Original Commentary

Terrence wanted to do a story arc about Miz Taylor and some man that will remain nameless, but he decided it wasn't the time for it- however it was time for some Brisbane and Kimberly (like we haven't already seen so much of them :P).

originally Kimberly's line in the last panel alluded to them breaking up while on a date- which wasn't quite true- it was a "date night in" which isn't much of a real date (as most of you fellow married couples know). -Isabel

Modern Commentary
And on to the final week: the main couple of the comic.

It's easier, sometimes, to write a week about the Lounge Guys because it's not load-bearing. It doesn't go anywhere. It can't go anywhere. They start at the lounge, they end at the lounge, and nothing is learned along the way.

With these two, things can and do happen - Terrence

Original Commentary

Yes, it's a real thing. Hamlet was first published in a bootleg edition in a much shorter format. But I used to do that, to intend to go do cultural things that I didn't necessarily find interesting or enjoyable. Hence my brief fascination with free jazz and Inuit double-fiddle jigs. My interest in free jazz lasted about until I started actually listening to it. I got three disks into a John Coltrane box set before realizing that I didn't enjoy it at all, and decided that no matter how cool it may be to listen to free jazz, it wasn't worth the price of actually listening to free jazz - Terrence

Modern Commentary
When you're a cartoonist on a schedule, there's worse hooks than "Here's a cool thing I found out about"

Was Kimberly's "people who can get us anything bootlegged" a reference to a shady ex-boyfriend who never materialized? Might have been. We definitely could have been considering it. - Terrence

Original Commentary

I hate coming up with restaurant names. I had to come up with a name that carried implications of fanciness, flaming dishes prepared at your table, and great expense. I figure that the guy who built the place wasn't too good at naming things either - Terrence

Modern Commentary
One of the advantages of re-lettering the comics is that the new font can do the accent on flambé.

But man, Brisbane is such a romantic. By which I mean he really likes the idea of these extravagant getures and would almost certainly be let down by the actual experience of them - Terrence

Original Commentary

So where is Kimberly's sandwich? I asked Terrence that when I was drawing this comic and according to him she ate it off-panel... so Brisbane really must have been on some kind of tirade about where they were going. -Isabel

Modern Commentary
Yeah, "Brisbane and Kimberly talk about going out but end up staying at home" is one of those recurring things. It's more than a little autobiographical.

Fortunately, we like being at home. We can just hang out there together and it's where our stuff is - Terrence

Original Commentary

In the original draft, Brisbane watched documentaries too. But that got cut for space considerations. He watches artsy foreign movies, in the original French if he can get it. He genuinely enjoys them, too. He doesn't just pick whatever looks the most pretentious and watch it. Unlike, say, Jeff from Spare Parts who just picks whatever looks the weirdest - Terrence

Modern Commentary
So, four stories showing how things work for the couples/groups in the comic

David and Emily's story didn't go anywhere; I never could find a place for David and he'd need his own secondary cast to really shine.

Robert and Jane's story is awash with details and doesn't fit neatly into the (significantly enlarged) frame of the storyline. They resist summation.

With the Lounge Guys, it's a little capsule and they're encapsulated. It's my favorite in the series and all you need to know about them is there.

Brisbane and Kimberly are working towards being comfortable together, which is also nice. It's good to just be cozy sometimes - Terrence

Original Commentary

Just a quiet Sunday comic where Kimberly rests her head on Brisbane's shoulder. Happiness is about what you have, not what you want. They're still comfortable with each other. But it'll be a while before she feels secure enough to make a big move. Stick with what works, she always says. - Terrence

Modern Commentary
There are a lot of places that you go to because they're open late. I don't think I've ever been to a Dennys before 11PM.

I kinda like how this ended. Turns out all their planning was unnecessary because they already had what they wanted. To be comfortable in each others' company. - Terrence