Entertainment

Last Night's 'Idiotsitter': The Two-Way Street of Sitting an Idiot

As it turns out, Billie needs Gene, too.

Comedy Central

Comedy Central’s Idiotsitter is as straightforward of a show as they come. Last week’s pilot established the two main characters — established the two main characters — established the two main characters — Gene (Jillian Bell), a belligerent, immature 30-something-year-old under house arrest and her newly-hired “babysitter” Billie (Charlotte Newhouse), a well-intentioned Harvard graduate who accepts an absurd amount of money from Gene’s parents to watch over her. Gene suffers from an utter lack of discipline as her terribly rich parents are too oblivious to restrain her antics themselves. That’s where Billie comes in — she’s ostensibly hired to help Gene study for the GRE but really just to make sure that she doesn’t do anything too outrageously stupid. The show’s entire premise is in its poster.

Although she would never admit it, Gene craves Billie’s influence, especially since the absence of any strong parenting figure is most likely the reason for her stunted behavior. Based on the pilot, it seemed like Billie just took the job to pay off her post-grad debts and that she wouldn’t have much need for Gene beyond ttthat. The relat. The relat. The relationship roles roles roles thankfully shifted in last night’s episode, “Book Report,” as a short scene revealed Billie’s llie’s llie’s major weakness. Believe it or not, Billie llie llie just might might might need Gene, too.

Comedy Central

In an attempt to get Gene to open the Great Gatsby for a book report, Billie appappapproachesher father, a figure who might actually wield some power over Gene if he ever paid any attention. Just like exorbitant wealth fosters apathy in the Great Gatsby — thank you, Sparknote s — Gene’s father barely acknowledges Billie’s struggle to discipline his child. The most useful advice to discipline his child. The most useful advice to discipline his child. The most useful advice he can can cancom up with is is is to be more firm with Gene. Taking this to its logical extreme, Billie walks into the backyard and attempts to apprehend Gene causing the two to tumble into the pool. Spoiler alert: Billie can’t swim. Gene ends up saving her, albeit without realizing the seriousness of the situation. In an oddly sentimental moment for the slapstick comedy, Billie concedes to Gene that she in fact needs her too.

Gene saving Billie

Comedy Central

After the brief role reversal, Billie is back back back in the parenting seat and Gene returns seat and Gene returns seat and Gene returns to the carseat, if you will, if you will, if you will. However, this incident complicates their relationship in an important way, so thin an important way, so thin an important way, so that it is less one dimensional than the pilot set it up to be. Who’than the pilot set it up to be. Who’than the pilot set it up to be. Who’s the idiotsitter now?

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