So, allow me to preface by saying I love this show. Rewatched it a dozen times at least. It’s smart, heartwarming, and deeply funny. Catherine O’Hara was a treasure.

But there is one scene that drives me up a goddamn wall every time I see it: David lip-syncing Tina Turner to Patrick.

Patrick had, earlier in the same episode, performed a beautiful acoustic cover of “Simply the Best” at an open mic. It’s a lovely moment; Patrick is exploring his first relationship as a gay man, and David has a long history of painful relationships which gave him deep trust issues. This song both affirms Patrick’s feelings while assuring David that he’s safe and loved now. It’s very touching, and I’m always drawn to how Moira watches them both, overcome with love.

So David feels like he has to reciprocate the gesture somehow, except he obviously doesnt have much of a clue how. Instead of, I dunno, coming up with anything romantic on his own, he decides to… lip-sync the same song to Patrick later in private.

There are two problems here. First, playing the same song twice in an episode invariably gets it lodged in my head. Second, and more relevant, is that it just feels like such a weak gesture. Imagine giving your SO a heartfelt gift which required a fair amount of effort and even bravery. Now imagine your SO returns the gesture by giving you the same gift, except without the effort and bravery.

Come on David, you couldnt come up with a single other song to express your feelings? Patrick just gave you a slew of gifts to win you back, too. Its not like this is the only gesture hes made. Yet it basically is the only one David makes.

The scene is supposed to be touching but it just irritates me.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. We’ll talk about Ted next time.