“Perfect House”

“Do you even know I’m a woman?”

I was sad to see Perfect Couples depart from the airwaves after only one season, as it was that rare show with a clearly stated premise that actually followed through on that premise.  Here were three “perfect” couples: obviously they weren’t actually perfect, but the general openness about the problems in their relationships (whether that openness came from themselves or one of the members of the other couples) made them about as perfect as they could possibly be in this modern world.  The standout pair on the show was Hayes MacArthur and Olivia Munn as Rex and Leigh, the husband and wife who have read every piece of relationship advice and who both actually seem to follow it all.  Olivia Munn can pull off that rare awesome trifecta of being sexy, funny, and actually seeming like a real person, so it was an engaging change of pace to see her miserably flailing about at tennis and at dealing with the jealousy over the sports-bred camaraderie Rex shares with his sister Julia.  Rex and Leigh are like the couple who have everything, partly because of the attitude they share of a desire to be number one at everything.  A couple like that needs to be knocked down a peg, but it was heartening to see that being knocked down did essentially no harm to their relationship.  “Perfect House” was also notable for its very real take on “Telling Stories,” featuring these choice quotes:

Julia: “You mean the black guy?”
Dave: “Oh, uh, ye-, black.”
Julia: “Bravo, Dave, so enlightened.  You mean you didn’t even notice?  Woo!  Get a new dream, Martin Luther King.  This one just came true.”

Vance: “Okay, that detail doesn’t matter, will you just get to the end? … What is pertinent, like, I can’t follow the thread.”

Leigh: “I’m sorry.  Are we boring you?
Rex: “Like the story about your kid’s play was so riveting.  At least we’re trying.”

Julia: “What is that movie I love so much?  Men in- unh, what is that word?  It has that actor, Will Smith, you know, the tall guy.”
Dave: “You know what, excuse me for being sensitive.”
Julia: “No, Dave, I am in awe.  I mean, where does it stop?  Do you see gender?  Do you even know I’m a woman?
Dave: “I’m walking the dog.”
Julia: “Well, he is a dog?” (Dave: “Bye-bye.”) “Or he is just a horizontal life-force?”

Next up: 30 Rock