'Alice & Jack' Episode 2 Brings a Funeral, a Death, a Divorce & a Breakup

At the end of last week’s premiere of Alice & Jack, Alice drops in and then promptly leaves Jack’s life again; sadly, that is not the end of their story. Lest we forget what a terrible person he is, Jack begins the second episode mulling over how to accompany Alice to her mother’s funeral and how much to tell his wife, Lynn. This show places a lot of stock in a relationship, yet it doesn’t bother to make it look appealing. The central characters are nigh insufferable; their interactions aren’t romantic or inspiring, and their fixation on each other seems baseless. Spending six episodes “rooting” for them is a big ask. But here we are.

Lynn: “What percentage of the days I have known you have you thought about her?”
Jack: (Not trying to soften the blow) “A hundred percent.”

Instead of being an adult, Jack tells Lynn a preposterous lie and goes to the funeral. Walking up to the grave, Alice tells Jack her final wishes she expects him to carry out, yet another colossal assumption Alice makes about her importance in Jack’s life, despite their non-status. It is worth noting they behave like a couple at the cemetery, complete with holding hands. (Jack forgot he’s a married man with a baby.) Alice declined to tell Jack why she dreads seeing her father, Randall (Mark Cameron), but during the funeral service, Alice has flashbacks suggesting he sexually abused her. Randall cannot stop staring at Alice and stammers, “I’m sorry,” over and over before keeling over dead. Alice is emotionless.