Girlfriends & The Game 3.19.07

We're back! Last night we finally had new episodes of Girlfriends and The Game.

First up, Girlfriends:

• I'm disappointed by the lack of face time for Richard T. Jones. I know I've seen him as a guest-star on other shows recently, but he needs to come back here to grace us with his presence. I want to see more of him and hear less of Joan talking about him.

• I found it funny that the "heffer-tuplets" (Joan, Lynn and Maya) failed to notice that William had stopped talking to them a month ago. Classic passive-aggressive William. He needs to worry less about them and get busy trying to win Monica back. I have a feeling their marriage cannot be saved, but I think that outcome depends on whether or not the show is coming back.

• Lynn...Lynn...Lynn...you poor, confused and misguided soul. On one hand I applauded her for standing her ground and realizing she can't compromise herself for a relationship, but she had no business flaunting herself and doing the "ho-stroll" through the pulpit. I think that deep down she figured that by showing a little skin, Eldon would eventually come around and jump back into her (sofa-)bed. Eldon playing hard-to-get was a turn-on for her. And then Lynn shows up as the end like a repentant misbehaving Catholic school girl, and they decide to work it out?!? I don't like it. And this is a problem I have with men in general: if Eldon knew that he still had feelings for Lynn, why did he even entertain the notion of dating Tracey? Unfortunately, she's the one who's going to get hurt, as we saw from the look on her face when she walked up on Lynn and Eldon kissing.

My three favorite moments from last night:

• William: "How do you tell someone you're not talking to them that you're not talking to them?"

• Tracey: "Come on Eldon, let's go. You know how Chili's gets crowded after Bible Study."

• Lynn, after being caught trying to pass off a Thesaurus as a Bible: "I'm just looking for the Word."

And I though the ending with Joan and William was really cute, as the floodgates opened on all the gossip he'd been holding in for the past month. It totally reminded me of my relationship with my best guy friend. We may not speak for a month at a time, but when we do, it's like a marathon session catching each other up.

The Game

• Faune Chambers was wonderful last night. Did anyone else recognize her as the surprised and disgruntled wife from the McDonald's Snack Wrap commercial who walks into a sports-themed home Extreme Makeover:
Her: I hope you like what they did with the dog house.
He: But we don't have a dog.
I hope she comes back again, because she's was off the hook funny last night, especially when she seemingly had no clue who Melanie was nor her name despite the fact that she gave Mel "mono."

• Let's take Karen and Jevon's situation out of context for a second: What if he weren't an athlete, they broke up, and yes, he kicked her out the house. Perhaps I'm naive and have yet (knock on wood) to experience such a traumatic breakup, but why should she get a "package"? The silver parachute package included a new apartment, new wardrobe and a Gucci carry-on. The blue package, which Karen ultimately "won" was a one-way plane ticket back to her mama's house. Is that for real? I'm going to ask around to find out if this is common practice among the wives to finance a wife/girlfriend who is put out on her tail. Perhaps, since most of these women are like a fish out of water in any given city, away from family and friends, so the other wives and girlfriends become their makeshift family.

• Derwin and Melanie have some serious issues. I still can't figure out #1 Why they're even together? and #2 What they have in common? Melanie wants the benefits of marriage without making the vows. While his indiscretions with Drew Sidora weren't discussed last night (another case where I feel that this show is filmed out of order and lacks continuity), Melanie is really walking on thin ice with Derwin. And she knows it. Tasha and Kelly are doing their best to school her ("relationships are a business"), but Melanie feels like her love is enough. I know we'd all like to believe that is true, but in the world of professional sports, the stakes are higher. It's clear to me that Jevon and Karen's little melodrama was a wake-up call to Melanie of would could happen to her.

• So Melanie is going to medical school on the "Derwin Davis Scholarship." Derwin is certainly a nice guy, because any other man in his position could certainly pull the rug from under her. Since Melanie seemingly chose school over his marriage proposal, he could have easily put a stop payment on that next check to the Registrar's office. It's clear that Melanie's parents cut her off financially when she decided to move West with Derwin, and isn't it also interesting that Karen gave up the Culinary Institute in Miami to come to San Diego to be with Jevon?!?

• Maybe I'm the exception to the rule, but I don't want to be on any man's checking account, especially if we're just dating. Why? Shouldn't you have your own money and accounts to rely on? I know so many women who have dated high-profile men who've bought them expensive cars and when the relationship is over, guess who has to give the car back? Exactly! That's why these men feel like they hold the reigns to power - at any moment that could kick you out with no money, no car, and no place to go. But women need to provide their own safety net and come into the relationship with their own thing going on. I'm sure athletes, who are already skeptical of "gold-diggers," or any man, would appreciate it.

Almost every moment of this show is hilarious, but here were my faves:

• Kelly, explaining to Melanie the urgency of Karen's dilemma: "Jevon threw her out with nothing. He wouldn't even let her grab her contact lenses, so she's crying through her natural eye color."

• Melanie tells Derwin about Kelly's 3am wake-up call:
Derwin: "What was that all about?"
Melanie: "I just agreed to let a girl sleep here tonight."
Derwin: "So it's OK when Kelly asks?"

• Karen: "Here I am crashing on the faux leather sofa of a stranger."

•Karen: "He cut up all my credit cards and the Michael Kors trunk sale is tomorrow. It's only small sizes."
Melanie: "I'm a 2."
Karen: "I know."

• Karen, after Melanie tells her she gave up Johns Hopkins for Derwin: "What team does he play on?"

• Kelly: "Anyone want a refill before the meeting starts?" and then proceeds to drain the wine bottle into her own glass.

• Kelly (or was it Jason?): "All she has are the clothes on her back and the thong she rode in on."

Next week are more brand-new episodes. On Girlfriends, Joan, Lynn and Maya travel to Chicago to try to convince Monica to come back to William. And Kelly faces some stiff competition for Sunbeam president on The Game.