What I’m Watching: 2 Broke Girls

2 Broke Girls: Season 1, Episode 14 “And the Upstairs Neighbor” (B-)

This episode was admittedly a little silly, focusing more on the ridiculous elements of the show rather than the better serious parts. I do think that Jennifer Coolidge is very capable of being funny, most memorably for me in “Legally Blonde,” but slapping an accent onto her and an over-the-top plotline was a bit of the shame. It was obvious from the start that she wasn’t a prostitute, and for Max and Caroline to become so obsessed with that idea made the episode as a whole drag. I did enjoy Max’s threats to her new neighbor, and it’s fun to see her get taken down a beg by those unafraid of yelling at her. I’m sure those fans of the show that aren’t fans of Han and Oleg were happy to see another supporting character take the spotlight, but taking them out of the diner almost completely wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as past episodes have been. Max and Caroline’s efforts to throw back sexual harassment at Oleg were a bit short-lived, and I think featuring more of that kind of humor, designed to turn the show’s established tropes on their heads, would be nice. This show does have an awfully small cast, and maybe adding a few other recurring personalities besides Earl would do the show some good. The television universe inhabited by Max and Caroline could use a bit more consistency and turn this into a fully staffed and stocked comedy with a rich, entertaining, hilarious, and diverse ensemble.