What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 9 “Kimmy Goes to Church!” (B+)

Every once in a while, this show actually makes a decent point about humanity without being quite as ridiculous as it usually is. Kimmy being open to the idea of church after reacting poorly to the news of her would-be boyfriend’s impending reverend career made sense since she’s insatiably curious, yet also prone to linking normal things in the present with bad associations from her past. Titus reliving his own church-related anxieties was far from serious, but it was nice to know that the gossipy Clara was actually trying to set him up with her gay nephew, who just happened to be the choir director. Watching Kimmy learn that the church isn’t all it was cracked up to be, and that even a female churchgoer didn’t like the idea of a woman reverend, was tough, and thankfully her passionate attempt at a moral takedown of Clara, timed poorly after she confiscated her phone, which had Titus’ clarifying text on it, managed to impact the then overly-honest members of the congregation in a positive way even if its specific message was far from accurate. Lillian coming to Jacqueline for help trying to seem fancy made some sense, and while it all ended predictably for Lillian, I’m sad that we didn’t get to see how it actually played out on her end. Jacqueline, on the other hand, mustered up some courage and managed to take down Deirdre, played to perfection as always by the incomparable Anna Camp, owning up to her shortcomings while inadvertently disclosing a good deal of information about Buckley’s medical diagnoses.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 8 “Kimmy Does a Puzzle!” (B+)

This episode was decidedly more absurd than even this show usually is. I think we can all agree that no one aside from Titus thought that he had actually eaten Dionne Warwick, played to excess by Maya Rudolph, clearly having fun hamming it up and going way beyond any sort of impersonation is meant to. The real story turned out to be far more believable if still inspired by this show’s totally ridiculous nature, and made to seem all the more extravagant and dramatic thanks to the style of Titus’ telling. If there’s one thing that he’s easily susceptible to – and there are many – it’s the allure of fame, and therefore his first thought upon finding out that Dionne had recovered from exposure to hot tub water was to get some more and make sure that she got sick right away again. Poisoning literally everyone on the ship but him so that they all threw up on stage during the performance was quite a powerful accident, and I think it’s safe to say that Warwick turned out to be fine, unlike those who live between exits 1-82 in New Jersey. My favorite part of this episode was actually Peter Riegert’s Artie, who was more than willing to accept Titus’ argument that a shell could be pasta and has just generally done a superb job of acclimating to this show’s distinctive style, helping to make this episode about a funker truly entertaining despite its insanity and token detachment from anyone’s sense of reality.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 7 “Kimmy Learns about the Weather!” (B+)

This show is weird enough on a regular basis, and the sight of a purple cartoon that talked exactly like Titus didn’t feel any more abnormal than most of the other stuff that happens on this show. Casting Scott Adsit, a dependable “30 Rock” player, as the man who stole his voice, was a great move, and I enjoyed his reactions to being intimidated by Titus and being physically attacked by an overeager Kimmy. I like that everyone on this show knows each other’s roles and their strengths, with Titus ready to get Kimmy to rush immediately to his side when he knew he could use her help. Titus was never going to get the credit or back pay for his likeness that he deserved, both because he didn’t actually put much work into it and because that’s not how things work on this show. The other notable guest star of the episode, one that we haven’t seen in other episodes like Peter Riegert or Jon Hamm, was Michael Torpey, better known as the sadistic, evil guard Humphreys on “Orange is the New Black,” as the appropriately-named Drench Thunderman, who I imagine must have met Nathan Fillion’s Rainer Shane from “Modern Family” in the television weatherman universe. Kimmy rightly wasn’t okay with someone telling her to seek shelter in a bunker when it wasn’t necessary, since she’s been through that once before and had her life ruined for over a decade as a result. Lillian was a fitting ally to get Kimmy pumped up in her aggression towards a lying weatherman.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 6 “Kimmy is a Feminist!” (B+)

