Loaded Couch Potatoes

Honk Mahfah reviews the most recent episodes of NBC’s Thursday-night comedy goldmines.

Heavy is the head that doesn’t heed the spoiler warning.

Parks and Recreation 1×3, “The Reporter”:

Another funny episode from the freshman series.  I actually found this one to be better than both The Office and 30 Rock this week, which is a good omen for the show’s viability past these first few episodes.  Ratings have been decent, so hopefully NBC will give it a renewal and allow it to grow the way most of these types of comedies do.

This week finds Leslie having to give an interview about the Pit Project, and completely choking under the pressure.  Leslie becomes staggeringly inept when the reporter — hilariously named Shauna Malwae-Tweep (and played by the smoking hot Alison Becker) — tries to tape record the interview.  This spirals out of control, and ends with Mark sleeping with the reporter, much to Leslie’s dismay.  Amy Poehler is good in these scenes; she’s a good enough actress that she can throw in hints of genuine anguish, and a sly enough comedian that she can keep it from tipping over into the maudlin.

Special kudos this week to Chris Pratt, who gets some big laughs as Andy.  While he and Ann are being interviewed by Shauna, the truth about his fall into the pit comes out: Andy was drunk after playing with his band Threeskin (they were known as Fourskin before a member quit), and fell into the pit while trying to pick up an old toaster.  Pratt does well with playing Andy’s obliviousness to his own uselessness in these scenes.  Later, when trying to console Leslie about Mark’s fling with the reporter, he says “He was probably thinking with the head of his weiner instead of the head of his brain.”

The episode’s b-story involves Tom letting Ron thump him at online Scrabble.  It doesn’t really go anywhere, but both Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman have a few funny moments.

The Office 5×23, “Broke”:

This episode was fairly short on laughs, but it was still entertaining because the plot took over and resolved the storyline of the Michael Scott Paper Company.  At a couple of points, it almost felt like a drama.

I’m not sure this is a good thing.  The Michael Scott Paper Company has been providing solid laughs since its inception, and I expected it to stick around a bit longer.

I really don’t have much to say about this episode.  It was enjoyable, but I don’t think it’s going to end up on anyone’s list of favorite Office episodes.

30 Rock 3×19, “The Ones”:

Though I am a big fan of this show, I will admit that two or three episodes every season feel like they’re straining for laughs.  I thought that was true of this episode, and yet I probably laughed out loud four or five times, so the news isn’t all bad.

The plot revolves around three characters’ crises involving the supposed loves of their lives: that’s Elisa for Jack, Angie for Tracy, and a hot EMT for Jenna.

Of these, the Jack plotline is handily the most entertaining.  “Sorry,” says Elisa (who later, apropos of nothing, is wearing a “What the Frak?!” t-shirt), “I haven’t spoken English in two menses.”  Turns out she’s La Viuda Negra, a black widow who murdered her unfaithful husband.  Jack doesn’t particularly care about this, as he has no intention of cheating on her, but, as he tells Liz, “You never know, Lemon … what if I find myself stranded in a snow cave with a stern but comely geologist, both of us knowing that our only chance for survival is the heat from our naked bodies?”  Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, and Salma Hayek each have numerous great moments; no surprise there.

Less satisfying is Tracy’s story.  And even less satisfying than that is Jenna’s story; Jenna is annoying even under the best of circusmtances, and these are not the best of circumstances.  There are a few chuckles from both of these plotlines, but there are also quite a few that don’t work and feel forced.

I don’t need every episode of this show to be a gold-medal winner, though, so it’s a no-harm, no-foul situation, and anyways, I did laugh quite a bit.