[Warning: The next accommodates spoilers for Thursday’s episode of Superstore, “California, Half 2.” Learn at your personal threat!]
It was by no means going to be simple to say goodbye to Amy Sosa, however America Ferrera‘s last episode of Superstore actually twisted the knife. Even Superstore is upsetting now. Have not we been via sufficient?
“California, Half 2” — which additionally marks the NBC sitcom’s 100th episode — picks up the story of Amy’s promotion to a company job in California, which was meant to be wrapped up within the Season 5 finale earlier than manufacturing was shut down early. Now, after a Season 6 premiere targeted on Cloud 9’s adjustment to the pandemic, Amy’s transfer to the West Coast is again on, and meaning Jonah’s (Ben Feldman) is simply too. Cheyenne (Nichole Sakura) can see it now: “Jonah and Amy outdated as hell, simply sitting on a porch, looking on the Golden Gate, making out beneath the sunshine of the Hollywood signal.” Brace your self, Cheyenne.
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Amy is feeling smothered recently, overwhelmed by the truth that Jonah is uprooting his life for her — and he or she’s fairly certain he’ll suggest. “I married Adam as a result of I felt like I needed to, and that was the flawed factor to do,” she tells Jonah, explaining her hesitation. “I simply really feel like this transfer is pushing us down this path, and I do not suppose we would be speaking about marriage if I did not get this job.” Jonah, who was completely going to suggest, provides her again the ring he took to get her ring measurement and slinks out of her workplace.
The issue with Amy’s sudden panic — which is fascinating in the way in which that irrational freakouts often are — is that the episode by no means finds a method to promote it as something greater than irrational. As Jonah later factors out, they have been collectively for years. They’re already residing collectively and elevating a baby collectively, and Jonah’s persona has been arrange as the other of Adam’s from day one. Garrett (Colton Dunn) talks some sense to Amy, stating that she will be able to’t actually be stunned that the identical man who put stars on a ceiling for her needs to marry her. However when it is time to convey it dwelling, he whiffs: “I am certain you will determine it out. I am gonna play this recreation.” Nice pep discuss.
Ben Feldman and America Ferrera, Superstore
Amy tries to make it proper with Jonah, however when she makes an attempt to show she’s enthusiastic about their future, the very best she will be able to supply him is a pair of aqua socks. Jonah asks level clean if she needs to marry him (“I am not proposing to you; I am asking a query”), and after some hedging, Amy lastly says no. She needs to do lengthy distance, however Jonah is not on this midway. “After we first met,” he says, “you instructed me that every one your days felt the identical and also you felt trapped. And I do not need to be the rationale that you just really feel like that once more.” So that is the way in which Amy and Jonah’s relationship ends: not with a bang, however with a pair of — to cite Sandra (Kaliko Kauahi) — “f—ing aqua socks.”
It is a unhappy scene, and Ferrera and Feldman give it actual weight. The plot of this episode simply by no means transcends the truth that it is being dictated by necessity: Ferrera is leaving the present, and Feldman is not. To be clear, I am glad we’re not shedding him too. However the episode twists itself in knots in a method that fails to do justice to Amy and Jonah’s relationship whereas additionally letting that relationship overshadow Amy’s dynamic with everybody else. As cute as Amy and Jonah are, Superstore is a familial love story between a bunch of coworkers. Garrett ought to care about Amy greater than he cares a couple of recreation on his telephone.
There’s nonetheless plenty of coronary heart in Amy’s sendoff, which additionally includes a farewell slideshow that poor Glenn (Mark McKinney) actually cannot make sense of, however Amy’s candy exchanges with Glenn, Mateo (Nico Santos), and Dina (Lauren Ash) might use extra room to breathe. And when none of their pals — besides Sandra — appear all that upset by Amy and Jonah’s breakup, it has the bizarre impact of creating it appear to be they are not such good pals in spite of everything. Speaking to Dina concerning the breakup, Amy says, it “feels fairly dangerous, but additionally not flawed.” Nevertheless it feels just a little bit flawed to me.
Superstore airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.
Superstore