Episode Overview: Shaun's porn star mom shows up wanting to see her son, and the Yost family has a collective conniption fit. John spends the day getting Cass to "work here," whatever that means.
Tonight's
John from Cincinnati adventure is sorely lacking in the religious magical weirdness that makes it so great. Instead, we get a whole lot of backstory on the Yost family and how Shaun came into being. Oh yeah, and
Rebecca DeMornay chews up every last piece of scenery in the Yost house, because Cissy is even more unhinged and insane than usual, and it's completely awesome.
Cissy gets a phone call from the hot mystery woman from last episode, and instantly the show proves itself unable to go five minutes without a curse word. To say Cissy hates this woman is an understatement, as the matriarch of the Yost clan runs around the house in a frenzy, threatening the woman's life if she comes anywhere near Shaun, Before long we learn why: the woman is Shaun's mother.
Tina is her name, and she's a porn star. Classy. Even more suspicious is the fact that Tina was lured back to Imperial Beach by Linc (Luke Perry), the baddest man in the whole damn town. Once again, Linc's rationale is hidden, but this week's evil plan to tear apart the Yost family and scoop up the pieces is to throw Tina in as a wedge between Cissy and her son Butchie.
In the episode's best scene, Cissy bangs on Kai's trailer and demands she get down to the surf shop and guard Shaun. As Cissy so eloquently puts it, "that porno slut who made Shaun with my scumbag son and left him on my doorstep for me to raise is back." Afterwards, Cissy returns to her house, kicks Mitch out, finds her gun, and sits down, chain smoking and waitinf to put a bullet in Tina's head.
Kai heads off to find Shaun doing what all 14-year-old surfers do - converting a soda can into a bong. Shaun doesn't really understand why his grandma is a raving lunatic, but slowly pieces it together. Tina, at Linc's behest, seeks out Butchie and tells him her sob story about whoring and how she couldn't have raised a child. It works, and they head to the Yost house to get a glimpse of Shaun. With an assist from Kai, who disarms Cissy, Tina is reluctantly let in, takes one look at her sleeping son, then leaves. The term "anti-climactic" comes to mind.
Elsewhere in the world, John and Cass, Linc's ex-partner, are living together and taking trips to the boardwalk to record their day. John dances with Hare Krishnas and hugs a Mexican wrestler. Throughout the day, John tells Cass to "work here." She thinks he means the hotel room or Imperial Beach, but then he puts his hand to his chest. Does he want her to work in her heart? When it comes to decrypting John's messages, your guess is as good as anyone's. Regardless, Cass seems convinced that John is spiritual and connected to Shaun's resurrection and Mitch's levitation, so she keeps him around. Sadly, John refuses to float on command, putting him somewhere between a baby labradoodle and a chimpanzee in terms of ability.
Our minor characters are largely absent this episode. The hijinx of the Three Stooges (Attorney Dickstein, motel employee Ramon and effete lottery winner Barry) are missing completely, as is the recently retired doctor. Former police chief Bill tries to get some more instructions on what he should do from his bird Zippy, while Hawaiian drug dealer Freddie and his sidekick Palaka keep watch outside the motel for no reason. Last but not least, Vietnam Joe continues having war flashbacks thanks to healing John last episode.
At episode's end, Linc and Tina enjoy a drink in the hotel bar, with the possibility of extending their working relationship back to the bedroom, if you know what I mean (hint: she's a porn star and he's a soulless cretin). A pretty lackluster episode, except for DeMornay's over-the-top performance. Next week,hopefully we'll get some more magic.
-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of HBO)