Rules of Engagement – Because sometimes stories meander into the unknown

I put the bait out there, and it only took a few weeks for me to catch my prey … the writers on Rules of Engagement are listening. And in a big way.

First there was my question regarding the lack of movement on the Adam/Jen wedding front. So what does the show go and do? Create an overwhelmingly derisible website for the couple at www.adamandjensbigday.com. Russell got in plenty of his simpleton jokes last night, but the site’s worth a visit if only to amuse yourself with Adam’s music video. Check your volume setting before visiting the site while “participating” in that meeting at work.

The other direction the show took last night (I’m sure only due to my prodding) was to advance the Audrey and Jeff baby plot. I will say that the pacing is a little bit rushed (it can be measured against Adam and Jen’s engagement … the latter’s not moving at the same calendar rate as the former would have to be). But that aside, it’s playing out brilliantly.

First of all, Jeff totally doesn’t get what a surrogate mother is. I’m sure he won’t do anything outright inappropriate, but when Audrey asked him if he understood that he didn’t actually get to sleep with the surrogate that they rejected, he said “Yes, she’s too short; not my type,” as if that was the only reason it didn’t happen. Yeah, this’ll be funny.

Especially if the few short scenes that Audrey and Jeff played with Pam (Jaime Pressly) are any indication of what their relationship will be like going forward. For those of you who understand the reference, I always thought it would have been comedic gold for Chandler to spend more time with the woman whose twins he and Monica adopted on Friends. Well, I have a feeling we’re going to get a second chance to see that kind of inspired comedy on Rules of Engagement. Jeff’s not down on all forms of accepted social norms, and Audrey’s going to feel so grateful that she’ll literally do anything to make Pam happy. I can see Jeff trying to use that to his advantage.

I also thought that Jeff and Audrey alone were priceless last night. The way Jeff’s joke about Audrey’s storytelling abilities carried from their conversation with Jen to their interview with Pam was an example of these two at their best. Speaking of, my wife is sometimes guilty of the same thing, with a slight variation — I love her stories to death, but sometimes she puts so many amazing details in that the sheer volume of great is too much for me to process. Help me help you (I’m not sure if it’s better for her to be reading this or not).

Anyway, when Pam told the couple a story of her own, and Jeff decided to mention some pointers to Audrey, I lost it. As he put it, stories should be tight and to the point … the kind that someone might remember. Now I’m not saying that’s advice I could dispense to anyone I know, but it’s probably smart for us all to walk around with that tip in our back pockets.

“I told you I’m not the only one spacing out during your stories. You got to pick up the pace.” – Jeff to Audrey, about her storytelling

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 04, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT