DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Kevin Can F**k Himself episode “Jesus, Allison” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, jaded sitcom spouses! Kevin Can F**k Himself‘s latest outing, “Jesus, Allison,” is the best episode of the season thus far. This show struggles with uneven pacing from time to time, but the writers keep the narrative moving forward at a brisk pace here. The performances are fantastic, the story is engaging and those dual cliffhangers are fun parallels for Allison and Patty as their significant others/love interests discover new details about them.
Ready to delve into “Jesus, Allison”? Let’s get to it.
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Nightmares of Nick
We open with Allison (Annie Murphy) frantically calling Patty while sitting at home. She answers the door to find Nick (Robin Lord Taylor) outside. He says her name, and she screams … herself awake from a nightmare. Later, Allison and Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden) visit Nick at the hospital, who’s still in a coma. Allison feels they need to take care of the Nick situation should he wake up, but before our dynamic duo can properly brainstorm, Nick’s mother, Cindy (Deirdre Madigan), enters his room.
Allison crafts a flimsy excuse for visiting Nick while Cindy expresses her doubts that he’ll ever wake up. Before Allison and Patty depart, Cindy wishes Patty a happy birthday. Allison, bewildered, asks Patty why she didn’t know the latter’s birthday. Patty reminds Allison that she dealt pills to Cindy for years. In typical Allison fashion, she addresses the one nice thing she did for Patty versus the countless times Patty bent over backward to assist Allison. We love our fave BFFs in crime.
Party for Patty
Later, Allison barges through the front door of her house and declares she’s throwing Patty a surprise birthday party with Kevin’s (Eric Petersen) help. Kevin seems skeptical about it all, especially since Patty doesn’t seem like the surprise-loving type.
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Tammy (Candice Coke) thanks Patty for purchasing hygiene products for her. Then, Tammy smoothly segues into asking Patty what she would want as a surprise gift (hint, hint). After Tammy confesses that she did some digging re: Patty’s birthday, Patty claims she only wants to have her alone time for self-care and whatnot.
Then, Allison calls Patty to ask if the private investigator had returned her call. So far, Allison sent the PI Gertrude Fronch’s info, but it’s all radio silence on his end. Allison responds to knocking on her door, identical to her recurring nightmare, only to find Tammy on the other side this time, not Nick. Tammy needs ideas about how to celebrate Patty’s birthday. Allison discloses her surprise birthday party idea and asks Tammy to help her throw it together.
Man, the scenes between these two are so awkward. Neither of them likes each other, and it’s so evident. Regardless, it’s time for the girlfriend and the best friend to hang out!
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The Kevin Trap
Back in Sitcom Land, we see Kevin and Pete (Brian Howe) taping together Neil’s (Alex Bonifer) face. It’s horrifying. We meet Lorraine (Lauren Weedman), Pete’s new girlfriend, whose obnoxious laugh is fodder for mid-aughts sitcom narratives. Aunt D (Jamie Denbo) enters the fray with alcohol for Patty’s surprise shindig. She’s back from North Carolina after trying to escape Chuck. However, she’s now staying at the local hotel.
The wheels turn in Kevin’s big, empty head, and after D departs, he reveals his plan to “Parent Trap” Pete and D to push Lorraine out of the picture. Neil acts like he doesn’t comprehend the plan. It’s interesting that, in Kevin’s world, Neil isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, yet outside of that realm, he’s pretty intelligent. Kevin’s perspective looms large.
Later, Neil takes Patty to the ice rink for her birthday, a tradition in the O’Connor clan since they were kids. Well, he’s doing it to distract her from the goings-on at the McRoberts house. Meanwhile, Allison spots Nick sitting at her kitchen table and drops a bowl of cake batter as Tammy enters the scene. Allison and Tammy depart to run some errands before the party, i.e., get everything they need for the party.
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Meanwhile, Neil laughs as Patty struggles on the ice rink. When she falls, he skates away quickly, refusing to help her up. Allison and Tammy endure an awkward car ride together, asking each other the standard “get to know you” questions. Tammy notes that it’s unsurprising that Allison’s an only child. “It seems like you’re someone who never had to share,” she remarks. If that isn’t a subtle dig that says, “Stop hogging my woman,” I don’t know what is.
Let’s Do Crimes
Allison urges Tammy to pull into a sketchy alley. Allison’s present for Patty is here — illegal Menthols! They’re Patty’s favorite, and she’s tired of watching Patty suck on a mint before she smokes. Tammy reminds Allison that she’s a cop, so this is pretty strange. Patty tries to call during the Menthols exchange, making it significantly more awkward for Allison as she lies to Tammy and Patty regarding who she’s with.
