Ep 3. Animals

In the third episode of the first season of Casual, entitled "Animals," Valerie (Michaela Watkins) tries to help her brother, Alex (Tommy Dewey), get his life back on track after his disastrous break-up with his girlfriend, Sarah (Britt Lower). Valerie decides to take Alex and Laura (Tara Lynne Barr) to a party thrown by one of her friends in an attempt to cheer him up. At the party, Alex begins to hit it off with a woman named Rachel (Amy Pietz) while Laura becomes immersed in the party scene.

Meanwhile, Valerie runs into her ex-husband, Drew (Zak Orth), who is accompanied by a much younger and attractive woman. She becomes insecure about her own aging and begins to feel inadequate compared to Drew's new girlfriend. Drew tries to make amends with Valerie but she ends up pushing him away.

Back at the party, Alex and Rachel continue to flirt and things start to escalate quickly. Laura, who has been drinking all night, ends up making out with a guy in the bathroom. She then meets a group of people who invite her to an after-party, which she enthusiastically agrees to attend.

As the night wears on, Valerie becomes increasingly lonely and bored at the party. Alex and Rachel leave together and Laura disappears into the night with her new party friends. Valerie decides to leave the party and goes home, where she realizes that she still has feelings for Drew.

"Animals" explores the theme of loneliness and the desperate need for human connection. Each character is struggling to find their place in the world and to fill the void left by their personal failures. Valerie is trying to move on from her divorce while Alex is trying to deal with the aftermath of his break-up. Laura is trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world.

The episode also examines the idea of aging and how it affects our sense of self-worth. Valerie feels like she is losing her youth and vitality while Drew seems to be reveling in his newfound freedom. The scene where they talk about their respective love lives highlights the differences in how society views men and women as they age.

Overall, "Animals" is a poignant and realistic portrayal of the struggles that come with being human. It is a reminder that we all need each other to make it through this thing called life.