‘No Good Deed’ Recap, Episode 3: ‘Letters of Intent’

Okay, now we’re cooking. That is what I had been hoping to get from No Good Deed; slightly ridiculous shenanigans over there, slightly gasp-worthy ending over right here, even our fundamental couple’s comedic chemistry appears to be gelling slightly bit extra. See? There was no purpose to fret (I used to be getting very apprehensive); we had been simply getting warmed up.

Let’s begin with the ridiculous shenanigans. Who would’ve guessed that Paul and Greg the Realtor would give us the primary nice character pairing of No Good Deed? Or that Ray Romano and Matt Rogers would make for such a complementary comedic duo? I by no means would’ve flung these two collectively, however I’m so, so glad another person found out how enjoyable it might be.

When Paul tells Lydia concerning the new blackmail risk from Mikey and his plan to offer him the $50,000 Rolex from the theft stash, she places her foot down: They’ll’t have any extra proof on the market floating round, particularly now that Leslie the lawyer is up of their enterprise. It’s too dangerous. Plus, she says, Paul must be attempting to assist Mikey. He did a lot for them, he was once type, and he wants assist. Handing him more cash most definitely means he’ll simply exit and purchase extra medication and land himself again in jail. Paul backs off the Rolex plan, however we are able to see his head turning with another plan.

And that different plan is to go discover out if Greg is aware of any drug sellers in order that he should purchase some coke, plant it on Mikey, and get that man out of his life for good. As Greg will later comment upon studying the total extent of Paul’s plot: “Properly, that’s darkish.” He isn’t unsuitable! He’s additionally very a lot keen to assist his shopper for a candy, candy fee bump. As a result of no, Paul, Greg will not be some stereotype of a homosexual realtor in Los Angeles, he’s an individual, Paul, and he’s at all times sniffing as a result of we’re in the midst of an excellent bloom, PAUL, God. But in addition, sure, after all he does coke.

Greg introduces Paul to his vendor, Trish, who sells monumental quantities of medication and runs a profitable pet grooming enterprise. I’ve been having fun with Romano on this function all through (can anybody do Man Trying to Repress All His Emotions Whereas within the Center of a Class 5 Disaster higher?), however he’s by no means extra pleasant to observe than right here, attempting to behave like he has any concept how one can buy cocaine in an excellent remotely chill means. He declares he’d like a brick of coke. “Okay, kingpin, it’s giving cartel,” says Greg, impressed. (Solely Rogers may pull off a line like this so simply.) In fact, all of that goodwill goes out the door the second Paul makes an attempt to pay for this brick with the Rolex, which Trish promptly informs him is a pretend. This can be a very attention-grabbing element contemplating the place that watch got here from. Keep in mind, Margo gave it to JD as a present, and JD remains to be beneath the impression that it’s the actual factor. Regardless, Greg fronts Paul the cash (for an additional fee bump) and the 2 guys get all coked up as they await Trish to return since you didn’t assume we’d get out of this scene with out Paul attempting medication for the primary time, did you?

The flip from Greg being so disgusted with Paul attempting to barter for coke to the 2 of them excessive off their gourds turning into finest associates as Greg explains that he hasn’t spoken to his husband in every week as a result of he forgot to choose up his IBS remedy is so, so good. Not so good? When Trish comes again with the medication, all three of them instantly get busted by the cops ready exterior the door. They’re carted off to jail. (Nosy neighbor Phyllis occurs to be on the store when it occurs, so you already know that’s going to be a factor.) However hey, Greg lastly speaks to his husband. Positive, it’s to bail him out of jail, however as he notes, communication is communication.

This temporary stint within the slammer additionally provides Paul slightly time to rethink how he’s coping with Mikey. We lastly get the reality about Mikey’s identification: He’s Paul’s older brother. Is smart, proper? And as Paul admits to Greg, sure, he hates his brother for like half a century’s price of shit, but additionally he loves him as a result of he’s his brother. It’s sophisticated. And he most likely doesn’t need to ship him to jail once more.

