|
What’s it called?
“Dim Sum Lose Some.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to Davey Holmes (who wrote the many double-psychoanalyst Paul & Gina episodes of HBO’s “In Treatment”).
What says ABC?
“Ned is startled when a mysterious man (guest star Stephen Root) appears at the diner claiming to be an old friend and associate of his dad's and asks for his help in finding him. Meanwhile, Emerson investigates a murder at a dim sum restaurant and reunites with Simone (guest star Christine Adams), the polygamist's widow and dog obedience trainer who once caught his eye. Guest starring in "Dim Sum Lose Some" are Stephen Root as Dwight Dixon, Daeg F. Faerch as Ingmar, Christine Adamas as Simone, Mae Hi as La Di Ting, Ping Wu as Bao, Andrea Lui as Mei, Blake Kushi as Rubbie, Ron Yuan as Shrimp Boy, Allen C. Liu as Perry the Busboy, Teddy Chen Culver as the Busboy, Chao-Li chi as Hua Jaing, Alex Miller as Maurice and Graham Miller as Ralston.”
Does Ned find his dad?
Not this week.
Does Emerson find his daughter?
No.
Is Emerson’s reacquaintance with hot British obedience girl tied to his investigation?
It is.
The big news?
This may be the funniest episode of the season; it’s actually a better Cod episode than last week’s Cod-centric installment.
What else is ABC not telling us?
Chuck conveniently speaks fluent Mandarin. Olive quickly develops the hots for Dwight Dixon, whom one suspects will return in future installments.
What’s doing with Lily and Vivian?
Whatever it is, they’re still doing it offscreen.
What’s great?
Chenoweth. McBride generally, and in particular the obedience-driven thrall in which Simone continues to hold Emerson. The slinky on the roulette table. Ned’s piss-shiver. Ned, Emerson, Olive and Chuck in disguise. “See, what we need now is a mirror.” “You ain’t hear what I just said?” “Surprise random pie delivery!” “I’m glad Dad got so fun and creative with naming after I left.” “But you are so wrong!” “Nice! It’s a solid payout!” “Boss, I got an uncomfortable fullness of the bladder.” “What’s going on?”
What’s not so great?
This episode? Made me really hungry.
How does it end, spoiler-boy?
“Dwight agreed.”
“L-Prime” liked it too:
What says TeeVee Guide?
“Ned is shocked when a man (Stephen Root) shows up at the Pie Hole inquiring about Ned's father. Meanwhile, Emerson investigates a murder at a Chinese restaurant and has a reunion with Simone (Christine Adams).”
Does that leave anything out?
Interestingly, quite a bit. The always delightful Stephen Root incites the action, so to speak, but it later leads to familial reveals of another sort, and not all is as it seems with Mr. Waddams.
Does Ned's father appear?
No, but various characters do venture to the last known address of Mr. Ned Sr., of which we had last known Ned to have the whereabouts through the Dear-John-ish postcard he received as a child in flashback last season. Turns out the old man may have had a habit for pulling a bit of a rabbit out of family homes.
So the father hunt is fruitless?
Let's not go that far. Familiar eyebrows and false-bottom boxes come into play.
What about Chuck's maternal problems?
Lily and Vivian are again absent this week. Chuck's situation is brushed off with barely a single line of dialogue.
Emerson's daughter?
Neither hide nor hair.
Then who's this Simone he is reuniting with again?
The strict yet compelling dog trainer/breeder from last season. There were sparks, sparks that seem to still be sparky.
How's about the mystery?
Honestly, as much as I've complained about the mysteries for a while now, this episode benefited from one of the best so far. It was colourful, in numerous ways, with a genuine emotional tie into the main storylines, plus just a hint of Mickey Rooney-esque racism, which as we all know is the most entertaining kind.
Clever title.
Fitting in with aforementioned mystery – Emerson et al set about investigating the death of a cook at the dim sum place below Cod Investigations, with all of the Chinese restaurant neon and kitsch that entails. I dare you not to crave dumplings at the end of this hour.
What's good?
“He invested his life savings in a bakery at a time when carbohydrates had fallen completely out of fashion.”; “Do you ever shiver when you pee? That's how I felt when he spoke.”; “I think he's cute. Hi!”; “This complicates things, you may need to pay for the pie.”; “See what we need now is a mirror.”; “Cod sampling a new dumpling, and the look on his face when he gets a lid closed on him.”; “It's my clue pad. For writing down clues.”; “I was expecting Emerson to say something snarky.”; “Are we spying? I love spying!”; “...Except that their complexities are so complex, it makes this shallow conversation seem absurd.”; “His steamed buns blur the line between eating and sex, but we weren't acquainted.”; “Pie delivery! Surprise random pie delivery!”; “Who shrieked?” “I might've shrieked.”; “You think just because you's dead you ain't gonna tell us what you was up to, but you is soooo wrong.”; delightfully over-the-top faux-Chinaman costumes; Emerson and Ned undercover in general;
“Keep walkin'! I love gongs! Nothing wrong with that!”
Less good?
The fact that each week brings us inexorably closer to the end of this delightful hour of television. Ratings, as Herc so aptly put it last week, suck large. Safe money would probably see it gone before sweeps. I mean, what's it competing with this week? Some Bo-rock guy? Who'd wanna watch him? This move by ABC to keep the original airing opposite the prime-time sojourn by Mr. Obama is either a pretty sizeable vote of confidence, or an easy way to guarantee it low enough ratings to justifiably pull the plug. Alphabet, if you're listening, pretty please let us keep our pie maker and dead girl.
How does it end?
Jimmy James, the man so nice they named him twice, watches from a distance with a pound or two of steel at his side.
8 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.
Two DVDs For $10 Sale!! 
| 
