My Boys, "The Boyfriend Hat": The greatest bar in the world

Quick spoilers for last night's "My Boys" coming up just as soon as I choose a name for my club...

I'm usually wary whenever "My Boys" tells a story about PJ's job, because she always comes across as amazingly naive about her own profession, despite being a beat reporter (and now columnist) for one of the bigger newspapers in the country(*), covering one of the most popular teams in baseball. Those stories always tend to ruin the illusion the show has created about PJ the cosmopolitan sportswriter in the same way the "Studio 60" sketches always ruined the illusion that we were watching a great comedy show. But "The Boyfriend Hat" didn't trouble me much, even though it somehow hadn't occurred to PJ that her looks might have played a role in the promotion, and even though PJ had to once again turn to Jack Briscoe to ask him to explain her career to her.

(*) This episode, of course, took place in an alternate universe -- or a time bubble -- where newspapers aren't in danger of extinction and where most reporters' first, second, and third concern isn't their continued employment. But I'm okay with that. The real world of newspapers is depressing enough without bringing it into one of my favorite bits of pure sitcom escapism.

"The Boyfriend Hat" worked for me more than most PJ work stories because PJ for the most part did seem dialed in, and because the story's focus was less on her own conflict than it was on Bobby struggling to wear the titular hat, with typically hilarious advice from Andy. (Gaffigan, as always, gets all the best lines, like, "Everyone knows what men want: a nap.") And I thought Jack's explanation -- that the Sun-Times passed on hiring an even hotter woman, which means they must really like PJ's writing -- was both surprising and funny.

The story was also interesting because it created, even temporarily, some real tension between PJ and Mike. They've toned down Mike just enough this season that they could use him in a (relatively) dramatic scene like the one where he compared her to a boxing kangaroo -- while still being able to tell jokes about him carrying a beeper(**) -- and it's interesting to see occasional moments where things aren't all light and banter-y for the gang.

(**) Do you think he got the thing as a hand-me-down from Avon Barksdale's crew on "The Wire," or from Liz Lemon's ex-boyfriend Dennis?

Another good episode, including Kenny's vastly different experience at the beer commercial bar. What did everybody else think?