What I’m Watching: Eastbound & Down

Eastbound & Down: Season 2, Episode 2 “Chapter 8” (B+)

Though he’s probably the worst character from season one, it’s still comforting for viewers and for Kenny Powers to see a familiar face in his foreign land. It did seem pretty ballsy for this show, even though it’s the chronicle of an insane character’s life, to dismiss all but one of its principal cast members in the transition from season to season. “Weeds” has left characters behind as the Botwin family moves from place to place, but this was a more severe breaking of ties which marooned Kenny in Mexico, by his own choice of course. His extremely American comeback was the stuff of legends, though he’s not going to be making any friends in his new home with his blatant support of the United States and his ignorance of the fact that he’s in a different country and not everyone is completely gaga about the USA. I do long for the eventual return of such endearingly stupid characters from season one as April (actress Katy Mixon is currently wasting her time as the best reason to watch “Mike & Molly”) and kindly brother Dustin Powers (actor John Hawkes was incredible in this summer’s film “Winter’s Bone”). For the moment, however, we’ll have to settle for Mexican natives played by Ana de la Reguera as his latest crush and Michael Pena as a really rich guy. Much as Kenny may try his hardest to physically push Stevie away, it’s a good bet that he’s not going anywhere for a while.