Now, this was a great episode of this show, firing on all cylinders and demonstrating why its absurdity does sometimes work. Kimmy’s failure to understand this “new feminism” was very understanding, interpreting herself as a heroic sex worker and struggling entirely with the concept of ghosting. Unable to make friends, Xanthippe was more than happy to accept the new name “Xune” and it was a rough first night of partying for her during which she proved to be quite unruly and hard to keep track of. After Kimmy didn’t agree to Austin’s sexual consent forms and had to talk to his mom on the phone, she managed to actually connect with Perry, only to find out that he was going to become a reverend, a fact that to anyone else wouldn’t mean the horrific end of a budding relationship. After he bought fruit-flavored underwear because of its vitamin C content and cherry-flavored lube to dip bread in, Titus got a call from Jacqueline to do exactly what he does best: act. Watching him compete with Duke after his “gay best friend” routine got incorrectly flagged as a con was truly entertaining, and the sight of Titus and Jacqueline trying to make out to satisfy each other’s sexual desires was pretty uncomfortable. I love that it ended with Jacqueline actually getting leverage on Duke so that she can come to the meeting where the name of the Redskins may finally be changed. The best overarching facet of this episode was the hilarious coining of a new phrase, “I overstand.”

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 5 “Kimmy Steps on a Crack!” (B+)

Though I roll my eyes countless times when watching an episode of this show, I do think it’s easily one of my most-referenced in conversation. What proved to be most memorable in this hour was Titus’ sudden onset scurvy, which prompted Lillian to take him to a horrific corner store where the food items barely had any ingredients that should go in food and some of it turned out to be nothing more than just a plush toy. Taking him to the supermarket she so dreaded so that he could actually get some vegetables resulted in a humorous analysis by Peter Riegert’s Artie, who I can tell is going to become a staple in this season as he shows time and time again to Lillian that he’s not out to get her but rather to help the people of the area, something Lillian refuses to acknowledge since she just tells herself to run and disappears when things start to get real. Jacqueline showed her loyalty to Russ by making his cornbread without sharing the secret recipe with Duke, and in the process she found out that his obnoxious sibling really doesn’t have everything that he wants. Kimmy did a great job trying to talk Gretchen down from turning her cult into something actionable, but there were more than enough reasons both inside and outside that makeshift bunker that it was never going to amount to anything, and the fact that Gretchen was a woman had oh so little to do with it save for the FBI’s narrow view of how to deal with her as a hysterical figure.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 4 “Kimmy Goes to College!” (B+)

If there’s a job that I think would be perfect for Kimmy, it’s the idea of being a taskrabbit – not what she thought the term originally meant – because she doesn’t mind doing things that might irk others and attaining the satisfaction of accomplishing them efficiently and fully. That one of her first clients would end up being Xanthippe’s college roommates was fateful, and it was fun to see Kimmy completely misinterpret her former nemesis’ social situation and then make it worse when she accidentally bought Mike’s Hard Lemonade to a party that was supposed to be dry. Xanthippe’s act of rebellion ended up earning her praise rather than expulsion because of an extremely liberal and forgiving reading of her actions that wasn’t even close to accurate, and then Kimmy earned herself a full scholarship thanks to her experience churning the crank in the bunker and the coach’s bullying of the dean. Titus having to sing the worst possible conspiracy theorist, racist, anti-Semitic lyrics for a chance at stardom didn’t seem to bother him all that much, especially if the flash-forward to three weeks later is any indication. I enjoyed Lillian’s hopeless attempt to filibuster, and Peter Riegert’s grocery chain owner indulged her quite a bit. Appointing her as the liaison for his project was a smart decision that is sure to give him a headache, but I’m glad that it turned out this way since it should give her some sense of purpose that will allow her to focus her efforts on something slightly more productive than usual, even though she’ll actually spend most of her time making sure that nothing is produced.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 3 “Kimmy Can’t Help You!” (B-)

This show is taking irreverent to a whole new level this season, though I’m sure I’m projecting that since this show has always been pretty zany. I liked the casting of the always terrific Laura Dern, last seen in a far more stable if equally intense role on HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” as Wendy, the woman who was ready to commit and get married to none other than the Reverend. Kimmy has a complicated enough relationship with the Reverend and what happened with him that she’s not really in a place to give advice to someone else who has fallen under his spell. Titus, who actually got along somewhat well with her and gave her the guidance she needed, was smart to try to trigger a bunker flashback, which helped to set her on the right track. I enjoyed Wendy’s reading of the Reverend’s poetry, which alternated between requests for him to bring her stuff and just lashing out at Kimmy with petty insults. Russ’ devotion to Jacqueline was strong, but unfortunately he managed to be so pathetic that he got slowly run over by a smart car whose driver didn’t even realize that he had gone over him. Getting married to a mostly non-communicative, completely cast-covered Russ was probably a poor idea, and almost immediately her new status has managed to make her an unwilling endorser of the Redskins’ negative name. Something tells me that, as much as it may bother her, she’ll prefer a return to the limelight and a life of luxury to standing up for her morals.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 2 “Kimmy’s Roommate Lemonades!” (B-)

