AE reader Jessica tipped us off to a lesbian story line in this week’s episode of the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?.
The half-hour comedy stars Christina Applegate as the victim of a hit-and-run accident who wakes up from an eight-day coma with retrograde amnesia, and as she slowly regains her memories, discovers she was basically a big bitch to everyone, and tries to make amends. Her best friends are played by Andrea (Jennifer Esposito) and Dena, aka Sookie from Gilmore Girls (Melissa McCarthy).
In the episode that aired tonight (2.3 “The Pill”), a cute coffee-house guy mistakes Andrea and Dena for a couple. Dena teases Andrea about being uptight about it, Andrea insists she isn’t – that she can get any woman she wants, including “Hot Lesbian Carol From Payroll” (or “Carol” for short), etc. Watch the scene here: If you’ve ever watched any sitcom on U.S. television, you know what’s coming: ultra-straight Andrea sets out to prove to Dena she can “get” Carol, even though she doesn’t actually want her, first by trying to seduce Carol in the elevator at work with cheesy lines and cleavage… …and then by adopting a hot, bookish Tina Fey look (have even straight people figured out how much lesbians love Tina?).
Neither attempt works – Carol not only rejects Andrea’s advances, but threatens to report her to HR after Andrea tries to kiss her just to show off for Dena (Carol only agrees to let it go when Dena intervenes, because Carol likes Dena).
A dejected Andrea is left mystified at why Carol didn’t fall all over her the way men usually do, and Dena, who gets all the best lines, tries to reassure her:
ANDREA: Why is she not attracted to me? I think she’s stupid. I hate her! DENA: Maybe’s she not into looks. Maybe she dislikes you for who you are.Also amusing? Dena’s back-handed compliment to Andrea that she is “very, very pretty on the outside,” after explaining that “life has a way of evening things out, and pretty on the outside doesn’t usually get to be pretty on the inside.”
The writers score no originality points for this episode, but they do get some funny points.
The actress who played Carol is Rachel Cannon, and she did a good job living up to the her Hot Lesbian From Payroll reputation. But I kept getting distracted by how much she looks like Jennie Garth! Check out these headshots of Rachel: See what I mean? (Although there is a debate on IMDb about whether she looks more like Jennie Garth, Mary Stuart Masterson, or Carrie Underwood. You decide.)
Lest you think this is the last we’ve seen of Carol on Samantha Who?, according to IMDb she is supposed to make another appearance in episode 2.5, airing in two weeks. What a coincidence – that’s right in the middle of November sweeps! (Good thing I’m not cynical.)
Did anyone else catch the episode? Let me know your take in the comments. (American readers can watch the episode online now at ABC.com).
