When Walter's estranged son returns to Los Angeles for a boxing match, Walter aims to make peace with him. Celia gets pulled into the family drama.
Walter recently dealt with his relationship with his youngest son, Bertie. That episode was one of the better ones of the season. So it makes sense for the show to try and replicate that success by introducing Walter's other son, Rafe - played by Patrick Stewart's real-life son, Daniel Stewart. However, this time the action is primarily centered on the father-son relationship instead of the dynamic Walter has with this son's mother. Bertie is an amusing character who gets to pop up again for this episode's grand dinner scene. But he's also precocious and nothing more than that. That works because he is still just a young child. He still hasn't been disappointed by Walter. Rafe is the complete opposite of that. He is Walter's first child who has had a lifetime of being disappointed by Walter and living a life filled with untapped potential.Rafe is so estranged from his father and his ways that he no longer calls him dad. He refers to Walter as Walter. That establishes early on that things aren't great with their relationship. And yet, Rafe purposefully sought Walter out when he landed in Los Angeles for this big fight of his. But he's also reluctant to think that Walter has changed at all since the last time he saw him - especially considering Walter's recent viral video of resisting arrest. Walter is trying to be a better father though. He doesn't realize that he has to earn being called "dad" again by his son. And yet, he still gets to that point by the end of the episode.
However, the entire story of "Goodnight, My Someone" feels so formulaic and predictable. The big set piece is Rafe's fight. That's the reason he is in town. Walter's entire focus is that big fight. He's doing his best to welcome his son back into his life while also being supportive of him. Sure, there's a weird tangential storyline about genital mutilation that has absolutely no substance or meaning to it. But that doesn't distract too much from the main story. Rafe has been hired to throw the fight in the second round because that's all he is good for on the boxing circuit. Getting beat so that the gamblers can make some easy cash. That's what Celia plans on doing once she learns about Rafe's arrangement for the fight. But something happens that throws that plan off balance. Walter's motivation forces Rafe to overcome his sadness and actually fight back in this match. That was the predictable outcome. The twist of it all is that he doesn't get knocked out until the third round - which means he has to go on the run from the gamblers who hired him for this job. So Walter and Rafe were able to mend part of their relationship. But Rafe won't be an important character for the remainder of the season. This is just a story to keep Walter's progression as a human being alive and going strong.
It is very amusing when Celia gets caught up in this family drama. But it too felt slightly expected. Her falling for Rafe's charms basically establishes that he is indeed Walter's son. She is the only woman in the office who could fill that position too. The episode does try to analyze her psyche a little bit more. She is the latest senior staffer to wind up talking to Dr. Weiss about their problems. Everyone apparently now have regular appointments with him. The moment of introspection is brief. It allows for some singing and some tears but that doesn't make it any less predictable when she once again finds comfort in a man. She confided in Rosalie that she was done with men. And then, Rafe popped up and that idea left her completely. It's great that she can explain it to Walter by saying she's a senior producer. But it's also unclear what this journey is suppose to mean for Celia. She's unlucky in both love and gambling. Every time she finds something that might work, it doesn't. That can create comedy for a little while. But there's going to need to be a point to all of it by the end of the season.
It's also weird that none of the stories felt like they had a lot of weight to them but they were also the only things going on in this episode. Walter and Celia dealing with Rafe and Walter worrying about whether or not he is circumcised were basically it here. There's no cutaways to stories revolving around Rosalie or Jim. They continue to play important parts of the show. But they pop up in order to support the elements on display in this episode. Jim is a contrast to everything that Rafe is. Rafe is strong and able to land Celia with very little effort. They both have their problems - Jim is still a hoarder and Rafe feels ineffective. But those aren't really the source of the conflict. It's suppose to mean something when both address each other as brother in the end. But that wasn't anything resembling an earned moment - like Rafe calling Walter his dad. Even that fact didn't come about all that naturally. Walter helped motivate Rafe for the fight and Rafe was surprised to feel as bad as he was upon seeing his father's disappointment. It just didn't do enough to see this relationship transformation change over the course of the episode.
Some more thoughts:
- "Goodnight, My Someone" was written by Sam Sklaver & Jonathan Ames and directed by Bill D'Elia.
- It's surprising that a number of people at the office know what Walter's penis looks like. It's not unexpected for Harry to know. But it was a shock to learn that Walter and Rosalie apparently had sex together twenty or so years ago. And yet, both talk about it openly here and are still able to do their jobs effectively.
- Celia's romanticism beliefs stem from her father being her idol and singing or saying "Goodnight, My Someone" to her every night. That's something she has clearly carried on into her adulthood.
- The bathroom scene with Walter, Rafe and Emanuel Kendall was just so unnecessary and awkward. Why did this story need to happen instead of some further insight into Rosalie, Jim or someone else from the office?
- Walter and his staff want to attribute Rafe's outburst at the dinner as him having too much to drink. And yet, it occurred early in the night and just felt so random ultimately. Him having a drinking problem was never again addressed as a defining characteristic.
