Before Greg (Jon Gries) bids his wife an early farewell in the third episode, he vows to give her a dream day, so she can live whatever Italian fantasy she desires. And so we get the Peppa Pig debacle. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) tries to channel ’60s Italian movie star Monica Vitti: gorgeous gown, handsome man, Vespa ride, and all. She wants them to be chic, happy, and beautiful. But the picture-perfect happiness she aspires to is far from their reality. No amount of pretending can change their unhappiness or the fact that Greg still departs the next day.
So Tanya seeks out a new Italian fantasy elsewhere, befriending the wealthy, gay, English ex-pat Quentin, who has an eye for beauty and extravagance. Finally, a Sicilian fantasy, with no miserable husband in tow! But there are cracks in this one too. The first comes when she catches Quentin having sex with his “nephew” Jack. The next is a picture of Greg on Quentin’s bedside table, hinting that Tanya’s husband is the cowboy he monologued about being in love with.
Obviously, the biggest question this begs is why is everyone in love with Greg, the world’s blandest man? But that kind of existential query is beyond my abilities, so let’s instead turn our attention to the potential murder plot that’s afoot. Is Quentin the person that Greg was mysteriously chatting with on the phone? Is he trying to get Greg out of his prenup by encouraging Tanya to cheat on him? Are they going to murder her and run away with the money?
One thing’s for sure: Tanya has not met a new bestie. This is not the dream situation she assumed it to be. It’s a twisted fantasy and with one episode to go, she doesn’t have much time left to suss that out.
