What I’m Watching: Vice Principals

Vice Principals: Season 1, Episode 5 “Circles” (B+)

I like how each episode of this show has opened with a focus on the home life of a different character. Neal might have seemed like the antihero of this story, always concerned with himself above all others, but Lee, who is still actively married, doesn’t seem to be at all interested in spending any quality time with his wife. Instead, he insists that she put in earplugs and yells at her mother when their beast of a neighbor starts blasting music and working out with his garage door open in the middle of the night. It was great to see Neal stage a triumphant comeback at the end of the episode after Lee went crazy on Jackie only to be felled by one simple punch following his tempting of the property lines, and for Neal to be able to use something he took while punishing someone to productive one. Seychelles was never a good best friend for Lee, and while Dayshaun read the romantic subtext of the relationship all wrong, it is important for Neal to have a friend, especially when it comes to combating Dr. Brown’s attempts to deal with malice by utilizing serenity rather than discipline. It was nice to see the girls care for Neal when he started tearing up after throwing popcorn at them, and to know that there are those who respect and like him in gentler moments. I liked all the talk about haircuts in this episode since this show’s two protagonists both have pretty ridiculous hairstyles that their portrayers, especially Danny McBride, make work.