Home » TV & Streaming » KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF Recap: (S02E02) The Way We Were

Posted by Melody McCune | Aug 29, 2022 | All the Rest, Recaps, TV & Streaming | 0

DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Kevin Can F**k Himself episode “The Way We Were” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril. 

Welcome back, jaded sitcom spouses! Kevin Can F**k Himself returns to our screens for another hour of darkly comedic escapism. “The Way We Were” hones in on the dynamics between these characters, namely Neil in relation to Allison, Patty and Kevin. Patty somewhat addresses her intimacy issues, referring to them as “baggage.” It’s not completely specific, but it’s a start. 

Ready to delve into “The Way We Were”? Let’s get to it. 

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We open with Neil (Alex Bonifer) lying unconscious in his hospital bed while Allison (Annie Murphy) calls out his name. Allison informs him of his attempt to murder Kevin by hiring Nick to shoot the former in his sleep. Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden) corroborates Allison’s statement. Neil denies it, while Patty reminds her brother that he knows Nick. Plus, he has priors. Neil might think he “owns” Allison, but who’s really doing the owning here? (Insert mic drop GIF.)

Next, Patty doubts if their joint intimidation methods will keep Neil quiet. Allison offers to explain her “longer-term solution” over doughnuts (a doughnut), but Patty insists she wants nothing to do with whatever Allison has up her sleeve. She’s out.

Alex Bonifer as Neil O’Connor, Mary Hollis Inboden as Patty O’Connor and Candice Coke as Detective Tammy Ridgeway – Kevin Can F**k Himself _ Season 2, Episode 2, “The Way We Were” – Photo Credit: Robert Clark/Stalwart Productions/AMC

Later, Allison takes her Aunt D (Jamie Denbo) to meet with Billy Terrell (Tommy Buck), a private investigator. D explains she learned about her husband Chuck cheating on her with a neighbor, but she’s unsure if she wants to leave him. Billy picks up on Allison’s not-so-subtle sniffing, so he asks her to pay a retainer upfront if she wants to enlist his services.

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Meanwhile, Patty returns home from the hospital, determined to take a catnap before retrieving Neil from the hospital. However, Tammy (Candice Coke) knocks on her door, informing Patty that her electricity is out. Obviously, this isn’t a good thing in the dead of winter. Patty invites her inside without explaining her trip to the hospital with Neil. 

Allison tries to get her old job back at D’s liquor store, but the latter reveals she hired someone else to fill the void left by Allison’s abrupt quitting. D suggests Allison pawn some valuable household items as she plans to do with Chuck’s belongings. 

Patty tries to surreptitiously clean her living room, including disposing of the book where she keeps her illegally obtained cash from her questionable salon. That’s what happens when you date a detective. Tammy spots Neil outside, so Patty flees to her brother’s side. Neil boasts a new hairdo along with a nasty set of stitches on his head. He tells his sister the hospital discharged him earlier than expected. 

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Tammy joins the pair outside, and Neil explains he received the stitches from passing out via food poisoning and smacking his head. Allison arrives on the scene, and everything gets exponentially more awkward, especially considering the detective is the only person not “in the know” in that group. That said, it’s brilliantly performed by all, and you can feel the tension on a visceral level. 

Annie Murphy as Allison and Eric Petersen as Kevin – Kevin Can F**k Himself _ Season 2, Episode 2, “The Way We Were” – Photo Credit: Robert Clark/Stalwart Productions/AMC

Neil heads inside the McRoberts’ home and grabs a beer from the fridge. We see blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snaps of Neil choking Allison and Patty cracking a bottle over his head. It’s abundantly clear that the effects of that day affect Neil in more ways than one. 

Kevin (Eric Petersen) bursts into the kitchen, instantly painting the space in bright sitcom colors. He pokes fun at Neil’s new haircut, even though the latter explains it was for medical reasons. Kevin explains he’s a local celebrity now, so he’s in dire need of an assistant. He offers the job to Neil, which Neil accepts eagerly. 

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Meanwhile, Allison and Aunt D rummage through Chuck’s storage locker for something Allison can hock at a pawnshop. She finds her grandmother’s pearl necklace and a Wade Boggs rookie card belonging to Kevin. Suddenly, Neil appears on a mission for Kevin, so D distracts him while Allison flees. 

Next, Patty and Tammy eat Chinese food together for dinner, and Tammy vents about the current case on which she’s working. While investigating Nick, who Allison and Patty hired to kill Kevin, Tammy found an unusual pill bottle not originating from the town’s pharmacy. Patty, deciding to forgo quitting smoking, heads outside to breathe after that reveal. 

Later, Allison finds Kevin in the kitchen prepping for an interview with the Worcester newspaper. The “Wild Dude” might take the world by storm — he also might be a flash in the pan. Who knows? Kevin asks Allison to tell the interviewer she’s his cousin because it looks better for his brand if he’s single.

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Then, Allison returns to the diner to chat with Sam (Raymond Lee) after their argument in the Season 1 finale. You know, when Sam asks Allison to be with him and she rejects him. Sam believes she’s asking about her job, and Allison discovers at that moment that she was fired. Sam tells her that they can’t work together. So, Allison inquires about his uncle’s pawnshop, to which Sam responds that his uncle passed away. Murphy really kills it with the comedic timing here. 