Patty reveals that, according to the PI, Allison will need Gertrude’s death certificate from City Hall. No biggie, right? We see Neil skating in the background while guzzling booze, so … he’s having a great time.
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Then, Allison and Tammy make a pit stop at Sam’s (Raymond Lee) restaurant. Allison asks for yet another favor, much to Sam’s irritation. She needs access to the death certificate in City Hall. Oh, and a cake for Patty. After Tammy and Allison depart, Tammy reveals she knows about Allison’s affair with Sam. And guess what? She understands. “You’re not a bad person for cheating on Kevin McRoberts,” Tammy says. Tammy divulges her own “Kevin-esque” story. They talk about how divorce isn’t easy, either.
Neil Gets Nasty
Later, Patty leaves Tammy a voicemail, asking her girlfriend what she’s doing. Next, Patty scolds Neil for being as intoxicated as he is. He smashes a bottle on the ice as one does. Meanwhile, Tammy and Allison arrive back at the house to find Kevin hard at work preparing for the party. Allison learns Tammy invited Patty’s long-time clients from her client book. Uh-oh. That’s the drugs one.
Patty yells at Neil for getting them banned from the rink for life while Neil brusquely tells her he needs assistance with something at Kevin’s house. That’s when everyone surprises Patty. “Jesus, Allison,” Patty mutters (Title of the episode!), locking eyes with Allison.
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Next, Kevin asks Neil to help talk up Aunt D to Pete as a potential replacement for Lorraine. Instead, the guys ridicule D for not fitting their definition of a “perfect woman.” This part feels very icky. I believe that’s the point, but still. Aunt D leaves in a huff after Kevin lands the last horrid remark.
Putting Allison in Her Place
Allison tells Patty about Tammy inviting clients from Patty’s drugs book, so our pair decides to shove some folks out of the door before Patty’s drug clientele mingles with Tammy’s police buddies. Afterward, Allison asks Tammy to help her light the candles on Patty’s cake. Allison believes they’re finally getting along, but Tammy puts her in her place.
She thinks Allison spends too much time with Patty. Patty is Tammy’s girlfriend, after all. Not the other way around. Oh, and Tammy’s still anti-Allison at this point. I like how direct Tammy is. She’s not rude about it, either. Just blatantly honest, and I respect that.
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Later, Patty finds Allison sitting on the porch. Allison apologizes for throwing a party even though Patty loathes surprises. Patty admits that it’s awful, but nobody’s ever organized a party for her before. Allison reveals she only wants Patty to remember her when she’s gone. Ugh. I don’t want these two to part ways.
Neil joins Aunt D outside, and the pair drink together. D vents about Kevin’s general awfulness and his vile remarks about her. Neil seems to be a fan of D. I wouldn’t be surprised if something unfurls between them. I’m a fan of D.
Telling the Truth/Learning the Lies
Allison sees Nick standing in the street, but he stares at her in silence this time. Sam pulls up in his car, revealing he couldn’t go through with the City Hall thing. However, Sam gives Allison contact information for a guy who got him his liquor license. Sure, it’s a bit under the table, but what can ya do? Allison blurts out why she needs the death certificate and how she plans to fake her death to escape Kevin.
Meanwhile, Tammy lies in bed with Patty, who’s asleep in her adorable kitty pajamas. Tammy receives security footage from the gas station in Vermont Patty and Allison went to last season. You know, when Patty assaulted a trucker driver to protect Allison. Tammy spots Patty in said footage, entering the gas station. Uh-oh. BIG uh-oh.
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“Jesus, Allison” highlights Alex Bonifer’s versatility, as does this whole season. His ability to seamlessly shift between Sitcom Neil and Real-World Neil is unparalleled. While Annie Murphy and Mary Hollis Inboden are the heavy hitters on this show, Bonifer’s no slouch, either. Candice Coke and Raymond Lee also hold their own as strong performers.
I love how this episode depicts how deeply flawed Allison is. She’s not perfect by any stretch, but inexplicably, we see more of those flaws on display in “Jesus, Allison.” We see how one-sided her relationships are, especially with Patty and Sam. She incessantly asks for favors, but we seldom see her return said favors. I believe Allison becomes aware of this pattern of hers, which is why she vows to throw Patty a party.
Murphy and Inboden’s chemistry is off the charts, notably in their final scene in the episode. It’s abundantly clear that Allison’s departure won’t be a “no strings attached” situation, especially for Patty, as she persists in the wake of Allison’s “death.”
We’re approaching end-game territory, folks, and I’m ready for that final descent into sitcom madness.
Kevin Can F**k Himself drops new episodes every Monday at 9 pm EST on AMC and AMC Plus.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
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