Season-long plot developments are starting to reach fruition on House of Lies, as Marty (Don Cheadle) comes under siege on multiple fronts.
Marty's New Leaf
Marty gets serious about April (Megalyn Echikunwoke), challenging himself to abstain from having sex on the road, despite challenges. I'm not sure why April is willing to reward him with condom-free sex, though. Who knows how many STDs he's already contracted? Anyway, April, in turn, displays her seriousness about the relationship by looking after Roscoe (Donis Leonard, Jr.) and Jeremiah (Glynn Turman), who confides in her that he has Parksinson's. I don't quite understand how she won them over so quickly, though. She's smart, and seems nice enough, but she is a stripper recently charged with manslaughter in the death of a police officer.
Capitol Losses
The team travels to Novax Pharmaceuticals to help Brenda (Andrea Savage) (one of Marty's road lovers) pitch a marketing plan for an antidepressant that also treats acne in teens. Brenda is sexually demanding, and since Marty decided to save himself for April, he enlists a very unwilling Jeannie (Kristen Bell) to satisfy Brenda's sexual needs. Jeannie finds a way to deal, but she also uncovers some disturbing information from drug tests that Marty is reluctant to share with Matt, the pharma company's CEO (Tom Irwin), despite Jeannie's ethical stand. Marty ends up throwing Brenda under the bus to regain Matt's trust, and she promises to make him pay for it. Meanwhile, Monica (Dawn Olivieri) is also around, and trying to seduce Marty into some drug-assisted hate sex.
Doug and Clyde Slip 'n' Slide
In the 'B' (or maybe even 'C') storyline, Doug (Josh Lawson) uses Clyde's (Ben Schwartz) purportedly foolproof dead dog childhood anecdote in an effort to seduce Britney (Peyton List), a hotel clerk. Clyde makes his objections known by tackling Doug into a hotel fountain during his date. Here's the thing about Clyde, though: He's so clearly full of bull, it's hard to believe that his fake dead pets could fool even the most credulous young woman. At least the conflict between Doug and Clyde turned out to be about work, in the end. Because that shaggy dog story was really not worth fighting over.
House of Lies has been a reasonably engaging addition to the Showtime lineup so far. Don't you find it gets more interesting as Marty gets deeper into trouble?
Best Lines:
"When you get that itch, I want you to have a hot little scratcher."
--April lets Marty know that she's okay with him having sex on the road.
"I am not f___ing that sloppy Maryland housewife. That is so not in my job description."
--Jeannie is hesitant to fill in for Marty having sex with Brenda.
"White guys in handcuffs? That's not even supposed to happen."
--Marty chastises Doug and Clyde for their public fisticuffs.
"Is there anything that you won't do? Anything? Not a rhetorical question, girls. Is there a line you won't cross?"
--Jeannie questions the team's ethics.
"Marty, you wanna f___ me? Fine. You wanna f___ me over? That's gonna cost you. I wanna cut your d___ off, but I'll settle for your job."
--Brenda threatens to destroy Marty's career.
Recommendations:
