pregnant and the way she did it as a result of giving up on attempting to turn out to be a mother practically broke her, the 2 girls resolve to battle a bit tougher for the life they need. They give Lydia a letter they’ve written about why they love the home and why they wish to elevate their little one there. Leslie additionally affords any assist she will be able to to assist the Morgans get justice for Jacob. Lydia is clearly in the course of an actual shit storm, so she largely blows them off.
Overhearing this dialog, nevertheless, offers Mikey an concept: He needs the home. He’s the oldest son anyway, he ought to’ve had it within the first place. He begins ransacking the place, in search of the deed. When Lydia tries to cease him, he threatens her. He reminds her of what he did, what he is aware of, that he can cowl up a homicide, that he stored her and Paul from “rotting in jail.” He was the one which staged the scene to seem like the burglar had damaged in and killed Jacob, he protected Lydia, not Paul. Their battle escalates.
Paul lastly returns residence — thanks, Greg’s husband! — and he walks inside, able to fill his spouse in on the day he simply had. He finds Lydia standing there, stoically, ready for him. “I killed your brother,” she tells him, fairly matter-of-factly for a girl who simply did homicide to her brother-in-law. She took a hearth iron — the one Mikey had used to arrange that crime scene three years in the past — and slammed him within the head with it. Now he and his main head wound are rolled up within the carpet in the course of the Morgans’ secret room. Well, that’s not going to be nice for the resale worth.
• More secrets and techniques from our potential patrons: Carla is secretly loaded? When she stares down a future along with her mother-in-law and 4 cats, she decides to make a suggestion on a unique home utilizing a million {dollars} from her father’s belief fund. She additionally makes a suspicious remark about the way you at all times should pay once you take handouts from your loved ones. When Dennis asks concerning the cash, she lies and says she has numerous financial savings. But Carla isn’t the one one mendacity in that home: Dennis has been assuring his spouse and mom that he’s about to complete what shall be his second best-selling novel, however we be taught he hasn’t even began it.
• Dennis winds up at pressing take care of a tetanus shot, and the physician appears alarmed together with his blood strain and medical historical past — Dennis’s dad died of sarcoidosis when he was 39, and Dennis is now 38. The man must make some adjustments.
• Watching Dennis’s unhinged try at operating in a present that additionally stars Lisa Kudrow, queen of the TV unhinged run, actually tickled me.
• Mikey isn’t the very best man, however it’s form of good that Lydia can inform him how she nonetheless feels Jacob on this home and he doesn’t snort at her.
• Phyllis appears to be all over the place! She catches Dennis “operating” by the Morgan home and assumes he’s some kind of creeper. Her racist canine doesn’t appear to love him both. “During Obama’s second time period, I needed to ship him to sensitivity coaching.” “It didn’t work.”
• “I’ll actually lose my shit if I don’t get my meds!”