However this isn’t the one Mikey reveal in “Letters of Intent.” Whereas Paul was out attempting to enact his plan to maintain Mikey in line, Lydia had her personal means of coping with her brother-in-law. She invitations him over — and even places on slightly lipstick — to kill him with kindness and tiramisu.

The Morgan brothers could have points, however Mikey is an enormous fan of Lydia’s. Possibly an excessive amount of of a fan, you already know what I imply? As a result of as the 2 of them get to reminiscing concerning the outdated days, taking a look at Jacob’s child photos and Paul and Lydia’s wedding ceremony pictures, Mikey laments concerning the night time all of them met. It was Mikey who met Lydia on New Yr’s Eve, however as a result of he was so drunk, he requested Paul to drive Lydia dwelling, and the remaining, as they are saying, is historical past. This little journey to the previous, plus Lydia’s need to assist Mikey begin over, to get clear and repair his life, provides the man the unsuitable impression, and he leans over for a kiss. Lydia shuts it down instantly and runs off to admonish herself for placing on that lipstick. Any friendliness Mikey might need had disappears.

It’s at this precise second that Leslie and Sarah present up on the door. Earlier that day, they’d discovered they had been out of the working for the home; Lydia and Paul thought it finest to not have a prosecutor working across the place. However after the couple has a heart-to-heart about Sarah’s being pregnant and the way she did it as a result of giving up on attempting to change into a mother almost broke her, the 2 girls resolve to combat slightly more durable for the life they need. They provide Lydia a letter they’ve written about why they love the home and why they need to increase their little one there. Leslie additionally presents any assist she will to assist the Morgans get justice for Jacob. Lydia is clearly in the midst of an actual shit storm, so she principally blows them off.

Overhearing this dialog, nonetheless, provides Mikey an concept: He needs the home. He’s the oldest son anyway, he ought to’ve had it within the first place. He begins ransacking the place, searching for the deed. When Lydia tries to cease him, he threatens her. He reminds her of what he did, what he is aware of, that he can cowl up a homicide, that he stored her and Paul from “rotting in jail.” He was the one which staged the scene to seem like the burglar had damaged in and killed Jacob, he protected Lydia, not Paul. Their combat escalates.

Paul lastly returns dwelling — thanks, Greg’s husband! — and he walks inside, able to fill his spouse in on the day he simply had. He finds Lydia standing there, stoically, ready for him. “I killed your brother,” she tells him, fairly matter-of-factly for a girl who simply did homicide to her brother-in-law. She took a fireplace iron — the one Mikey had used to arrange that crime scene three years in the past — and slammed him within the head with it. Now he and his main head wound are rolled up within the carpet in the midst of the Morgans’ secret room. Properly, that’s not going to be nice for the resale worth.

• Extra secrets and techniques from our potential patrons: Carla is secretly loaded? When she stares down a future along with her mother-in-law and 4 cats, she decides to make a suggestion on a distinct home utilizing a million {dollars} from her father’s belief fund. She additionally makes a suspicious remark about the way you at all times should pay whenever you take handouts from your loved ones. When Dennis asks concerning the cash, she lies and says she has lots of financial savings. However Carla isn’t the one one mendacity in that home: Dennis has been assuring his spouse and mom that he’s about to complete what will probably be his second best-selling novel, however we be taught he hasn’t even began it.

• Dennis winds up at pressing take care of a tetanus shot, and the physician appears alarmed along with his blood strain and medical historical past — Dennis’s dad died of sarcoidosis when he was 39, and Dennis is now 38. The man must make some modifications.

• Watching Dennis’s unhinged try at working in a present that additionally stars Lisa Kudrow, queen of the TV unhinged run, actually tickled me.

• Mikey isn’t the perfect man, however it’s form of good that Lydia can inform him how she nonetheless feels Jacob on this home and he doesn’t snigger at her.

• Phyllis appears to be in all places! She catches Dennis “working” by the Morgan home and assumes he’s some kind of creeper. Her racist canine doesn’t appear to love him both. “Throughout Obama’s second time period, I needed to ship him to sensitivity coaching.” “It didn’t work.”

• “I’ll actually lose my shit if I don’t get my meds!”