This show is really something, and I don’t always mean that as a compliment. Titus did a whole lot of singing in this episode, and it didn’t really compare to his previous performances. Obviously, he jumped to a lot of conclusions about what Mikey was up to after he saw him with another guy. It didn’t help that Mikey still doesn’t get a lot of what Titus is about, and that he’s completely clueless when it comes to just about everything, particularly the realization that he hadn’t actually told his good buddy that he was dating Titus. Showing up at the apartment with a microphone ready to sing off-key to show his devotion was a nice gesture, and even though it made Titus cringe, I think it did the trick to help get them back together and put them on the right track. Kimmy, meanwhile, took a test that showed her that she should become a crossing guard, which, honestly, is a perfect fit for her. The eagerness with which she went to explore college was wonderful, and the way that she latches on to ideas and modifies metaphors to replace them with pizza is really fun. Jacqueline and Lillian battling for her vote was an entertaining subplot, and Jacqueline’s reaction to Lillian protesting against her was enjoyable. Lillian won, sure, but she quickly found out that, in an instant, her input really didn’t matter all that much. I’m eager to see what Jacqueline will do and how politically involved she’ll get while Russ is still away.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season Premiere)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Episode 1 “Kimmy Gets Divorced?!” (B)

While this show was on hiatus, I didn’t think about it very much, but I did find myself making comparisons to its universe and its token irreverent nature when describing NBC’s appealing new comedy “Trial and Error.” As with so many streaming shows these days, I nearly missed the start of this one since it seems like there are at least ten new shows premiering each month and a handful returning for a second or third season at the same time. This show’s return is mostly welcome, though I think I had forgotten just how outrageous and absurd a lot of this show was. The mop made up to look like Titus which everyone spoke to was one such instance, and I don’t even know what to say about Lillian’s continued relationship with Fred Armisen’s Robert Durst. Titus having to choose whether to do something truly uncomfortable to get a role on “Sesame Street” was odd but unsurprising, and I don’t know that this show needs to spend too much more time pursuing that plotline. There was a whole lot of Jon Hamm in this episode, but that’s never a bad thing, and the divorce conversation turned very comical as Kimmy, egged on by Jacqueline, refused to give in to his request for a simple signature to dissolve their marriage. It’s nice to see Kimmy so determined and positive, and who knows how long this next chapter will last as Kimmy starts to figure out what she wants to make her happy in life.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season Finale)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 13 “Kimmy Finds Her Mom!” (B+)

It really didn’t take long for Kimmy to track down her mom, and what a superb bit of casting Lisa Kudrow was. The “Friends” Emmy winner has just the right loose vibe to play a woman who spends most of her time obsessed with getting on the next rollercoaster, a physical act that’s loaded with metaphors about just going in circles and not moving forward. Kudrow’s chipper style was perfect, and the two of them seemed like a very good match. Kimmy’s inability to tie her shoe quickly because Lori-Anne never taught her to how to was very on the nose as a diagnosis of their relationship, and Lori-Anne very quickly morphed into an uninterested, selfish person not content to wait around for her daughter to catch up with her. Titus was great at telling Kimmy what was happening with her mother over the phone, and he had quite the trip to the place poorly named Titusville famous for being a backwards space town made irrelevant by the shutdown of space missions. Jacqueline had a triumphant moment in her relationship to her family and to her newfound boyfriend, so horrified that Russ’ family owned the Redskins and equally unhappy to see how his family, including his brother, played by Josh Charles, treated him. Seeing the whole weird family together at the end of the episode was a fitting conclusion for the season, followed up of course by the Reverend’s phone call that shakes things up quite a bit. After a few so-so episodes at the start of the season, this has actually been a great year. I roll my eyes and shake my head more than anything watching this show, but it’s undeniably well-done and entertaining. Bring on season three!

