Even if I enjoyed the second episode I concede that the few issues I pointed out in my review were still in my mind when I began to watch this one. But my doubts quickly faded away thanks to Ray and Tanya. Thomas Jane and Jane Adams really did an incredible job to make their characters grow on us. In the pilot she didn't really convince me because he stole the screen most of the time but I've finally realized that they really work well together. Their friendship is strange but quite genuine and the problem they had to solve in this one only strengthened it. Some of their lines were also hilarious and it's obvious the writers had a lot of fun doing their job. I can already picture the performers laughing out loud during the shots while the director is trying to calm everyone down.
Beside their irresistible duo the coach was also featured. The dialog he had with Tanya about her fortune cookie project was quite inspiring and full of motivational advices. I'm not sure what he wants with her yet, considering he's a man, but his profile definitely brings something essential to the table. He knows he's not attractive compared to Ray but he's smart and knows how to succeed. That's his thing. I don't know his story yet but I'm sure he learned that helping others is probably the best way to be happy. So he's definitely an altruist even if he obviously has his own agenda with Tanya. No one is perfect after all and it's hard to resist picking such a joyful flower. It leads us to Lenore, the superficial babe played by Rebecca Creskoff. She was back and Tanya had to deal with her because she's Ray's pimp now. But as expected their encounter wasn't a walk in the park ! And the most surprising thing about her is that she also makes the story more interesting. Whether you like her or not it's impossible not to enjoy Creskoff's performance. Her character is both sexy and manipulative. I specially appreciate how her profile contrasts with Tanya, the naive girl next door you want to protect. Let's also not forget Ray's neighbour because things keep getting tense between these two and I can't wait for the final clash. Their last scene is one of a kind and I really wonder what will happen next ! Last but not least his crazy ex-wife Jessica, played by Anne Heche, was back with the hideous children. The moment they had together was priceless and I'm starting to get what the writers are trying to do with them. All Heche's appearances are like cartoon intertitles where characters do wacky things that don't have much to do with the story. Next time I wouldn't be surprised if she pulled out a hammer from nowhere and smashed her teenage monsters with it.
So the smart and sad elements from the pilot were back. I also worried that the duration would be too short to properly cover Ray's story but it wasn't the case at all because the writers and directory perfectly managed their time. It's also getting more and more interesting so Hung is really a must see. In fact this episode was so perfect that I already plan to watch it again because I'm sure I missed some jokes.