Handcuffs

Written by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass
Directed by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass

Now that Tina's staying at the Pierson home, Michelle feels smothered by her general lack of privacy. Seeing Michelle's prickly side, Tina advises: "You need to get laid." Michelle admits that she has no desire to sleep with Brett; their sex is predictable and unsatisfying. She describes Brett's "get the pillow" move as an example -- his attempt to make Michelle comfortable inevitably kills her mood. Tina encourages Michelle to let go of her inhibitions and offers to watch the kids that evening so Michelle can surprise Brett with a night of adventurous sex. Emboldened, Michelle agrees and purchases a door lock and scrounges up a pair of handcuffs.

Tina is appalled to find Alex asleep on the couch in the middle of the afternoon. Michelle explains that it's best to let him be: "It's a beached whale situation. You just wait for the tide to come and gently wash him back in." Tina wakes him up by dumping a glass of ice water on his head -- for which he promises payback. The two come to an agreement for the day: He agrees to help her with party supply business, and she flashes him for three "Mississippi" seconds.

Alex and Tina take Michelle and Brett's kids out for the evening. Alex opens up about his disappointing career, admitting that he's hit a wall. He's been labeled a "tweener" -- too fat for leading roles and too thin for supporting ones. Tina decides she will train Alex, physically and mentally, to take control of his life and get the big parts he craves. In return, he will assist her business. At Tina's instruction, Alex throws away his pizza as a gesture of commitment.

Brett gets into an argument at work when his director dismisses the coyote audio that Brett painstakingly recorded in Griffith Park. His boss chastises him, and Brett leaves, disgusted by his workplace's toxic atmosphere and wasteful culture. Returning home to find Michelle waiting for him in a sexy leather outfit, Brett heads to the bedroom at her behest, even though he is starving and thrown off. Michelle commands Brett to strip naked and handcuffs him. His continual objections prompt Michelle to snap, "Can you stop being a p*ssy?" Brett is just starting to go along with the foreplay -- Michelle aggressively spanking him -- when he cries out: "You got my ball!" As he writhes in pain, Michelle offers the only ice pack available, which is Strawberry Shortcake-themed.

After the incident, Brett and Michelle watch TV on opposite ends of the couch. Tina, Alex and the kids head back home, and while Tina fumbles for her keys on the porch, Alex empties a full to-go cup on her head, relishing his revenge.