Round Two: Suburgatory

Suburgatory: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Barbecue” (C+)

A second shot at this show is about as satisfying as the first, if not a bit better all around. There’s no denying that Jane Levy is fiery and fiercely committed to this part, and Tessa is definitely the show’s most solid character. I still find the show far too sterile and the first scene in particular highly over-the-top. This need to have a barbecue presents some amusing befuddledness from George, but that’s about it. I’m still extremely sad about how both Alan Tudyk and Rex Lee are being used, and once again gratified that, with barely a full scene, Allie Grant continues to milk the most out of each one of her lines, talking down to Tessa just when she thought she had found her one and only ally. The obviously gay couple was too much for me since it was too forced. The truth or dare that produced the kiss between Tessa and Ryan at least seemed like something bored teenagers, plastic or not, might actually do, and it was decently entertaining to see Tessa try to talk herself out of this romance that she knew was entirely beneath her. I’d love to see “Saturday Night Live” alumni like Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell find a more productive use of their talents since this isn’t really cutting it. This show could be much stronger than it is, and while it’s possible that it eventually will get there, I’m not feeling overly inspired with confidence at this particular moment.