By WorldofHiglet
After the bombshell cliff-hanger of last week, the underlying tension of the whole season ramps up even more. Codex finds herself drawn into conflict in the workplace and out: the boss, the slacker, the friendzone and his mother. And Vork. Plus the ladies that lunch. Yes, it’s another action-packed episode….
Codex is as highly-strung as she was at the end of Season 3 when she did that amazing hamster impression with the +5 Triscuit. Ollie is stalking her every move and it’s made her as jumpy as a scallop with syphilis. Her online pimping of Cheesybeards has yet to yield bums on seats and she can’t stall him forever. Who knew that being able to surf at work would cause so much stress?
When a hook appears by her side, Codex launches into a triple scream that would put Flanders to shame. Bladezz is pirating it up, for which he earns a well-aimed shove in the face.
Codex’ problems pale next to Zaboo’s. His mum has breached the perimeter and is inside the DMZ* apparently attempting a DoS* attack. Vork ignores Mama Z while she gets to grips with her son. Zaboo tussles with her in a bid for freedom, but Mama Z is not there to fight. No. Since Zaboo texted her it must mean that he wants to spend time with her on her birthday and go out to dinner. Zaboo is not going to be fooled again: “…so you can drug me and then stuff me into a trunk. Just like when you kidnapped me from science camp. They were not going clone me!”
Mama Z is nothing if not cunning, and immediately switches tack and compliments him on the fishtail braid. Zaboo falls for it for a moment and then realizes he’s letting his guard down and snaps out of it, starting another round of pleading from his mum.
Meanwhile the coast is clear and Codex manages to sneak back online and into the fray. As she connects to Vork she is puzzled: “..are you watching a Bollywood film?” Vork shares the good news about Mama Z and then launches into Hindi to tell Zaboo and his mum to be quiet. Because, you know, he can speak Hindi. And every other language.
Clara fills Codex in and then is distracted by Wigley: “Honey! Your, er, angry Asian friend is here.”
Vork has plans for Codex. He wants to make money off her by selling her charms. Surprisingly she’s not to keen on that so he goes to plan B. They will re-enact scenes from Dynasty. As Codex is building her case about how incredibly wrong that idea is, Ollie appears. She’s been rumbled!
Years of dissembling come in handy, though, and she slickly pretends she is talking to a potential client. Bladezz wonders in with the cheery news that the rat traps have been emptied and the vomit-inducing question of whether to turn them into tomorrow’s special. Ollie issues a hearty laugh and Bladezz ‘accidentally’ unplugs the headphone jack so that at that Ollie can hear Vork.
More dissembling is needed but Bladezz isn’t finished yet. Ollie is suspicious: “There’s an empty galley out there, Sherman! Is this project ever going put into port?” Bladezz is only too happy to tell Ollie how badly it’s going until Codex drags him to one side to try and get him to make a deal.
Back at chez Clara, Wigley is trying his best under difficult circumstances. His Mission Impossible is made even more impossible by the fact that Tink refuses to answer any questions – in fact when Wigley innocently asks whether Tink is her real name she ups and makes to leave. Poor guy. Between Tink’s stroppy ‘tude and Clara’s mania it’s a wonder he doesn’t just up and leave, himself. Somehow Clara manages to imagine that her and Tink saying random things to Wigley means that there is a plan and she runs off to make some business cards.
Back at Cheesybeards Codex has found the ideal way to distract Ollie – showing him dog videos on the Internet! And she has a plan that will get her and Bladezz off the hook. As it were. They are going to make a commercial for Cheesybeards and unleash it onto the Interweb – starring none other than Finn Smulders. A chance for Bladezz to escape the bunghole [insert favourite Beavis and Butthead reference here] at last! Ollie loves the idea, but wants to see more dog videos…
Back in the shed and Zaboo is giving his mum the cold shoulder while he games. Vork points out that Zaboo is failing in the woman-code department which prompts him to agree to go to dinner with his mum – but only if his friends can come. After a little awkwardness over who is paying, Mama Z agrees she will pay – at which point Vork glavanises into action and dons his jacket and tie with Ninja-speed.
Codex has managed to get the computer back from Ollie just in time to be invited to go to dinner. When she tried to get out of it by saying she has a date with Fawkes Zaboo invites him, too. She can’t get out of going, so turns up explaining that Fawkes couldn’t make it – and it was a funny story, so funny she wrote it on her hand – because…enter Fawkes, in the flesh. “What’s a funny story, kissyface?”
The episode’s final line goes to Vork: “More bread, please!”
There were so many excellent performances this week that it’s very hard to pick favourites out. So I cheated and asked other people what they like the best and here are some Twitter replies:
Vork putting the rolls in his briefcase. I was an extra on that scene and it was even funnier in person! #TheGuild
Most of all though the set-up for this intriguing dinner. Fawkes & Zaboo & Zaboo’s Mom & Vork looting the dough! #woot
Tink being so “Tink”, Codex’s triple-scream, Vork being a cunning linguist #thatcantberight
love vork saying he knows all Lang. Q. Is that all Game Languages or all earth? Also his quick suit up
also Fawkes dating is closed but nothing said about mawwage (PB). Will she paint herself into corner?
“Weird Respawn” Guild ep6 http://bit.ly/theguild406 Vork putting the suit on! Laughed so hard nearly passed out #theguild
Vork tossing on his jacket, cinching up his tie and standing up all in one motion was awesome. #soeconomicalineverything
Also wonder how Fawkes found out about the dinner. I suspect Codex didn’t even try to call him. #guildgrapevine
Codex’ musings about Ollie’s appendage, and its authenticity certainly echo mine. What is the deal with the hook? Given his rather strange ways (salty sea dog doesn’t come close to describing his unique brand of discomfort-making) it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to find out he had a real hook. How he might have lost his hand, though – that’s a story I wouldn’t mind never hearing.
Wigley trying to facilitate a fact-finding lunch for the ladies’ new business is hilarious. Tink’s complete over reaction to every tiny question and Wigley’s responses (prompted by Clara) are absolutely timed to perfection.
Have they been using rats in the food? Is that why the ratings are so poor and does that explain some of the more suspicious-sounding items on the Cheesybeards’ menu?
Vork isn’t at the forefront of much action but his antics are hilarious – as many people noted above. I also loved the continuity with ‘Game On’, with Vork still able to talk in tongues. The restaurant scene was actually packed with wonderful attention to detail. Zaboo being ‘helped’ with his napkin while Vork steals the bread rolls is classic, as is Fawkes’ smarmy entrance.
There are so many unanswered questions.
Ah…what a tangled web we weave, eh, Codex?
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*
DMZ
DoS
DMV – ah…make up your own
WorldofHiglet is the online persona of writer Mary R. Higgins, a born-again geek reclaiming her heritage bit by bit. A youth filled with sci-fi, horror and adventure in TV, films, computer games and books was crushed by years of office grind. Buffy brought her back into the fold after years of denial. Discovering Firefly sealed the deal. Now she geeks fulltime on her blog ‘the last geek bus home’ . Her first novel ‘Turning left at Albuquerque” is complete and she has just launched HigletFilms.com, a new webvideo entertainment site serving new, original videos every Monday.
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WorldofHiglet is the online persona of writer Mary R. Higgins, a born-again geek reclaiming her heritage bit by bit. A youth filled with sci-fi, horror and adventure in TV, films, computer games and books was crushed by years of office grind. Buffy brought her back into the fold after years of denial. Discovering Firefly sealed the deal. Now she geeks fulltime on her blog 