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Ellie Kemper

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 12 “Kimmy Sees a Sunset!” (B+)

It’s a nice thing that Kimmy cares so much about other people that she’s willing to spend an entire day handcuffed to her therapist on a roof just to prove to her that she can get through a day without drinking. She seemed to be doing a pretty great job, but then Andrea had to go ahead and reveal that she had actually been drunk all day. That said, the fact that she put up with Kimmy’s antics for the whole day says something, even if it was just to triumphantly declare her disobedience. It’s fun to see Tina Fey clearly having a good time, and playing both day Andrea and night Andrea offers her the opportunity to really go wild. I’m glad we finally got to see Jacqueline again. Apparently, she’s been off trying to get David Cross’ Russ to get off the phone long enough to notice her and help return her to a high social status. There really are so many things not to like about Russ, and though he claims to be a defender of the common man, he goes about it in the most unlikeable way possible. Even a knockout punch (I didn’t realize those were still happening) couldn’t fell him, it just made him even more miserable. Jacqueline falling in love with him is a stretch, but what isn’t on this show? On a much sweeter note, how wonderful that Titus and Mikey have found such happiness together inspired by Titus being sick. Now maybe Titus will go on a cruise for a few months, a development sure to complicate their rather idyllic relationship in absurd ways that could only be conceived of on this show.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 11 “Kimmy Meets a Celebrity!” (B+)

It makes sense that Kimmy would have the chance to see her life played out on a celebrity talk show, and I think Jeff Goldblum was just the actor to play the devious Dr. Dave, who was much more concerned with making a good, watchable show than actually solving anyone’s problems. Naturally, all of the guests on his show came from extremely exaggerated circumstances, and the sound of applause frightening the woman eaten by the whale was probably the most outlandish and absurd one. Only on this show would there be a talk show that tapes so frequently that multiple days pass in mere hours. Kimmy breaking up the sham of a wedding that was about to happen was a sweet and twisted event that made the eternally sheep-like Cyndee happy and salvaged their friendship, which was nice to see since Kimmy can use all the friends she has, especially with Jacqueline being so absent lately. As Lilian remained chained to a fence with no one noticing her, Titus got the chance to be a father to someone in a way that initially seemed like it was going to work out great. The thrill of using another man’s credit card liberally couldn’t match Titus’ joy at getting to mold a young boy’s love life. He enjoyed plenty of popcorn but then got to see his surrogate son lash out at him and tell him he hated him, completing the brief cycle of parenthood that Titus got to experience as he tried to make a fifth horror movie sequel into a date to remember.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 10 “Kimmy Goes to Her Happy Place!” (B+)

This show does a fun job of melding its complete ridiculous elements, like Mikey’s grandmother not even being a person, with more legitimate storylines like Titus never having had the chance the come out. Titus’ disappointment at not getting to sing a song or be the center of attention seemed selfish, but then Mikey found the perfect way to let him shine, delivering a heartfelt performance that seems to have endeared him to Mikey’s family and certainly to Mikey himself. Kimmy’s time spent in therapy has been extremely entertaining thus far, anchored by her inability to steer away from 90s references and the shock that most of her models of masculinity are gay. Her excitement at getting stickers was understandable, and that was much sunnier than the brutal violence that started to happen in her animated happy place songs. That was pretty disturbing and dark even for this show, which usually says some crazy things but doesn’t often show people, animated or otherwise, being sawed apart. Some choice moments from her first set of sessions with Andrea were the conversation with fruit puns, Kimmy declaring that she doesn’t get pissed off – she gets pissed on – and night Andrea wearing a dyziplen shirt. Lillian protesting gentrification led her to the important realization that she is invisible, and she’s now found a way to use that to her advantage. I also enjoyed the hipster restaurant bringing out their take on the pop tart that’s called something else because both of those words are gendered.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 9 “Kimmy Meets a Drunk Lady” (B+)

