Spy×Family Season 2

Episode 36

It's Lusting After Loid Week on SPY x FAMILY! That means that the two halves of the episode focus first on Becky and then on Nightfall, both of whom harbor unrequited love for our favorite spy/feelings doctor. It's a bit of a mixed bag in large part because the Becky half has a lot more to work with. That comes down to circumstance (and source material): Becky's piece of the story has her showing up unannounced at the Forger home to try her wiles on her crush, while Nightfall's portion of the episode is largely concerned with her thinking of Twilight from afar. It makes sense, given their relative positions in the story, but it doesn't make for equally entertaining segments.

The strongest piece of Nightfall's half is the format. While she's out fulfilling a mission and training to be the best spy she can be, the images are juxtaposed with scenes we've already seen: Loid and Anya's “vacation” aboard the ship and at the resort. This makes for some pretty great images that remind us that no matter how strong Fiona is, Yor will always be stronger. Sure, Fiona can pull a bear on a pile of weights and surf on an alligator, but Yor can do all that, too, and move a tandem bike at speeds unachievable by most mere mortals. Fiona works hard, but Yor makes it look effortless and is adorable while she does it, and while I don't think cuteness and strength need to go together (or that one outweighs the other), all of Fiona's effort just makes her come off as someone who's trying too hard. But that doesn't make her training and Loid's “relaxation” any less entertaining of a juxtaposition.

Becky steals this week's show. The poor girl demonstrates the single-mindedness of a six-year-old who wants something while also showing that maybe said six-year-old is taking her favorite soap opera just a little too seriously without fully understanding it. I wouldn't say that she shouldn't be watching soaps, because I was her age in the era of Jem and the Holograms, and that was nothing if not a soap opera for kids. But it's clear that Becky doesn't understand what she's watching, and that comes across this week in scenes that are both cringey and very funny. She tries to pull out all the stops: taking down and tossing her hair like she's in a shampoo commercial, attempting alluring poses, and of course, pretending to get drunk on tea, all of which Berlint in Love assures her are moves that will get her her man. And when that doesn't work, imitating Yor's strength will surely do the trick!

The disconnect between what Becky thinks she's doing and what Loid perceives her as doing makes up part of the humor. As far as he's concerned, Anya's friend is utterly deranged, and he has no clue what's going on. Neither does Anya although when she reads Becky's mind (after she stops thinking in “code”) she's more or less on board with Becky's plans to be her new mom since it'll involve gourmet chefs. The entire fiasco is essentially one big series of misunderstandings, and if it isn't the funniest this show has been, it's still definitely enjoyable, even if Becky never did acknowledge poor Bond.

(But he should get his chance to shine next week, so hang tight until then, Bond fans!)

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Spy×Family is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.