In 'Funny Woman' Episode 2, She’s Gonna Make It, After All

Funny Woman's second episode is another 45 minutes of Barbara Parker / Sophie Straw very casually (and only occasionally with intent) running rings around every man she encounters. Clive Richardson’s smarm doesn’t intimidate her; Dennis Mohindra, Bill Gardner, and Tony Holmes are all delighted to fall under her spell; Brian Debenham’s grouchy outbursts are basically meaningless; Aidan The Handsome Butcher traveling all the way from Blackpool to make a romantic gesture is not enough to put a ring on it; walking heap of garbage and TV director Bert Redwood finds himself outmaneuvered at every turn; and even the big muckety-muck at TVC (which is definitely not the BBC!!) Ted Sargent is no match for Sophie once she follows Marj’s advice and imagines him copiously answering nature’s call. All in a day’s work for this gal!

A quick note on our funny woman’s name: I’m going to refer to her by the name others call her in her various milieux. Among family and with Marj, she’s Barbara. In all work-related contexts, she’s Sophie.

After flaming out spectacularly and correctly at the Whiskey-Cat Club — where the dancers are paid so little that they maintain extra sex work side hustles — the next day finds her at Brian’s office, where, after a bit of groveling and some tactical nudging by Patsy, he finally tells her that she’s actually got a second audition for the Comedy Playhouse pilot with Dennis and his merry men. Brian grouses (but also seems secretly pleased) that Dennis “really thought she had something” in her previous audition. Well, well, well. Off she goes to try again, in an exuberant, Mary Tyler Moore Show-style montage through London, until... she gets thoroughly splashed by the bus she was meant to take to the audition.