What I’m Watching: The Detour

The Detour: Season 3, Episode 9 “The Funeral” (B+)

I watched this episode a few days ago, but I know that the season finale is airing less than two hours after this review posts. This season has felt like a rollercoaster, mainly because of its irreverence and uncertain plot direction, and I have no idea whether a fourth season is in the cards. On a show like this, it’s not as if it would offer any real resolution or anything close to that, but half-hours like this one demonstrate its capability for entertainment. Robin continued to be completely unsupportive of Nate’s heroic attitude when he crash-landed the plane in the woods, rolling her eyes repeatedly and refusing to endorse any of his notions. I liked that Nate made a list of things that could kill them which Jareb constantly wanted to add snakes to, and then couldn’t understand why quicksand was presented as a danger by Nate since it wasn’t on the list. The family debating identity politics while Nate was sinking was pretty hilarious, and naturally they all got stuck when they tried to help him. This was a wonderful example of drugs being taken as a vehicle for comedy, with Jareb purporting to be a time traveler because Nate was repeating himself and asking Nate to dare him to throw his leg off the mountain. Nate was smart to test Robin’s faculties by suggesting that she relax, and she took it much further by telling the kids that drugs were fine and then trying to have sex with Nate in front of them. Edie’s team is hot on the trail, and the fact that they think that the Parkers murdered Sleepy suggests what counts as an intense confrontation on this show in the finale.