Rules of Engagement – Surprise weddings are all the rage

While I think that a wedding — at City Hall or not — would have been way too big and rushed for last night’s season finale of Rules of Engagement, what was the episode that we were left with? Sure, it was funny (I think they need to make an award for funniest actor, because Patrick Warburton must be recognized), but where exactly did the episode leave us for the long hiatus ahead?

At the end of the day, there was no movement on Jen and Adam’s relationship … still together, still not married. Not that I think they should be deprived a big wedding (please, God, do it better than How I Met Your Mother), but a City Hall elopement would have been just fine had we been prepared for it. Besides, who surprises the guests with a wedding ceremony?

And after all of the baby buildup, and specifically the guest casting of Jaime Pressly as their surrogate mother, Jeff and Audrey have made no further progress on having a child. Obviously it hasn’t been nine months since they met Pam (Pressly), but she picked them, so why hasn’t she been around, at least for coordination and planning? Or, better yet, as a year-long fixture in their lives, and funnier still, their apartment?

Imagine if Pam was fertilized with Audrey’s egg and Jeff’s sperm, she moved in that day with the intention of living with the couple from beginning to end, and then she slept with Russell. Eventually she’d come clean with them, and Jeff and Audrey would spend an awesome nine months worried that their baby was really Russell’s baby.

The season finale next year could see the baby being born, Jeff and Audrey catching a glimpse at something telltale about its features that would indicate whether Jeff or Russell was the father. We, of course, wouldn’t know anything until season six, but can you imagine how hysterical season five would be? Especially if Russell wanted to be around for the pregnancy, and intruded on Jeff and Audrey too. Awesome.

But none of that has even been thought of at this point. Instead, we got a whole lot of nothing but some laughs. I immensely enjoyed Adam lying to Russell and Timmy about staging an intervention for Jeff. I don’t remember Jeff having ever drank as much as he did last night, but between Timmy actually intervening, and Russell questioning whether it wasn’t wise to have one anyway, I definitely loved it.

And who’d have imagined Jeff as the voice of reason for marriage? He impressed me, first when he hugged Adam in happiness at the news, and then when he convinced Jen and Adam to go for it. He’s mainly the comedy, but Jeff has a good heart.

By the way, Jen and Adam aren’t exactly poor. I liked how Audrey told Jeff to go light on the ordering at dinner, but the couples live in the same building. Granted in very different apartments, but the same address nonetheless.

And how great was Jeff when he walked in on Jen and Audrey trying on clothing? “Yes, unzip her.” When he says it it’s not quite so creepy.

This was definitely a good episode, and very consistent with where the show has been for four seasons. I just didn’t see how this was a finale in any way. But Rules of Engagement, until you return you will be missed.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 25, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT