This episode, like most episodes of season 4 is unfortunately very low-rated and I can't understand why.
I always loved the story of Agnes di Pesto and Herbert Quentin Viola. Not only are Allyce Beasley and Curtis Armstrong very good actors, their relationship also mirrors the relationship of Maddie and Dave, but where Maddie and Dave fail, they succeed.
There's an episode of Scrubs where Dr. Cox explains relationships/those that succeed and it basically all comes down to: "Because one of them will always have the strength to swallow their pride and forgive the other or to reach out to them!" That, in a nutshell describes Herbert and Agnes. They might fight or squabble, but you know they're meant to be!
Unlike David, Herbert succeeds by being who he really is (David fails when he tries to be someone he isn't and plays by Maddie's rules) and unlike Maddie, Agnes doesn't need weeks and months to make up her mind. If you know, you know!
This episode seems to be disliked by many and I can't understand why. It's well-written, it's atmospheric, it has a beautiful soundtrack (for example the scenes when Bert guards the grapefruit and shares his thoughts) and it's funny ("I can be taller!").
If this episode had been written and played by Bruce and Cybill (and the LA Times at the time seemingly was under the impression, because they wrote Bruce and Cybill did a Casablanca spoof), I think it would be among the highest-rated. One can't help but wonder if Agnes pokes fun at that when she says "Let's face it, Herbert, you're not the kind of man a woman couldn't leave" (sounds like something many female fans of Bruce must have felt that time for him).
It's an episode that I always enjoy and that makes me wish that there'd be a spin-off of the show with Curtis and Allyce. It's definitely very touching when the two declare their love for each other at the end. Maybe Maddie and Dave didn't work out and never should, but seeing these two succeed makes up for it a little (at least for me).
Strong 8/10.
I always loved the story of Agnes di Pesto and Herbert Quentin Viola. Not only are Allyce Beasley and Curtis Armstrong very good actors, their relationship also mirrors the relationship of Maddie and Dave, but where Maddie and Dave fail, they succeed.
There's an episode of Scrubs where Dr. Cox explains relationships/those that succeed and it basically all comes down to: "Because one of them will always have the strength to swallow their pride and forgive the other or to reach out to them!" That, in a nutshell describes Herbert and Agnes. They might fight or squabble, but you know they're meant to be!
Unlike David, Herbert succeeds by being who he really is (David fails when he tries to be someone he isn't and plays by Maddie's rules) and unlike Maddie, Agnes doesn't need weeks and months to make up her mind. If you know, you know!
This episode seems to be disliked by many and I can't understand why. It's well-written, it's atmospheric, it has a beautiful soundtrack (for example the scenes when Bert guards the grapefruit and shares his thoughts) and it's funny ("I can be taller!").
If this episode had been written and played by Bruce and Cybill (and the LA Times at the time seemingly was under the impression, because they wrote Bruce and Cybill did a Casablanca spoof), I think it would be among the highest-rated. One can't help but wonder if Agnes pokes fun at that when she says "Let's face it, Herbert, you're not the kind of man a woman couldn't leave" (sounds like something many female fans of Bruce must have felt that time for him).
It's an episode that I always enjoy and that makes me wish that there'd be a spin-off of the show with Curtis and Allyce. It's definitely very touching when the two declare their love for each other at the end. Maybe Maddie and Dave didn't work out and never should, but seeing these two succeed makes up for it a little (at least for me).
Strong 8/10.
