I don't want to'. The news will be on soon. Indirection in this risk-free situation would be odd. The car's out of gas. Here, Gloria is really asking for help.
Indirection only works with shared knowledge.
He means very good. But that would be banal. Not bad at all requires just a little more brainpower, and is fun. It's like taking the scenic route on your home from work. Its not the most efficient, but its nice.