‘Anger Mangement’ Review: “Charlie’s Patient Gets Out of Jail”

Another week, another ratings-gobbling venture for Charlie Sheen! ‘Anger Management’ season 1 breaks out its seventh episode, as Charlie finds himself with a house-guest in the form of one of his paroled inmate patients, whom his ex-wife Jennifer takes a liking to.

Last week’s sixth episode  “Charlie Dates Kate's Patient” saw Charlie Goodson finding his new, danger-obsessed lady friend to be a patient of Kate’s, thereby a conflict of interest, while the group tried to rely on one another for support, so what will the most recent outing bring?  Are there more laughs to be had in the seventh half-hour, or is it better off locked up?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Anger Management’ episode 7, “Charlie's Patient Gets Out of Jail!”

Having returned to counseling his prison therapy group, Charlie attempts to mediate a dispute between inmates (and prison lovers) Cleo and Donovan.  Cleo reveals that despite their mutual promise to commit suicide in the event, Cleo has been released for overcrowding.  Donovan (say, is that Eddie from Family Matters?) is understandably upset, and has to be led away for his rage

The next day, Charlie teaches Sam a bit about baseball when Jennifer enters, pitching Charlie her plan to invest in a new business that features attractive women as maids.  Charlie denigrates the idea, which Jennifer interprets as his usual negativity, when paroled Cleo (now going by Derek) shows up at Charlie’s door.  Charlie tries to pass Derek off as a former baseball acquaintance as Sam and Jennifer leave, afterward explaining that Derek can’t crash there, no matter how many of his ex-wives married and moved to San Diego.  Taking a loophole in Charlie’s logic, Derek agrees to stay over while waiting for the next session.

The next day at therapy, all of the group quickly find their stories paling in comparison to the harsh, criminal, and brutal tales that landed Derek in prison and anger management in the first place.  The following day, Jennifer shows up with a load of laundry, playfully flirting with Derek as he offers to take a look at her broken washer.  Jennifer jokes to Charlie about hooking up with Derek, but again takes his disapproval to mean that he judges her actions far too harshly.

Later at the bar, Charlie enlists Brett in trying an experiment to get Nolan Angry, but only succeeds in having Brett turn him on.  Observing, Kate postulates to Charlie that Jennifer might be smarter than he takes her for, and they decide the best course of action is for Charlie to ignore her flirtation with Derek, believing it to be only to get a rise out of him.  When Charlie goes to visit Jennifer however, guess who’s in a towel, with a shirtless Derek upstairs?  Awkward…

Angered, Charlie vents to Kate, amidst undressing himself and working a sex-toy apparently already inside the woman.  Only really interested in the sex, Kate at least recommends he show no reaction to Jennifer sleeping with Derek, as it would only exacerbate the situation by getting the rise out of him she wants.

The next morning, Derek tries to smooth things over by making breakfast, but the moment he touches the butter Charlie explodes on him.  Jennifer interrupts the exchange by asking about her beach date with Derek, but Derek takes her outside to break up with her at Charlie’s behest, not wanting to upset his therapist any further.  Jennifer immediately sees through the ruse, calling Charlie out for being controlling and full of himself, and adding that from then on they’ll be a regular divorced couple as opposed to friends.  After all, the cleaning service he talked her out of investing in turned out to be a huge success.

Later that night, Charlie plays billiards with Michael, who thinks they should never have been friends in the first place, when Derek bursts in on the run from the cops.  Missing his partner Donovan too much, Derek stole a car to get himself back into prison, as he flees and relays to Charlie that he should get check up on Jennifer.

Charlie happens upon his ex-wife, drinking and wallowing in misery, and Charlie admits that he sometimes controls her as a means of making sure she still needs him.  The pair share a sweet moment as Charlie confesses that he indeed values their friendship, for himself and for their child as well, and will try to be less judgmental.  Maybe after she stops investing in things like Velcro straps to keep hats tied to clothing.

Still no word on whether or not FX will take the option to pick up 'Anger Management' for an additional 90 episodes, though it's certainly looking likely.  So, yay for 'Anger Management,' and yay for "Charlie's Patient Gets Out of Jail!"  The episode where things happen, on a show where other things happen.

Did you like the latest episode of ‘Anger Management,’ or did it make you seethe with rage?  What did you think about the episode?  Join us  next week for another all-new ‘Anger Management’ episode recap of “Charlie Outs a Patient!” on FX!