Second Look: Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Season 2, Episode 9 – “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford”

Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Season 2, Episode 9 “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford”
Written by Stevie Ray Fromstein (story), Vince Calandra & Barry Wernick (teleplay)
Directed by Ellen Gittelsohn
Aired November 18, 1998 on ABC

Before Ryan Reynolds became Deadpool (the second time), or his mostly unsuccessful run in action tentpole films (including his first portrayal of Deadpool), and even before my favorite Reynolds role (as Mmike in 2009’s Adventureland), Hollywood wanted to make Reynolds a rom-com star. The origins of this idea (which eventually manifested in films like Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, and The Proposal) can be traced back to season two of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, and specifically, “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford”, a 22-minute episode that condenses a two-hour rom-com into its most essential moments, almost a miniature examination of whether Reynold’s specific set of talents and charisma could apply to what was then one of the most popular genres of storytelling in American fiction, as Berg pursues Ashley across the Atlantic in an ill-fated attempt to win her heart.

The result is reflective of what Reynolds’ career would be for nearly two decades after Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place – it is fun, experimental, and leans squarely on Reynold’s strong presence to drive the pathos and comedy of its story, which sees Berg chasing Ashley down after they share a passionate kiss, right after Ashley tells Berg her boyfriend Justin is moving to Boston and she “owes it” to him to give their relationship a final chance. Where it is most reflective of Reynolds, however, is that those two elements are never perfectly in balance; the comedic part of “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford” is effortlessly delivered, a hilarious, dynamic performance that not only sees him interacting with his regular cast, but a bevy of incredible guest actors (a list that includes Bette Ford, Jane Carr, John Ennis, and Suzy Nakamura).

Problem is, when the story shifts into the more emotional, less explicitly expressive elements of his scenes with Ashley, Reynolds’s energetic performance never quite bridges the gap to the vulnerability and gravitas the script really requires (reflecting so many of his film roles of the era, where his natural charisma and wit often effectively overshadowed other elements of his performances) – which doesn’t completely negate the emotional leaps this episode takes, but certainly contributes to some of the muted impact they ultimately have, and ends up a rather emblematic experiment in how Reynolds, and the slightly detached portrayals of his characters of this era, were never a great match for romantic comedy.

Part of the reason “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford” feels a bit miscalibrated is how character-forward it is; though the episode features a lot of zany plot mechanics, it’s really rather straightforward: after Ashley and Berg share a kiss, Berg tries to follow her to Oxford University, where he assumes she’s gone to meet her boyfriend Justin (it’s not until later we learn she went to Oxford, Mississippi, rendering the whole trip a big farce anyway). Though Berg’s adventure covers thousands of dramatic miles, we don’t really see any of his difficulties traveling; we cut from Boston to Oxford, then circle right back to Oxford after Berg takes a long, unfortunate trip around the English countryside.

Though it tries to distract a bit by just being “busy”, “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford” is rather simple work narratively – which places a lot of burden on Berg, especially since the episode leaves Ashley off-screen for the entirety of the show’s second act. As a result of that, Reynolds is really on his own in terms of carrying the emotional tenor of the episode – and while he’s mostly able to embody the wistful, brash pursuit of infatuation when he’s able to bounce off Pete, Sharon, and Johnny (who are treating Berg’s journey like they’re watching a rom-com, which adds a nice, if weightless, meta undertone to the whole affair), it flails a bit when it leaves Berg in the room alone, or in front of Ashley, pleading his case why she should be with him over Justin.

It’s not easy material to land – and for a series that not a dozen episodes ago was about two young bros trying to bang their way around Boston, it is remarkable how it almost pulls off the jarring shift of Berg becoming someone who carries dozens of roses, wears suits and does a quasi-Say Anything impression while waiting for Ashley to grace him with her presence. From the heavy use of exterior shots, to its extreme focus on Berg and its marked shift in tone, the entire episode’s language feels a bit all over the place; and ultimately, it’s just a bit too much to put on the young Reynolds’s shoulders, and isn’t quite able to find the emotional depth and honesty I think comes through in Stevie Ray Fromstein’s story (but may have been lost in translation somewhere with Vince Calandra & Barry Wernick’s adaptation of the story into a teleplay).

That’s not to say its a bad episode; it’s another solid attempt of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place trying on a new identity, shifting genres yet again as it continues to embody the growing experimental tone deep within its standard sitcom formula. “Two Guys, a Girl and Oxford” does a great job of pushing the Ashley/Berg narrative forward, something it easily could’ve repetitively engaged with for another dozen episodes before making an episode like this the season finale. In that way, I appreciate what “Oxford” is trying to do, throwing caution to the wind as it continues to change shape and voice, becoming less and less like the acerbic, superficial comedy of its earliest episodes, instead aiming for something a little more layered, a little more emotionally grounded (well, except for the subplot where Pete drives around bored WASPs for fun – that’s just good, silly comedy right there).

Transformations like that are never easy, and though Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place is certainly feeling its growing pains as it tests the limitations of its characters and performers, the result is a more engaging, complex series that continues to surprise, even if it doesn’t always ascend to its own ambitions.

Grade: B-

Other thoughts/observations:

• I LOVE the opening bit, where Berg sits through Pete’s speech about borrowing $10, only for Berg to remind him it’s time for him to start paying back the $42,000 in student loans he owes.
  
• Johnny and Sharon are already enjoying some weird sex play: “Tonight you wear the corsage and I’ll be the driver,” she tells him.
  
• Pete doesn’t think men and women can be friends without having sex… let’s just put a pin in that thought for later this season.
  
• It’s so goofy to have Berg do the “here, I’m going to name three random traits about you to show you I’m paying attention and I care” trope – it is a silly cliche of its time, but there’s a certain endearing nostalgia to hearing it for the first time in a long time.
  
• Berg makes a great point to Ashley that makes a lot of sense when you’re 25: “How can he be away from you for five months… when I can’t be away from you for five minutes.”
  
• It’s weird to think Ashley has more romantic skeletons in the closet we won’t even address until season three.
  
• There is an interesting question raised of whether Berg wants Ashley solely because he can’t have her, but it’s one Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place acknowledges rather than engages with, lest it threaten their attempt to soften and endear Berg to the audience.
  
• “Wendy? Is that like British for Ashley, like condom is hat?” Reynolds and Jane Carr do have some wonderful chemistry – and it’s good to see Carr again, after her cameo in “The One with Ross’s Wedding”.
  
• Up next: A surprise visitor arrives for a Two Guys and a Girl holiday in “Two Guys, a Girl and Thanksgiving.”