DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Kevin Can F**k Himself episode “The Unreliable Narrator” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, jaded sitcom spouses! It’s hard to believe there are only three episodes left of the series after this week. Kevin Can F**k Himself has been a wild ride, and with last week’s outing, it feels like Season 2 is kicking into high gear. “The Unreliable Narrator” hones in on the inevitable fracture between Patty and Allison and the heartbreak that’s sure to follow while showcasing Kevin’s tenuous hold over everyone.
Ready to delve into “The Unreliable Narrator”? Let’s get to it.
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Set Fire to Kevin McRoberts
We open with Kevin (Eric Petersen) reading The Worcester Chronicle. I’d like to note the front page headline informs us there’s no poop fairy, contrary to popular belief. Kevin interacts with his dad’s girlfriend Lorraine (Lauren Weedman), who removes her hearing aid before hopping in the bath with Pete. After she departs the kitchen, Kevin drops said hearing aid in the additional coffee mug next to him.
Unfortunately, Allison (Annie Murphy) takes a big guzzle of that mug, getting a nice burst of Lorraine ear flavor. What a wonderful palate cleanser! Kevin vents about his article in the paper, noting that the writer shifts the focus to Allison and her burgeoning swimming career.
Next, Allison calls Sam’s contact at the city hall who can help her snag a copy of Gertrude Fronch’s death certificate. She leaves a voicemail with her name as “Alice.” Allison, needing to scratch her pyro itch, sets the newspaper on fire.
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Meanwhile, Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden) stops by Tammy’s (Candice Coke) place for a chat. After the ending of last week’s episode, it’s easy to assume Tammy might start questioning her girlfriend about the gas station footage from Vermont. However, Tammy unexpectedly switches gears, asking Patty to move in with her. Patty, clearly flustered, departs before providing an answer.
Making Connections
Then, we see Aunt D (Jamie Denbo) and Neil (Alex Bonifer) deepen their bond at the liquor store. These two are undoubtedly traveling the road to Affair Town. It’s happening. Allison visits Sam (Raymond Lee) to check in after their conversation the other night. Sam left abruptly following Allison revealing her plan to fake her death. Sam vows not to tell a soul. Nobody would believe him, anyway.
Allison and Sam start bickering, with Sam claiming he knows what Allison wants before she says anything, so he gives it to her. The argument culminates in Sam blurting out that doing favors for Allison would still be worth it if he thought they would be together. Uh-oh. Foot, meet mouth.
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Suddenly, the lights shut off in the diner. We learn it’s a town-wide power outage, which is always fun. Sam tries to persuade Allison not to go through with her plan, but her mind’s made up. Kevin, Pete (Brian Howe), Neil, Aunt D and Lorraine barge into the diner with gear, meaning they plan to weather the outage at Sam’s establishment. Kevin tracked Allison’s phone location, which isn’t creepy or controlling at all. Patty arrives hot on their heels.
Looking for “Fuel”
Allison asks Patty to venture out into the darkness to look for fuel, while Kevin says he has a generator should things go south. Allison and Patty embark on their journey to meet with Sam’s contact. Patty reveals she needs something to clear her head but won’t disclose Tammy’s move-in proposal.
Meanwhile, Kevin finds Sam living in the backroom of the diner and decides to impart sage marital wisdom to his wife’s lover. Well, “lover” unbeknownst to him. Sam looks like he’d rather drive toothpicks into his eyeballs than listen to Kevin’s marriage advice.
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After the pair emerges with a tub of butter, Kevin notices his generator is missing. Thus, he sets out to question everyone present to find the thief. Next, Allison and Patty stop at the latter’s salon for cash. Unfortunately, the police spot them inside and try to barge in without realizing Patty owns the place. Our dynamic duo in crime explains their presence, and the cops offer to drive them to their destination. After all, they are in a blackout.
Merciless Interrogation
Then, Kevin mercilessly interrogates Neil, Sam, Pete, Lorraine and Aunt D, hoping to pinpoint the generator thief among them. It’s a corny scene ripped from the pages of the aughts sitcom playbook. Meanwhile, in the police cruiser, the cops chat to Patty about her dating Tammy, and we see Patty growing increasingly uncomfortable. Mostly because she’s committed her fair share of crimes, and now she’s sitting in the back of a cop car.
They pull over in front of where they’re meeting Sam’s contact. However, the two policemen watch Allison and Patty while they walk away, much to their dismay. Thankfully, Sam’s connection (Rachel Dratch) swoops in to save the day. She lets the pair inside her home.
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Then, the woman goes on about giving decades of her life to the city hall pricks. She tells Patty and Allison that they’ll have to break into city hall during the blackout to obtain Gertrude Fronch’s death certificate. She arms them with knowledge regarding what to look out for, hands them some flashlights and sends them on their way. Yay, robbery!
Unsolicited Marriage Advice and Angry Friends
Later, Kevin bestows more marriage tips upon our harried Sam, who just wants Kevin to leave. Allison and Patty sneak into city hall, hoping nobody catches them infiltrating a government building in the dark. Meanwhile, Kevin concludes Neil stole from him, much to Neil’s anger. Irate, he storms out of the diner.
D follows Neil outside to comfort him. What starts as a friendly checking-in session morphs into a fiery kiss. We all knew it would end this way. Allison and Patty riffle through countless documents in filing cabinets. Lo and behold, Allison finds Gertrude Fronch’s death certificate.
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Patty unloads her heart and soul to Allison before the alarms blare in the building. It’s abundantly clear Patty won’t handle their separation well. Sam believes Kevin owes them an apology. After all, Kevin is responsible for the city-wide power outage, holding them hostage, destroying Lorraine’s hearing aid, falsely accusing his best friend of theft and slamming his father’s hand in a door.
However, Kevin being Kevin refuses to apologize for any of the above. I love that he finally sees some consequences for his actions. Then, we learn the generator was in the diner all along and not absconded with as Kevin feared. It probably rolled away since it’s on wheels. And Sam wonders why Allison wants to fake her death…
Say “Yes” to the Move
Suddenly, the lights switch back on in Worcester. Neil asks D out on a date while Patty tells Allison about Tammy asking her to move in. Patty plans to say “yes” to her GF. Before parting for the night, Allison claims she’s happy for Patty, but once Patty closes the door, a wave of sadness washes over Allison’s face. Aw, she’s in love, and she doesn’t even know it.
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Later, Allison stops by the diner to chat with Sam. He vents to her about how horrible his night was with Kevin. Despite Kevin’s awful advice, Sam wonders whether he’s much better than Allison’s dolt of a husband. Sam offers Allison her job back, apologizes and vows to help her. Allison kisses him, and he pulls her close, clearly still in love with her. Allison withdraws, apologizing profusely for moving in on him like that. She starts sobbing, and Sam embraces her.
“The Unreliable Narrator” proves Kevin McRoberts doesn’t have the plot armor we think he has. His downfall is imminent — we need only be patient. I love that we’re starting to see him splinter as the wear and tear on his sway over the masses becomes more evident. It’s about damn time.
Patty and Allison’s scenes killed me, with Mary Hollis Inboden delivering an understated yet impactful, punchy performance. Their chemistry is nothing short of electrifying. It lends itself to the power of this episode perfectly. Overall, this outing catapults the narrative forward while continuing to explore intriguing character dynamics. Also, D and Neil? I’m okay with it. As long as Kevin’s the only unhappy one, I’m happy.
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.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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