It’s always fun to see those behind the scenes stepping in front of the camera to have a good time. Tina Fey already guest-starred on this show and earned an Emmy nomination last year along with four other writing and producing bids, and now she’s back playing a totally different but equally unaware character. Andrea was entertaining because she was so completely destructive at night, a terrible influence on poor, unassuming Kimmy and then so straight-laced and serious during the day when she went in to start officially seeing her as a therapist. Night Andrea blackmailing Day Andrea into seeing Kimmy by threatening to expose her misdeeds was an amusing way to resolve it, and I hope that their time together will help Kimmy realize some positive things about her life and her trajectory. With Jacqueline nowhere to be found and Lillian referenced only by a fleeting “Run, Lillian!” comment, the rest of the focus of the episode was left to Titus, so continually stuck in the past that he walked into a Best Buy to try to purchase a new rack for his cassette tapes, all of which were a freaky version of the once-popular “Now” series. I thought that he’d construct some magnificent storage system with the random assortment of supplies he cobbled together, but as usual things didn’t always end up being so rosy, and his structure was deplorably insufficient. At least he has those weird songs to keep him going, and one day he’ll move into the twenty-first century with new technology like “wiffy.”

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 8 “Kimmy Goes to a Hotel!” (B+)

So much for military men – for Kimmy, it’s all about Dong. Sonia showing up with Dong’s scrunchie was a worrisome start, but fortunately the admittedly bizarre Kimmy was well-versed in how to go along with her illusions, staging a fantastic blowout with Dong in front of a supposedly invisible Sonia to cast off all suspicion. Dong showing up at her window was a nice development, and it was fun to see them go into the most disgusting, vermin-infested hotel and enjoy a night of passion that would have gone better if Kimmy didn’t repeatedly hit Dong over the head with the telephone and if Dong hadn’t had an allergic reaction to latex. Joshua Jackson’s cameo as himself was very funny, even if the “Dawson’s Creek” references were lost on me. Titus’ career in management didn’t last long, but it was good to see him finally think of Kimmy and Lillian as an affirming part of his life. And his comment to Mikey about his acting abilities as Santa compared to his success at convincing a waiter that it was his birthday was great. Jacqueline’s defense against the Jews who wanted to take back her party was typically absurd, and David Cross’ Russ was a fun guest star to combat the eternally stalling Gary, whose tactic to elongate all his words was far less subtle than he thought it to be. The chance for Lillian and Jacqueline to interact was a welcome and very entertaining one that I hope we’ll get to see again soon.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 7 “Kimmy Walks into a Bar” (B+)

I’m a fan of Anna Camp in pretty much anything she does, and it’s fun to see her here as Deirdre Robespierre, who really is the perfect match for Jacqueline. The fact that her reaction to Jacqueline accidentally planning a gala for the same night as her event was to be upset that she wasn’t fighting hard enough to be her nemesis was great, and just emphasized the ridiculous nature of this show. I love that the reason for the confusion was that Mimi tried to be all fancy and use the European way of writing the date, which then got flipped back the wrong way by Sting. I knew that I recognized Keith from somewhere, and I found plenty of credits for actor Sam Page, including recurring roles on “Mad Men” and “Desperate Housewives.” Kimmy getting pegged as military because of how she responds to situations based on her time in the bunker was interesting, and though I’m not sure I buy it, I did like Keith and I’d like to see if this relationship could go anywhere. Kimmy’s trick to amuse herself when people are blabbering was fun, and it certainly seemed to amuse Titus. His concern with Mike talking too much was made most hilarious by the complete silence that he experienced when the construction workers were sitting together and he definitely said “soup” instead of “sup.” Realizing that Mike feels like he can open up to someone for the first time was a nice progression in their relationship, which, against all odds, seems to be going pretty well.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 6 “Kimmy Drives a Car!” (B+)

The Reverend may have been the number one villain on this show in season one, but he doesn’t hold a candle to gentrification, which has been threatening Lillian and the neighborhood for quite some time now. The transforming of the cape shop into a vape shop is representative of much more than just one changed letter, and we got a window into what Lillian was like back when Roland, played by Kenan Thompson, was still around. Kimmy’s accidental discovery of the “wiffy” led to Titus’ decision to go sleep in the scary library and put the apartment on AirBNB, a decision that had much more serious implications than he had expected. Sue and Bob, played by real-life couple Zosia Mamet and Evan Jonigkeit, were not naïve Texans but exactly what both Lillian and Titus feared. Titus donning a disguise to make it seem like there was a secret room in the back that meant that Sue and Bob had missed their chance was brilliant, and of course there was a line out the door soon after for the opportunity to experience this nonexistent secret room. Kimmy standing up to Jacqueline after she felt mistreated as a friend was nice to see, and her unintentional Uber career was a great idea. I guess a learner’s permit lets you do plenty, especially if your Uber passengers are over twenty-five and have a license. Borrowing Jacqueline’s car whenever she’s not with her is a perfect compromise, and I’m sure her clients will provide some added wackiness.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 5 “Kimmy Gives Up!” (B+)

