Go On - Season 1 Episode 5 - Recap and Review - Do You Believe In Ghosts...Yes!
Go On continues the process of letting us in the head of Matthew Perry's Ryan King, as "Do You Believe in Ghosts...Yes!" introduces us to his deceased wife, Janie (Christine Woods). I don't know what it says about the series that I'm not the least bit surprised the show would go there. I suppose I'm more surprised that the show would go there so soon into its run, though you have to imagine they scripted these episodes to tell the story of the series at a faster clip, since it hadn't yet been picked up for a full season order. But that isn't a problem anymore, so the necessities of telling an arc over the course of thirteen episodes is no longer an issue. This could be a very good thing for the show, as they now have more time to tell character-based stories of greater nuance. Tonight's episode is as good a start on that initiative as any.
Ryan wakes up one day to find Janie in his kitchen, and he's justifiably dumbfounded and, also, pretty freaked out. He confesses this to the group, who support him with ghost stories of their own. Except Mr. K (Brett Gelman), who relates having spoken to his grandmother for a half hour once, and adds how freaky it would have been if she'd actually been dead, in a line that was telegraphed from a mile away but was still among the episode's best, based on Gelman's sharp delivery. Though Ryan isn't nearly as frightened by the ghost on the second go-around, her appearance escalates his sense of confusion, as Janie orders him to go shopping. Ryan goes to the grocery store and apes the shopping patterns of a shopper who seems to have his life together, and his wants in order. It's a bit that tells us a lot about Ryan's state of mind, and his desire to find a shortcut to normalcy. Ghost Janie actually wants him to put the work in, however, by insisting that he cook for himself. This frustrates Ryan to the point that his anger and grief resurface. Janie refuses to tell him why she's here, and so he has no choice but to try and discover the meaning behind her message.
Credit: Justin Lubin/NBC
Ghost Janie is little more than a manifestation of Ryan's neurosis, his inability to move past his grief, and that's rich territory to mine. Particularly at this juncture in the show's freshman season. Ryan is someone who is defined by his inertia. He is resistant to help, to confrontation. By forcing the issue via the presence of Janie, Ryan must begin to process his feelings, and face the fact that Janie is gone. Christine Woods is tremendous in the brief role she's given, showing a spark and chemistry with Perry that illustrates to the audience the kind of couple they were in life. When Janie departs, just as Ryan comes to an understanding with Janie and sits down to eat the massive meal he's cooked for himself, there's a bittersweet tinge to the separation that marks Go On as a show that knows when to use a soft touch. I was impressed with the storyline, and hope that these are the kinds of stories the show tells, as I don't see much point in the "grief support group" premise otherwise.
Less successful is Ryan's other show-long storyline, in which he tries to set up Steven (John Cho) with a pair of blondes in order to help him get over his recent breakup. Pretending that Steven is the real star of Ryan's radio show is amusing on its face, but doesn't provide many opportunities for good comedy. That said, the end of the subplot, with Steven admitting that it doesn't matter if he gets with either girl, since he's just enjoyed all the time he and Ryan have been spending together, is sweet. I've struggled to reconcile the two different shows this can sometimes be, a show about a ragtag group of lovable scamps on one end, and a workplace sitcom on the other. By making Steven a more substantial part of Ryan's overall arc from week-to-week, the show does a better job of suturing the two shows together in a way that leaves the entire show, and its character dynamics, feeling more organic.
This approach is most evident in the show's third plot, which follows Lauren (Laura Benanti) as she attempts to pass her real estate exam. She's taken the test multiple times and has yet to pass, leading her to fear that she'll be stuck in her dead-end 9-to-5 job for the rest of her life.
Credit: Justin Lubin/NBC
It really is endearing how the group rallies around Lauren to help her pass the test, even if their help involves sitting her in a swivel chair and lobbing insults at her to break her concentration while Sonia (Sarah Baker) quizzes her. But it's a funny set piece, nonetheless, and accomplishes the goal of not making Lauren feel so above the rest of the group, as she occasionally has in the past. She also feels more rounded as a character, with a life and goals outside of the group, and failures of her own. As the gang gathers around her in their support circle as she prepares to take the test, the sentimentality feels genuinely earned. What her having passed and gotten a job in real estate means for the support group going forward, if it means anything at all, is anyone's guess, however.
"Do You Believe In Ghosts...Yes!" is the strongest episode yet in a comedy series that is gradually becoming a show that can reliably deliver equal parts comedy and sentiment from week-to-week. Go On had the potential to go pear-shaped in its early going, but I'm exceedingly glad it didn't, as it's one of Tuesday night's better shows, comedy or drama.
