"Tracey Takes On..." Season 2 Episode Guide, Review and Commentary Part 1: Episodes 1 through 5 Compiled by Roger Reini ([email protected]) This is a detailed episode guide to, review of, and commentary on episodes 1 through 5 of the award-winning second season of TRACEY TAKES ON ..., the HBO series starring Tracey Ullman. Sprinkled throughout the guide are my commentaries and reviews of the various episodes, sketches and bits. OTHER EPISODE GUIDES Episode guides to other seasons can be found at http://www.rreini.com/tracey/, as can a concise episode guide for all seasons (no commentary, one-line descriptions of sketches). Episodes are listed in the order of their original airdate on HBO. 1. Sex (Jan 18 1997) OPENING SEQUENCE: Last year's opening of Tracey asleep in bed, free- associating words related to each week's topic, has been dropped in favor of a short monologue sequence featuring Tracey *as herself*, similar to what she did in the first two seasons of "The Tracey Ullman Show." This week, she tells us that she's not going to tell us about her sex life (it's more sexy to be alluring and keep the mystery). Her final words on the subject: "Bugger off! I ain't talking about shagging!" COMMENT: I welcome any development where we get to see more of Tracey as herself. I like her characters very much, but I also like her. THEME: Last year's theme has also been dropped. In its place, we have her 1984 hit "They Don't Know". This is the original recording; it's not been remade. Accompanying the theme is a sequence with Tracey and several of her characters (specifically, the characters appearing in each week's episode) lipsyncing to the song. COMMENT: I liked last year's theme, even if I couldn't understand all of the words to it. But I also like "They Don't Know". And the lipsync sequence has a nice charm to it. Though it does seem strange to see a character like Chic "singing" along to it ... SHORT BITS: Sydney Kross (attorney): Despite being a high-profile and driven attorney, she's still a woman and has her needs. But they haven't been satisfied by the last few men she's had as lovers. She Page 1 of 15 then proceeds to discuss their "shortcomings." Could being voted the girl you'd least like to have [a certain sex act] done by account for her problems? COMMENT: Very frank, rather vulgar, but totally hilarious! Hope Finch (college student): Hope is imagining the course of her sex life (which has yet to start, `cause she's still a virgin). She'll have her first relationship with a boyfriend who's had some experience, but not too much ... COMMENT: I'm always glad to see Hope, who's probably one of the most mature college students I've ever seen. Birdie Godsen (housewife): Sex education belongs in the home, not in school, says Birdie. She tells us about her son, who came home from a camping expedition, where he'd heard various spooky stories about werewolves, monsters and Jews. He said he was going to be a werewolf and have hairy hands and palms. That's ridiculous, she tells him; he'll never grow all of that hair on his hands, unless he touches himself in a certain dirty place. And just to make sure he doesn't, she's been tying the mittens on his sleep suit real tight ... COMMENT: Right-wingers, look out! Prepare to be skewered! Birdie looks to be an interesting character. We can already tell she's hostile to Jews (boo). LONGER SKETCHES: Linda Granger, actress/singer/author/omniholic (you name it, she either has been, is, or will be addicted to it) is at home, waiting for the cable guy to arrive. Seems her cable is acting up, and she can't get anything higher than channel 50. It just so happens that reruns of "VIP Lounge" (Linda's old series) air on cable 63 every morning (and in Spanish on cable 27 every afternoon). The cable guy arrives. Turns out he's been a fan of Linda's for many years. In fact, he used to have a poster of her on his wall back in the 70's, until somebody stole it. Would you like an autographed replacement, asks Linda. Sure, he says. But it's on a high shelf, so Linda asks him to reach for it. As he does, she sniffs him, savoring his manly odor. She's turned on, and she wants him bad. But she must resist, for (among other things) she's a recovering sexaholic. The tempations build and get stronger. She's weakening, and he's willing. But she regains control. However, it's not for long, for as soon as he turns around, she jumps him from behind, and they start to make wild, passionate love. Now it's afternoon. We know that, because the Spanish broadcast of "VIP Lounge" is on. He's got to leave. As he does, Linda invites the gardeners inside - and bring the leaf blower. COMMENT: This was hilarious. Is there anything that Linda Granger hasn't been addicted to? Her struggles to resist temptation had me nearly ROFL (rolling on the floor, laughing). A thought: I wouldn't mind seeing Tracey appear as Linda on "Larry Sanders" in the future. Consider the crossover possibilities ... Fern Rosenthal and best friend Jobie (Julie Kavner) are having lunch. Fern is rather sleepy; she had very little sleep last night. Seems that Harry was feeling rather frisky. Fern was not: "What do I need with THAT anymore?" But Jobie was very happy with her late husband. She envies Fern, who can still get some. SHORT BITS: Page 2 of 15 Hope, part 2: In the summer before grad school, she'll meet a man who doesn't have a job, so they can make love all day and all night. She thinks she'll become addicted to his penis. Meanwhile, in the background, there is a couple who is engaged in the act of love. Kay Clark (caregiver): S-E-X? Never had it, thanks to the continued warnings from Mother. But she might be willing to give it a try sometime, with the right man, of course. Might it by anything like a visit to the gynecologist? She'll still take the tranquilizers ... COMMENT: Still the same ol' Kay, emotionally scarred for life by Mother. LONGER SKETCH: Makeup artist Ruby Romaine arrives on the set, where she meets a crew member (Bruce Kirby) who's an old friend of hers. This movie set is not what Ruby's used to. In fact, it's a set for a porn film. But it doesn't faze her that much; she's seen a lot in her years. She discusses nipple arousal techniques with leading man Geraldo. It's time for Geraldo's big scene, where he (and his "wood") are put in the stocks. But when the time comes, Geraldo's physically unable to perform. The production is "waiting for wood." The director calls for a "fluffer" to help Geraldo out ("we called them starlets in the old days," says Ruby). She can't help. The assistant director (a guy) looks like he's going to try, but the director tells him to bring the dog from the car. Then Ruby offers to help out ("I'll wait for the dog," says Geraldo). Later, everything is fine; they have wood. The scene goes off without a hitch. What did Ruby do? Apply a special mixture of beeswax, hairspray, and a secret ingredient. But Geraldo has a question: when will it go down? COMMENT: Nothing seems to faze Ruby; she's seen it all. As she put it, she was working in the industry when Noah was still a sailor. Ruby has grown on me; at first I didn't like her because of her bigoted opinions and her coarseness. But underneath all of that, there is still some essential goodness, something that is still likable. That seems to be a common thread running throughout all of Tracey's characters: if you look hard enough, you can find something to like in just about anybody. SHORT BIT: Hope, part 3: She's going to get a job in journalism, and she's going to have an affair with her mentor, where they'll have "Tarantino-ish sex". Then she'll get married, and the sex'll be great, then it'll subside for a bit but return to greatness on vacations. LONGER SKETCH: Chic is pumping gas, which he compares to sex. This reminds him of the day he became a man. We flash back to the old country, where Chic's father has procured the services of a casaba woman to make Chic a man. He's wearing the "Technicolor sex coat" of his ancestors, all of whom wore it for their rites of passage. He's a little scared, but his father assures him everything will turn out all right. It's time for number 52 (Chic). The casaba woman is impressed with him; clearly, he's no little man. Soon, we hear the sounds of ecstasy coming from the love shack ("That's my boy," says father). It's over. Chic is now a man. His timid personality is gone, having been replaced by the love-god personality we all know. It turns out that the casaba woman retired soon afterwards; seems she never had such good sex in her life.