Eric Petersen as Kevin – Kevin Can F**k Himself _ Season 2, Episode 2, “The Way We Were” – Photo Credit: Robert Clark/Stalwart Productions/AMC

Meanwhile, Patty finds Neil destroying his bedroom while searching for Kevin’s hat. Neil is in the throes of emotional turbulence — an unprecedented moment for this character. Patty tries to comfort her brother, even though she’s the reason for his pain. Neil orders her to leave. 

Later, Allison and D visit a pawnshop. Apparently, the owner loves him some Aunt D, so Allison gets an almost fair price for the Wade Boggs rookie card. That is until she learns it was stolen. Well, Kevin stole it. Unfortunately, he must seize it and give Allison nothing in return. Damn you, Kevin!

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Then, we see Kevin getting interviewed by Kelly (Abbey McBride), the Worcester reporter. Neil arrives sans hat, but he does boast the hot sauce samples for which Kevin asked. What transpires next is a moment of pure aughts slapstick antics, with Kevin trying the hottest sauce on the block, inadvertently smearing it in his eyes, Neil tripping with the tray of sauces and Kevin pouring milk on his face. It’s hilarious, considering how loathsome Kevin is. 

Patty enters her house to find Tammy departing, and she tries to persuade her girlfriend to stay. Unfortunately, Patty’s inability to open up and be honest with Tammy culminates in the latter leaving. Allison meets Kelly outside the McRoberts house, and she reveals she’s married to Kevin despite Kevin’s wishes. Kelly reminds Allison that she had the best chance of leaving Worcester. Perhaps she’s not as trapped as she thinks she is.

Annie Murphy as Allison, Alex Bonifer as Neil O’Connor, Mary Hollis Inboden as Patty O’Connor and Candice Coke as Detective Tammy Ridgeway – Kevin Can F**k Himself _ Season 2, Episode 2, “The Way We Were” – Photo Credit: Robert Clark/Stalwart Productions/AMC

This discussion with Kelly prompts Allison to ask Patty for help (again). But first, Patty visits Tammy at the wake of her police partner, Bram. You might remember him from last season, notably when he and Tammy questioned Allison in the penultimate episode. Patty confesses she has baggage she’s working on — internal wounds in need of healing. She still wants to be with Tammy. Tammy accepts Patty’s apology, and the pair have a bit of a makeout session at a wake. Who says you can’t snog at somber events? 

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Next, Kevin, Neil and Pete (Brian Howe) have celebratory beers together. Kevin believes the interview was a smashing success. Neil seems to unravel, especially after informing Kevin about Allison trying to kill him. Of course, Kevin blows it off, claiming that all marriages are death sentences. Allison arrives home before going to “hang out” with Patty. When Kevin and Pete joke about Patty living with her “lady cop,” Allison and Neil simultaneously come to her defense. 

Later, Patty insists on this being the last time she assists Allison with her schemes. While walking to an undisclosed location (a parking lot at night), Patty learns that Allison listens to her. We witness a similar moment when Tammy urges Patty not to consume one takeout dish because it has cashews, and Patty hates those. See, Patty, the people who love you, listen to you!

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Finally, our dynamic duo meets with Billy Terrell. Billy reveals he’s sleeping with one eye open ever since Chuck, D’s husband, smashed in the windows of his car. Aunt D left a note saying she’s bound for South Carolina, so Chuck took revenge against Billy. 

Annie Murphy as Allison and Jamie Denbo as Aunt D – Kevin Can F**k Himself _ Season 2, Episode 2, “The Way We Were” – Photo Credit: Robert Clark/Stalwart Productions/AMC

Allison tells Billy she has his retainer fee and a plan in mind. He might not know what that is yet, but we do — Allison McRoberts plans to fake her death. 

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“The Way We Were” gives Alex Bonifer a chance to shine as Neil. This episode marks the first time we see how the muted, gloomy tones of the “real world” affect Neil in Kevin’s vividly colorful sitcom bubble. He loses luster and vitality in his first scene with Kevin since last season. Bonifer infuses Neil with nuance and humanity we haven’t seen before. I’m glad the series is fleshing him out beyond the sitcom sidekick role he had in Season 1. 

I’m curious whether we’ll see Neil become Team Allison given how Kevin treats him. This time, Neil seems to have more awareness, as if he received a dose of reality outside Kevin’s bloated, cotton candy sitcom world. On another note, I wonder how long Patty’s involvement in her dirty doings with Allison will stay under Tammy’s radar. You can already see the effort at maintaining a façade around Tammy is fraying at the edges. And now Neil knows everything, leaving Patty in a precarious position. 

Overall, “The Way We Were” is a profound character study in relationships, self-worth (especially for Patty and Neil) and empowerment. The performances are magnetic and immersive, drawing you into this world of deceit and subverted sitcom tropes. While it’s not particularly action or plot-heavy, you can see the series planting the seeds for what’s sure to be some explosive final episodes. 

Kevin Can F**k Himself drops new episodes every Monday at 9 pm EST on AMC and AMC Plus. 

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Contact: Melody.McCune@geekgirlauthority.comWhat I do: I'm Managing Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, inkMend on Medium. I love cheese. I love geek. I love lamp.

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