What I’m Watching: Suburgatory (Season Premiere)

Suburgatory: Season 2, Episode 1 “Homecoming” (B+)

It’s great to have this biting comedy, which quickly improved after a disappointing start last year, back on the air and in a fitting time slot immediately after “Modern Family.” Tessa’s summer in the city provides the perfect opportunity for a tough transition back to the suburbs, obsessed with ideas of her mom as she settles back into life in Chatswin. George’s awkwardness about the whole thing was typical, and it was nice to see him reach out and comfort her when it looked like she wasn’t going to perform in the Fall Follies. I liked her singing of the film’s theme song at the very end, and it’s fun to see her indulge in her passions. Noah and Dallas warring over Carmen was very funny, complete with a gold Corolla (promotional consideration by Toyota) and Dallas’ unsuccessful attempts to destroy a delicious gift that only got tastier as she cooked it on the grill. Playing rocks, paper, scissor for her was an amusing end to the whole debacle. Dalia’s speech to Carmen about always considering her a nanny even if she cured caner was highly ineffective but completely typical of the dim-witted blonde. Lisa was brilliant in how she tried to blackmail her parents into giving her attention over her adopted brother, but Sheila struck back with an even more terrifying reality. I laughed when Fred walked in and couldn’t understand why Lisa and Sheila were sitting down unless it was a meal, and watching the shed that literally housed all of their secrets burn down at the end of the episode was satisfying.