If there’s one thing that drives this show more than anything, it’s Kimmy’s positive spirit. So little gets her down, and even her limited understanding of the world given her out-of-date “Frasier” references and all that has not kept her from seizing the day nearly every day and overcoming so much to endure in New York City. Dong choosing his green card over her was a huge blow, and that she still felt compelled to help him prop up a made-up marriage when it hurt her so much shows how she cares for him. Kimmy falling asleep during the GED and yelling at the proctor for not waking her up was funny, yet obviously a huge stumbling block for her educational development. I love that, as soon as she realized that Kimmy was just a chalk drawing, Jacqueline struggled so much to be alone with Buckley, something that had never in her life happened before. Giving him Dyziplen, a hilarious medication, did provide a perfect solution, but when her consumption of the drug led to a horrible fashion choice, she realized that she couldn’t do that to her son, no matter how much of an annoyance he was. Using Transformers commands to get him to calm down and then to wreak havoc on a saleswoman who thought she was an 8 was great, and that’s where this show manages to use its absurdity to its advantage. Titus’ obsession with awful fake musical numbers was most effective for the closing montage that revealed, among other things, that Dong hangs on to Kimmy’s scrunchie and hasn’t moved on, and wrapped all of this episode’s plotlines up quite nicely.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakably Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 4 “Kimmy Kidnaps Gretchen!” (B)

It’s a rare dynamic on this show that Kimmy is the representation of reasonable and well-adjusted, even given the fact that she spends most of her time with Jacqueline, Titus, and Lillian, all of whom live in warped versions of the world. But we’ve known since the very start that Kimmy has always had an immutable sense of positivity that kept her from being fully taken in by the Reverend and his cult when she was in captivity. Gretchen, on the other hand, was more than eager to take on the illusion and follow blindly, and that’s obviously presenting problems now that she’s about to sail away on the latest mind trip that’s going to completely take hold of her. Kimmy’s efforts to shock her back to reality failed pretty miserably, demonstrated most by her streetside tattoo and her incredible ability to not hear herself. Kimmy’s solution to have her lead her own cult was brilliant, and I don’t even want to know what those hapless minions are thinking as they board the airplane that’s actually a bus. I did enjoy some of Gretchen’s misperceptions, like her description of Apple and her pronunciation of Steve Buscemi’s last name. Titus is a piece of work, to be sure, and Mikey is too in a completely different way. Titus melting down and telling him to lose his number was a poor step, but the fact that Titus was so impressed that Mikey returned to claim the thing he had left behind – or that Lillian conveniently planted there – seems to have resolved it all, and it looks like this relationship could actually work.

What I’m Watching: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 2, Episode 3 “Kimmy Goes to a Play!” (B)

I don’t even know what to do with Titus sometimes since he’s just so far gone as a character. At times, it’s endearing and hilarious, and at others it’s simply too much to take. Fortunately, his one-man show leaned more towards the former than the latter, and the fact that people were protesting it before they knew anything about it while he was denying any wrongdoing because he believes that he was a geisha in his past life was fitting social commentary for me (more than pre-protesting than the past life thing). That it turned into a beautiful show that made the Asian protesters change their tune entirely wasn’t exactly predictable, but naturally it wasn’t going to end in disgrace for Titus. Jacqueline’s attempt to re-ascend the social ladder was going decently thanks to her elaborate ruse to make it seem like constant construction was the reason that she had no things in her new luxury apartment, and trying to make a go at it single with no man on her arm failed miserably right away. Kimmy’s good nature saved the day, and now Jacqueline is interesting again thanks to her public lesbian status. Lillian’s one-woman war on gentrification was pretty amusing, though if ever there was a character out on her own planet, she would be it. Telling herself to “Run, Lillian!” as she was chased away by police sirens after mourning the death of graffiti was fittingly zany, and scaring away sophisticated visitors to the neighborhood was a mark of true gritty success.