10.30 Rising Damp
11.00 Cavemen
11.30 Corner Gas
12.00 The Venture Bros.
Rising Damp. Season 2, Episode 4. "Moonlight and Roses" While this is still a very funny episode, it is much different to most other episodes of RD. It's a bit more sad. Rigsby wears his heart on a sleeve a bit more than usual in this one, he tries very hard to win Miss Jones and plays a very mean trick to try and derail her impending marriage. But it fails: Miss Jones still moves out at the end to get married.
Most of the humour in Rising Damp comes from the tenants (mostly just Philip) playing tricks on Rigsby. Rigsby (mostly) deserves it, because he's a know-it-all and should be taught a lesson from time to time. But this one is a bit different. He really is in love with Miss Jones. To their credit the boys try and shield him from heartbreak at the very start of the show, but - when that fails to work - Philip goes all out and sets him the landlord up for a fall. It's very, very funny. But, for the first time in the series, you cannot help but feel very sorry for Rigsby. He might have his flaws, but the guy did love Miss Jones.
His trick to ruin her marriage is very mean (funny, but mean). Seldom does he do something so out of character. Desperation, I suppose, drove him to it...
Gabrielle Rose (of Robson Arms) joins the cast in this one and makes a great first impression. When Brenda shows up in a very revealing top and tells Rigsby that she is a nude model, the show delivers one of it's best-ever moments. Watching the inept advances of the lecherous landlord is a real delight.
Cavemen. It's a bit too preaching (which can get embarrassing) but this is still one of the very best episodes. In this one, Joel is trying to bounce back from his break-up with Kate. When he hears that she hated his clothes he gives his wardrobe a total overhaul, and the entire plot thread yields many laughs. It's a good storyline. It captures truth: The moment after a relationship has ended when you still bump into your ex a lot and try to give yourself a total make-over so they will take you back. Highlight? Kate's mom talking about Joel's clothes.
But Andy gets most of the scenes in the episode. This is good for two reasons: Andy is coming close to overtaking Nick as my favourite character in the show, and his girlfriend (Stephanie Lemelin) is both hot and adorable. In equal measure. Not an easy one to pull off. I know. I do it every day :)
Andy takes a stab at stand-up comedy. It's a wild ride. He sucks, gets great, becomes a huge hit, learns a lesson about racial stereotypes and goes back to sucking again.
When it gets preachy (on race issues) this episode veers into the territory of embarrassment but when it stays funny, it is very, very funny.
Corner Gas. Season 5, Episode 7. "Buzz Driver" Written by series creator/star Brent Butt this is a strong contender for funniest ever episode of Corner Gas. It seems as if every line of dialogue is a fresh joke, and the situations are inspired. Not only are the plots great in isolation, Butt is able to make them collide to great effect whenever he wants.
And his cast are a dream. Nancy Robertson has almost overtaken Eric Peterson as my favourite cast member. Wanda is 'jacked-up' on energy drink in this one, and Wanda is hilarious. Easily the funniest thing in the episode. And I say this about an episode which also has Oscar turning a bunch of kids from a Church Group into a dangerous mob, while Hank decides to turn his truck into a advertisement for The Ruby. His 'aggressive' marketing involves parking across two lanes of traffic so everyone has to read his sign!!
Yes, Oscar and Hank are great in this episode, but Wanda steals the show. Highlight? Emma (knowing a good thing when she sees it) asks Wanda to call over over to her house and give her some help with the gardening. Jacked-up Wanda (brimming with energy) immediately agrees and announces that she will jog on over. Next we see her run off at high speed. And the camera (wisely) lingers as tiny (adorable) Wanda runs away so fast she pretty much rises a cloud of dust in her wake.
So Corner Gas. Five season in and they deliver (probably) their best episode. Not bad, not bad at all...
The Venture Bros. Episode 1. "Dia de los Dangerous" A good episode. But not a great episode. And certainly an odd way to start the series. The Venture family (and Brock, their protector) are in Mexico. And they cross paths (by accident) with super-villain The Monarch, whose henchmen kidnap Dead and Hank. There are lots of laughs to be had, but it's unusual (I feel) for a first episode to showcase the untypical episodes in a series. Even more unusual, it starts with the four heroes split apart and doing their own thing rather than arriving together (and being introduced to the viewer) as a team.
Never mind. This is still a good episode. The best bits revolve around The Monarch and Dr. Venture's total apathy towards his sons. Brock (the show's best character, voiced by the awesome Patrick Warburton) is sidelined in this one. He only appears for a few scenes. