Well let’s get it out of the way right away; there is a lot of sex happening in Episode 4 of Four in the Morning. Orgasms, mistimed orgasms, fake orgasms and anti-orgasms. Then there are the conversations about the orgasms.

We also have shadows, and it seems Bondurant (Daniel Maslany) is able to read them. Good thing, because Mitzi (Lola Tash) is afflicted with a purple shadow.  Apparently, this means she is conflicted about something, and feels guilty. Well—DUH!—of course, she is! All of this shadow discombobulation means Bondurant and Mitzi are “off,” rather their timing is off, and it is getting worse the more they try (and they try a LOT!).

Meanwhile, Jamie (Michelle Mylett) has been keeping secrets … lots and lots of secrets! For one, she admits to  William (Mazin Elsadig) that she has never achieved an orgasm with him; she has been faking it all along. She also confesses to not one but two previous marriages, (we don’t count the third marriage) and each of those ended with her spouse committing suicide. It seems she is a “sexualcontrarian.” Despite her aphro-dipsomaniacal demands, Jamie can only achieve an orgasm at the precise moment her partner achieves an “anti-orgasm.” Her partners’ desires to see her satisfied drove them all to their ultimate sacrifice. William, determined to satisfy Jamie, fakes an anti-climax. And it seems his approach worked.

Practice appears to be approaching perfect for Bondurant and Mitzi, and whilst honing their timing, these two little lovebirds admit their love for each other. Bondurant invites Mitzi to come home for Thanksgiving, but the whole Julliard and pregnancy things are still not resolved.

I watched this episode twice before finishing the review. At first, I was overcome with all of the sex. Well, I was really thinking, “HOW in the HELL am I going to write about all of the sex while avoiding an R-rating?” So, after a bit of thought, and some self-censoring, I came to  this conclusion: Parker got in a couple more quirky portmanteaus and tossed in another confessional monologue. We can now consider whether or not we should completely sacrifice ourselves for a relationship and forgo our own happiness for that of our partner.

The pattern is now set. We have a rhythm. We know what to expect. Now I hope we can get into some really meaty storytelling. Let me know what you thought of the episode in the comments below.

Four in the Morning airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

It seems this week’s theme of Four in the Morning is asking us why many people today are so cavalier in their relationships. Friends come, friends go; relationships have in a sense become disposable. However, “one way or another, everyone gets their blowback.”

We jump right in with William (Mazin Elsadig) and Mitzi (Lola Tash), two halves from two different wholes, sharing a late-night meal at The Patrician when William’s parents appear, declaring they are disowning him. Just like that, a biological connection is legally severed with a simple signature, and yet William does not appear bothered at all.

Now, if you recall at the close of Episode 1 , we learned that—on his deathbed—Albert the talking pig revealed to Mitzi that Jamie and Bondurant slept together, setting the stage for some dramatic irony. With that in mind…

Bondurant (Daniel Maslany) is at the hospital; he has lost his blow, and will miss an audition as a result. It is Jamie (Michelle Mylett), not Mitzi, who rushes to his side. Bondurant is diagnosed with “Trick Candle Syndrome,” a psychosomatic disorder, necessitating a visit from the on-call psychiatric resident. He is unwittingly treated by her daughter playing dress-up, but the wisdom of a child’s innocence brings clarity for Bondurant; he should not be lying to avoid intimacy. In the end, Bondurant recants his proclamation of love for Jamie and declares that he is indeed in love with Mitzi.

Meanwhile, Mitzi shares Albert’s revelation with William. Suddenly, William views his relationship with Jamie in a different light, already emotionally distancing himself from her. After a few long monologues we cut to Mitzi experiencing a sexlucinatory episode  and we finally meet  Albert the talking pig! He comes clean: after all who can believe a pig on magic beans?!? Bondurant it seems was simply trying to make the oh-so cavalier Mitzi jealous. The joke, however, is on Mitzi and William. They both assumed the worst of their partners based on the word of a pig and had sex behind Bondurant’s and Jamie’s backs.

I still really love Four in the Morning, but it really struck me in this episode that I do not yet have empathy for any of these characters; no emotional connection at all. They just happen to be fun to be around. But, after some thought and in light of the theme explored tonight, perhaps that is a deliberate choice for creator Ira Parker? Perhaps the point is I am to be invested in the journey rather than care about who is travelling with me. Relationships here, in this environment, can be tossed away easily and we, and our four protagonists, deliberately avoid investing ourselves/themselves in personal relationships. But to what ends?

I do have one complaint, however. NO one looks this good at 4 in the morning, except perhaps flight attendants.

What do you think is next for our foursome? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Four In the Morning airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on CBC.