Joe lost his lady, but looks as if he has given up gambling -- at least for now. Terry found a casual lady friend, but the woman he seemed to have had something special with was pretty graphic in spelling out what she thought of him in four letters on a coffee cup. (You have to admit it was a nifty public putdown, though, she did encourage Terry to pursue his acting dream with his former classmates, so whose fault is the break-up anyway?)
And Owen, well, Owen looks like the mythic figure of the hero who has completed a successful quest and returns to the kingdom as the new king. Yes, I think his journey away from the car dealership and then back to it at the invitation of his father is a classic Hero Quest as laid out by mythologist Joseph Campbell in the "The Hero with a Thousand Faces."
Owen was separated from his community (his father's car dealership), went out into the world (the rival dealership) where he was tested and fought many battles (his successful sales record). And then, he returns to the kingdom as the conquering hero who will replace the impotent king and hopefully restore the land (the dealership) to fertility and fecundity (new sales records).
I think at a psychological level, Owen's story line is that deep -- as deep as Jungian psychology. But the wonderful thing about executive producer and writer Ray Romano is that he never lets it show. He just seems to be letting us eavesdrop on these three guys in late middle age who are trying to make sense of their lives.
Did I say I love this series? Only every one of the last five weeks.
But there are so many fine moments: Terry in the basement with the sewage backing up all over him. Joe back on the golf course with his son at the end of the episode. Owen and his father in the car cutting the deal that will bring Owen back as the new manager.
What do you think about where the season ended tonight? Do you think Joe will stop gambling? (I don't think it is that easy, do you?) And what about the loss of Dori? Do you think she will ever come back? Do you think Joe lost more than Terry did when it comes to lady friends taking a hike?
And what about Owen? Do you think he has his eating issues under control? Do you think he has the drive to run that car dealership successfully in such a tough economic time? What do you think he will do about his rival at the dealership?
And what about Terry? He seems to really be at loose ends to me. I think I leave the season more worried about him than even Joe. I just don't see Terry as a successful car salesman. How about you?