Samantha Who? 2.02 "Out of Africa" Recap

Samantha Who? 2.02 “Out of Africa”
Air Date: October 20, 2008
Recap & Discussion [Spoilers & Photos]

(Image copyright © 2008 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc./ Eric McCandless)

I almost forgot to put up the recap, sorry about that. But it was another great episode of Samantha Who? on Monday!

• Samantha (Christina Applegate) celebrates one year since the accident that gave her amnesia with friends Dena (Melissa McCarthy) and Andrea (Jennifer Esposito)
• Is Sam’s life better now? Or is being out of a job & boyfriend-less worse than being mean?
• Dena realizes that she’s facing a “trial run” with Chace, and her excitement turns to anxiousness
• Determined not to go backwards in life, Sam is inspired by the idea of going to Africa. Then wakes up in bed with Todd (Barry Watson) – so much for going forward!
• Even more worried that her old self is sabotaging her efforts to change, and undecided if that change includes Todd or not, Sam tells everyone she’s going to Africa to help change the world

• Faced with 9 shots to immunize for Africa, and threats from lions and scorpions, Sam’s best intentions fall away
• Dena comes home from a fight with Chace to find Sam hiding in her closet! She’s pretending to be in Africa from there ;)
• Andrea finds out Sam is still home when she comes to tell Dena to stop fighting with Chace – it’s making him crazy at work
• Regina (Jean Smart) almost spots Sam, so Andrea suggests the girls go away for those 2 weeks instead!
• The shots that Sam gets in Miami with the girls are much more satisfying
• Sadly, the area of Africa where Sam and now Dena and Andrea are supposed to be is under attack, so everyone is very worried about them. And with the area closed to communications and travel, they are “stuck in Africa”
• Andrea confesses her sadness at not being as close to Sam any longer. She misses the old Sam. So Sam relies on Andrea’s cleverness to lie them out of the Africa situation – something Andrea enjoys fabricating.
• Todd, hearing of Sam’s plight in Africa, decided to fly there to save Sam! So relieved to see that he hadn’t left yet, Sam confesses to Todd about her lies.
• But… turns out the “shots” were photos! No heroic rescue. Todd knew she wouldn’t go to Africa.
• Sam realizes she wants to be with someone who thinks she is better than she is. And, to be that better person, she kicks Todd out of her apartment. Todd is left very confused.
• Sam confesses to her parents about not going to Africa – and about trying to change who she is

What an interesting episode! It confronts a lot of ideas of what makes up who you are as a person, as well as the importance of telling the truth. What do you think things are about with Todd – is Sam afraid of being who she was? Or sad that Todd was ok with who she was, when she wants to be better?