I wouldn’t have thought to consider a Valentine’s Day special for this show, but after seeing it, it’s obviously just too perfect for the series. These hormone-fueled kids all have so much going on in their bodies and hearts that Valentine’s Day is a minefield way too juicy to pass up (end-of-season-2 spoilers.)
In a special double-length episode, all the kids of Bridgeton Middle School brace themselves to “survive” another Valentine’s Day. Andrew, who learned last season that Missy still likes him, overcompensates in his attempts “not to try too hard.” Nick has gotten a new Hormone Monster, or rather, Monstress – Connie, the same as Jessi’s – and he’s struggling to figure out what that says about him. Jay is still mainly expressing his newfound bisexuality through his relationships with his pillow and his couch cushion (if you don’t watch the show, you will not understand this one bit,) and trying to keep both of them “satisfied” is testing his limits. Jessi and Matthew are both fed up with Valentine’s Day for their own reasons, and they decide to spend the night going on an ironic non-date together instead.
The show is really firing on all cylinders with this one. Obviously, the jokes come fast and furious. Here are just a few of my favorites. Re: the openness of Nick’s parents: “They’re like Doctors Without Borders, if the doctors ate each other out.” Jessi to Andrew: “Listen, and I don’t mean this as a compliment – you look like a lesbian newsie.” Jay: “I may have bitten off more than I can fuck. Or is that fucked off more than I can chew?”
All the main plots are solid. The Andrew and Missy stuff goes to some pretty strong toxic-masculinity places, and I like Nick wondering what having a female Hormone Monstress means for him as a guy. Jay’s storyline is, of course, the weirdest, and manages to juggle both the “two dates at the same time” trope in the most bizarre way possible and a fantasy sequence in which he imagines himself competing American Ninja Warrior-style for the moniker of “Ultimate Fuck Machine.” And, because this special wants us to have all the good things, it continues the trend from last season of increasing screentime and focus for some of the side characters. Here, we also get a fun mini-sideplot with Devin and DeVon, other minor characters are used to good effect, and the whole episode culminates in a party that Gina is begrudgingly helping Lola throw. Oh, and there are raccoons in tiny bow ties.
Additionally, there are some good extra flourishes. Lots of Big Mouth episodes include a musical interlude, but this one has three: a big group number at the start, a fun duet for Jessi and Matthew (more on that in a minute,) and a moody solo for Connie. There’s also a recurring device of the kids “filming” talking heads with their Hormone Monsters, talking about significant puberty memories and what their Hormone Monsters mean to them.
As for the Jessi-and-Matthew plot? I’m all about it. I feel like this friendship didn’t get a lot of time devoted to it in season 2, so I’m glad to see more focus on it here. It leans into Jessi and Matthew’s shared quality of both being kind of snarky and cynical, and I like that their friend date – even when they share a splashy duet – never ventures into the “if only he wasn’t gay…”/“but what if we just…?” territory. It’s all about them as friends, supporting each other while also being a little catty and a tiny bit bitter together. Their musical number, based on the theme of “who needs a boy when I have you?”, keeps them very platonic and celebrates that connection they have while still acknowledging that both of them would like to have a boyfriend. Andrew Rannells, of course, sounds stellar (he’s also in the opening number as well, and as with last season, the majority of the characters are extremely subpar singers with Matthew being a very golden exception.)
For what it’s worth, whenever the show puts Jessi and Matthew in scenes together, I feel like it largely avoids having him come across as the “gay bestie” in a way that diminishes him. Their friendship makes sense and they both come into it as their own people, and while it brushes up against the stereotype, it defies using Matthew as Jessi’s bitchy accessory. (For contrast, see the scene between Matthew and Devin in season 2’s “Dark Side of the Boob,” in which Devin most definitely uses “friendship” with Matthew on her terms, not his.)
It’s just a good episode for Matthew all-around. For the first time, we see him interacting with the Hormone Monster – we’ve known Matthew has a Hormone Monster (Maury, the same as Andrew’s) since the third episode of the series, but we’ve never actually seen them together before. This means actually getting a hint of sexual stuf from Matthew, who shows that, for all his world-weary air, he’s pretty much as curious and not-altogether-informed as the rest of the kids. With the arrival of Valentine’s Day, we also get into the loneliness of being the only out kid at school and not knowing where to direct the “I wish I had someone” feelings he has that all his classmates seem to be indiscriminately aiming at one another. I really like his talking-head sequence with Maury, remembering his first crush from church choir in fifth grade.
And bringing the funny, of course. One of my favorite Matthew bitch-lines here is, “Who’s your valentine? If you don’t have one, you’re probably ugly and don’t know it.” I also enjoy his delight at watching chaos unfold, how impressed he is with his own singing voice, and his discovery of a Michael Shannon talking Valentine’s Day card: “God, it’s still breathing.” Great use of Matthew/Rannells here, and a strong episode to preface season 3!
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