Start to finish, everything that happens in the second episode of Crashing is awkward.

Kate’s become so jealous of Lulu (writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge) that not only does she offer her a job but buys a hat just like Lulu’s. Even her attempts to be cool in front of her with the office flirt Johnny (newcomer Alex Large) smack of desperation.

Kate’s desperate, as Anthony (Damien Molony) continues to slip away from her – but honestly after the final scene where Anthony only tries it on with Kate because he can hear Lulu having extremely loud sex in the other room it’s hard to know why she wants to keep him at all.

Melody’s very taken with Colin. What should read as odd somehow really works. Colin needs a change, if only to stop him suddenly bursting into tears at his desk. At Anthony’s cutlery-less restaurant Melody tells him what she wants in her usual brusque way and the chance for Colin to escape living with his ex-wife and her lover could have some fun outcomes.

The hospital is now falling apart around the property guardians, resulting in Kate’s outburst at being expected to fix everything. This reinforces the idea that she’s the only adult there. Sam and Fred later fixing shelves is a kind gesture and an acknowledgement that she’s the glue (and sometimes the hammer and nails) that holds the whole thing together – and being that responsible is hard.

The Sam and Fred bromance is still in full swing, and Sam’s storming into Fred’s big pitch to whisk him away on a grand day out is like two kids playing hooky from school, complete with ice cream and trying to outdo one another’s crazy stories. (How do you kill a fox with a tennis racket by the way?)

But the light-hearted scene flips as they approach the pond and Sam’s family scattering his dad’s ashes. His badgering of Fred to come have fun had an ulterior motive; endearingly he needed him there for this big moment. The scene has impact, making clear whatever was forged at the party is meaningful.

Stand-out highlight of Episode 2 is Melody watching Colin with his suitcase outside deciding if he will or won’t move in, begging to herself he does. The sweetness of her hoping is cut short when she goes out there and chases him around Benny Hill style before grabbing his suitcase, but it’s a laugh out loud relief when she does that. Colin needs Melody, he just doesn’t realise it yet.

So this week’s ep had ups, downs, and a lot of cringes. But it brought together Melody and Colin, who are supremely watchable and also explored the Sam/Fred relationship more. Whether or not Sam saying the two of them will never happen is true remains to be seen, the big smirk to himself casts some doubt. These couples are the most entertaining of the show, so long may they continue.

More Colin and Melody next week please!

Aired on Monday 18 January 2016 on Channel 4.

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