When people first started talking about The Other Two, the buzz was mostly about the razor-sharp satire of TikTok fame and the hilarious, desperate "millennial cringe" of Brooke and Cary Dubek. But then there was Molly Shannon. Honestly, if you haven’t watched her transformation into Pat Dubek, you’re missing out on one of the most nuanced comedic performances of the decade.
She isn't just the "mom" in a sitcom.
Molly Shannon in Molly Shannon The Other Two manages to take a character that could have been a one-dimensional Midwestern trope and turns her into the emotional North Star of a show that is often quite cynical. Pat starts as this sweet, slightly overwhelmed Ohio widow whose youngest son, ChaseDreams, becomes a global pop sensation overnight. By the time we hit season 3, she’s basically Oprah. But the way Molly plays that ascent is what makes it stick.
The Midwest "Yes" and the Cost of Kindness
Pat Dubek is famous for her "Year of Yes." It’s a concept that feels very Eat Pray Love, but the show gives it a dark, hilarious twist. Molly Shannon has this incredible ability to play "agreeable" while simultaneously looking like she’s about to have a nervous breakdown. You’ve probably seen the scene where she’s hosting her daytime talk show and she just keep smiling while her life is literally becoming a prison of her own success.
It’s a specific kind of Midwestern polite.
She wants everyone to be happy. She wants her kids to feel loved. But as her fame grows, the show explores something really interesting: the idea that a mother’s limitless support can sometimes stunt her children. Brooke (Heléne Yorke) and Cary (Drew Tarver) are so obsessed with their own "arrival" that they barely notice their mom is becoming the biggest star in the world until she's literally too famous to walk down the street.
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That Prosthetic Disguise Episode Was a Masterclass
If we’re talking about Molly Shannon The Other Two, we have to talk about the prosthetics. In season 3, Pat gets so tired of being "Pat!" (the brand) that she starts wearing heavy makeup and prosthetics just to go to a normal Applebee's.
Molly actually went into a real-life deli in those prosthetics while filming.
She told Entertainment Tonight that the deli workers were actually kind of rude to her because they didn't recognize her. She loved it. That’s the brilliance of Molly Shannon—she finds the joy in the weirdness. On screen, the plot is absurd, but her performance makes you feel the genuine heartbreak of a woman who just wants to eat a bloomin' onion without a security detail.
Why Her Relationship With Streeter Works
Ken Marino plays Streeter, Chase’s manager and Pat’s eventual boyfriend. On paper, this relationship should be a disaster. He’s a chaotic, tan-obsessed Hollywood mess. She’s a wholesome mom from Ohio.
But it’s one of the sweetest parts of the show.
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- They both genuinely care about the kids.
- Streeter is the only one who actually sees how hard Pat is working.
- Molly plays Pat’s attraction to him with such "suburban girl" giddiness that it becomes endearing instead of creepy.
The Darker Side of the Dubek Legacy
One thing most viewers forget is the backstory of Pat’s late husband. In season 1, there’s a massive tonal shift when it’s revealed that Pat’s husband died of alcoholism. This wasn't just a throwaway joke. It’s the reason Pat is so desperate to keep the peace. She’s been the "fixer" for so long that she doesn't know how to stop.
Molly Shannon handles these dramatic beats with a "Meryl Streep of comedy" level of skill. She can make you howl with laughter while she’s wearing a ridiculous Midwestern wig, and then two minutes later, she’ll deliver a line about her husband’s death that leaves you absolutely gutted.
It’s this duality that kept the show grounded when the satire got really biting. While Cary was out there being a "villain" in his quest for an Oscar, Pat was the reminder of what actually matters.
Why the Ending of The Other Two Felt Right
The series ended after three seasons, which felt way too short for fans but was probably the right call for the story. By the end, the family finally had to face the reality that fame hadn't made any of them particularly happy.
Pat’s realization that she needed to step back from her "empire" to just be a person again was the most satisfying arc in the show. It wasn't about "quitting"; it was about setting boundaries. For a character who spent her whole life saying "yes," saying "no" was her ultimate victory.
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What You Can Learn From Pat Dubek
Honestly, Pat is a lesson in the "Price of Nice." If you’re a people-pleaser, watching her struggle to maintain her identity while everyone wants a piece of her is basically therapy.
- Stop saying yes to everything. Even if you’re as charming as Molly Shannon, you’ll eventually burn out.
- Check in on the "strong" person. Pat was the one supporting everyone else, but she was the one collapsing on a runway from exhaustion.
- Find your "Applebee's." Everyone needs a place where they can just be themselves, even if they have to wear a rubber face to do it.
If you haven't revisited the show lately, go back and watch Molly Shannon The Other Two specifically for her facial expressions during the talk show segments. The subtle way she shifts from "TV host smile" to "existential dread" is some of the best acting you'll see in a half-hour comedy.
The next time you're feeling overwhelmed by your own "to-do" list, just remember Pat Dubek in a grandmother disguise. Sometimes, the only way to find yourself is to disappear for a bit.
Next Step: Go watch the Season 3 episode "Cary & Brooke Go to an Ohio Charity Dinner." It’s the perfect distillation of Pat’s fame versus her reality, and it features some of Molly’s best physical comedy.