The Naked Living Room

Coupling Episode Review

In which brains are over-rated.

What Happened

Oliver goes shopping and runs into Jane. There ensues an awkward conversation regarding toilet rolls. When she spots him being nice to the shop ladies, however, Jane is charmed and agrees to get a coffee. It takes a bit, but she eventually realizes that he meant they should go to coffee together. They have a nice conversation and bond a bit - until Jane invites herself up to his flat on a whim.

Oliver later admits to Steve and Patrick that the real problem is that he'd given up on human contact after Tamsin left.

He'd stopped hiding his porn.

Hoping she'll make a cup of tea, he shows her to the kitchen and scurries into the living room. Not finding the tea bags, Jane walks in and finds him cleaning up the dirty magazines. Jane makes a big deal about not being shocked. She is bisexual, after all. Oliver doesn't buy it. When he calls her on her need for attention, Jane rewards his honesty by taking her clothes off for him. Are you free on Tuesday? she asks.

But this is Tuesday, Steve comments.

As Oliver heads off, Steve picks up on a conversational clue indicating that Patrick had slept with Jane. Susan calls and Steve burbles the news about Patrick and Jane into the phone, where it is overheard by Sally. Patrick and Sally each go rushing off, while Susan explains to Steve that she doesn't want to interrupt the drama, but she's kind of gone into labor here.

What We Learned

• Oliver is not some kind of a crazed toilet roll supporter.
• No plants have brains. Yet they have their own wisdom.
• A woman with her clothes on has negotiating power. We have what they want and we have to sit on it.
• It's getting so a person can't be a slut anymore.
• There really isn't a plot to work out here. There's just general bending.
• Tea isn't compatible with porn.
• It's been ages since Oliver had sex. It's probably changed completely by now.

Best Lines

Oliver: "Please, leave me here to die. Save yourself."

What Did I Think?

Oliver is adorable and his interactions with Jane are very fun.