It's Upside Down, Inside Out & Round and Round in 'Funny Woman's Penultimate Episode

Sophie was flying high in last week's Funny Woman; this week, she’s laid low. Some would say she has only herself to blame, and to those people, I issue a very loud and rude raspberry while showing them the door directly out. We have neither time nor need for such retrograde nonsense when we know that you can’t keep a good woman down, especially not when she is a) a comedy genius and b) surrounded by supportive friends and family as well as sexist garbage heaps.

The retrograde sexist garbage heaps fall into two categories: stuffy, patronizing men who are vaguely and uncomfortably aware that their era just might be drawing to a close, and women who have most unfortunately fallen into the trap of upholding standards that harm them, too.

Ted Sergeant puts Sophie on suspension from work for the foreseeable future. Did she say a naughty word? Sure, and why shouldn’t she — it was le mot juste to describe the philandering cad she thought was her faithful, tamed rake of a boyfriend! Furthermore, why, exactly, is she the one to face negative consequences for a word when Clive is merely inconvenienced by the absence of his leading lady? Will he receive so much as a reprimand? Not from Ted, that’s for sure! He demands Sophie’s building pass and sends her on her way, none the wiser that she’s been wrongfully terminated and has grounds for a grievance and reinstatement.