The Odd Couple (1970) Season 2 Episode 16 Speak for Yourself

The Odd Couple season 2 episode 16 "Speak for Yourself" follows the story of two roommates, Felix and Oscar, who have completely different personalities and lifestyles. In this episode, Felix is trying to impress his new girlfriend, Emily, who is a sign language interpreter. To do so, Felix enlists the help of his roommates, Oscar and Dani, to learn sign language. However, Oscar becomes frustrated with the difficulty of learning sign language and decides to give up. Meanwhile, Emily finds out that Felix has been bragging about his ASL skills and challenges him to a game of Pictionary using only sign language.

As Felix struggles to keep up with Emily's fast signing, Oscar tries to convince him to cheat and look up the signs on his phone. When Felix refuses, Oscar becomes upset and feels unappreciated for his efforts. In an attempt to prove himself, Oscar brings a deaf woman named Hannah over to the apartment to show off his sign language skills. However, when Hannah asks to communicate directly with Felix, Oscar becomes jealous and shuts down the conversation.

Throughout the episode, the theme of communication is explored. Felix and Emily's attempts to communicate through sign language highlight the challenges of learning a new language, especially when it is necessary to understand and convey complex emotions. Oscar's jealousy over Felix's relationship with Emily and Hannah's desire to communicate directly with Felix demonstrate the importance of clear and direct communication.

As the episode comes to a close, Felix and Oscar have a heart-to-heart conversation about their struggles with communication and their appreciation for each other. While they may have different personalities and approaches to life, they are able to recognize the value of clear and honest communication in their friendship.

Overall, "Speak for Yourself" is a lighthearted and humorous episode that tackles the important theme of communication. Through Felix and Oscar's experiences with sign language, the audience is reminded of the importance of clear and direct communication in all aspects of life.