Round Two: Episodes

Episodes: Season 1, Episode 2 “Episode Two” (B+)

After being pleasantly surprised with this show’s pilot last week, I’m happy to report that episode two is just as refreshing and good. It’s patently uncomfortable for a majority of the time, yet there’s something bearable about it thanks to how entertaining it manages to be. For instance, the constant inability of security guard Wallace to recognize the Lincolns as they pull in to their gated community is a great running joke, and it was fun to experience Beverly letting out all of the fury building in her to deliver an expletive-filled tirade unbecoming of the usually prim and proper character. I liked the pairings at the party of Carol and Sean and Beverly and Matt. Carol is a great character, and the way she speaks is entirely entertaining. She and Sean work exceptionally well together in a scene. The same goes for Beverly and Matt, though they’re far less on the same page, and it was enthralling to see Beverly go from being pleasantly surprised by Matt’s apparent intelligence to unable to contain her disgust at his immature feelings about Tourette’s syndrome. Kudos to Matt LeBlanc, barely seen last week, for creating a fine parody of himself, one that’s unexpectedly serious and also quite unlikeable. The chain of events related to the Lincolns’ beloved British show are rather painful, but this show wisely focuses on entertaining its audience with smart writing and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor (thanks, Carol) than wallowing in self-pity. Bring on episode three! I’m eager to see what this new, hopelessly warped show will look like.