Like the mom episode earlier in the season, there were parts that just fell flat. Frank’s luau-loving friends who hang out under a bridge were just too bizarre and I’m glad we only saw them in one scene.
I was surprised to see Frank fight so hard for the gang to throw Charlie a surprise birthday party. Dee, Dennis and Mac go along with it so that 1) they can prove they aren’t cynical and 2) Charlie can feel better (in that order). But even after they discover Frank was just using them to throw himself a party, the other three use the opportunity to give Charlie gifts and make him feel better. It was nice to see them be less selfish — even if they were selfish along the way.
And thanks to Charlie’s illiterate dream journal, we get to see what goes through his glue damaged brain, including denim chicken and a bird with teeth. The gang also made three very different guesses for what a “worm hat” could be — only to find out Charlie made up a silly German character named “Hans Wormhat.” I still like Dee’s version, which was a tiny hat meant to be worn by a worm if he wants to be fancy. The episode ended on a high note with the gang giving Charlie a brand new ratstick, made more humane by the new level of lethality (and the chain was a nice touch).
Maybe the best part of the episode was Charlie being introduced to 3D movies: “Did you see that? That came, like, right at you! Is this safe?”
Clacked by Katie Schenkel 
on Nov 19, 2010 @ 22:27 EST5EDT
