The Book of Rannells: The New Normal: Season 1, Episode 18 – “Para-New Normal Activity” (2013)

Here it is, the “lost” Halloween episode that got preempted and didn’t pop up on air until half a season later.  As such, there are some unfortunate plot-point things that are a bit out of sync with the rest of the show, and not just the fact that Goldie’s baby bump is smaller and Halloween is happening after Thanksgiving and Christmas!  This is an episode that I think could have benefited from an introduction placing it in its proper context.

David is annoyed with Bryan’s tyrannical Halloween spirit, in which he takes control of any and all costume decisions.  While Bryan makes plans for them (plus Goldie and Shania) to go as the family from Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, David stages his own costume uprising.  Meanwhile, Goldie is discomfited by a visit from Shania’s dad, who insists that he wants to play a bigger role in her life but acts more like a buddy than a parent.

I always enjoy seeing TV characters’ Halloween costume choices.  That’s thrown a little out of whack here, since Bryan is trying to strong-arm the whole thing, and none of the costumes are particularly inspired to me, but I still enjoy it.  The stuff with Goldie, Shania, and Goldie’s ex is mostly good – I can feel Goldie’s indecision over the best way to proceed with him, not wanting to keep Shania from her dad but feeling frustrated over always having to be the bad cop when he’s around, like she’s parenting them both.  I also enjoy a subplot with a friend of David’s and his young son, who’s lately taken to wearing dresses and wants to be a fairy for Halloween.

I like the conflict between Bryan and David over their costumes, even if it gets a little overly-pointed at times.  While a big part of it is David simply wanting to make his own choice (fueled by the fact that they have very different interests and David isn’t into a lot of the stuff that Bryan is,) it also has to do with Bryan’s penchant, in David’s mind, for turning the holiday into “a big gender-bending party.”  It’s a small moment within the episode, but I love Bryan explaining to David what it’s like to be a feminine man – even someone as confident in himself as Bryan is made to feel a little self-conscious walking through the world in day-to-day life, and for Bryan, Halloween is the one day he feels no pressure to hold himself back.

This is an instance where the show’s tendency to laser-focus on one thing works well because 1) it’s Halloween, so it makes sense for everyone to be preoccupied with costumes and 2) it’s totally in character for Bryan to be a costume dictator.  In addition to the reason he gives David, it also fits his dramatic flair, his love of putting things together visually (and habit of going all in on it,) and his overall bossiness.  Andrew Rannells does a nice job bringing all that through, and he has some great line readings, especially in a fun scene between him and David in the bedroom.