(S01E03) And we're back! Due to a little syndrome called "My TiVo decided to record the Lifetime channel instead of Hidden Palms," this week's episode review was a bit late. Hopefully you've been tiding yourself over by watching this bee-yotch filled episode a couple of times.

Cliff managed to get popped in the face a couple of times, once by Greta and once by Johnny, but man ... I really wanted to see someone bitchslap the "hee hee I'm a drunken floozy" look right off of Nikki's face. That girl is trouble with a capital Jack Daniels. Who knew she'd be throwing a rager at Johnny's house in the short period of time he took to go see Greta. Plus, wasn't it Cliff who invited all the other delinquents? Still, all things considered, the part I felt the worst about was poor Liza getting snubbed, yet again. At least she got to rub lotion on Johnny this time.

Okay, before we proceed much further ... yes, the show is getting a truncated life as a summer series. They'll be airing double episodes (bonus!) both next week and the week after, and the finale will air on July 4th. Are you going to miss your burgers and fireworks to catch the end? Not likely? But if you happen to make that sacrifice, you'll get the added benefit of being able to watch the end of Drive as well. We don't know if Hidden Palms is getting canceled, but cutting short a show that's already a summer series does not bode well.

Anyhow, back to this episode. It just felt off the rails to me most of the time. Greta was acting weak and borderline whiny, Johnny was pushing too hard, Nikki was pretty bee-yotchy (as stated), Cliffy was extra ... arrogant (he probably nailed it the best this episode -- his shootdown of his mom's new boyfriend was great). Even the Cliff's mom was doubly campy this time around, and I liked her initially ... aye carumba! It wasn't quite Bizarro Hidden Palms, but it felt strange.

Was it fairly obvious to everyone else that Liza was sending the messages to Johnny? Given the fact that she lives across the street from Johnny, that she's a whiz with tech, and her obsession with the blonde pretty boy all add up to her masquerading as the resurrected Eddie. So, she must have the goods (or think she has the goods) on Greta and Cliff. Does she? Looks like we might find out next episode. If that happens, then all the mysterious behavior and enigmas I saw in the pilot episode will have washed down the drain of a very chlorinated pool.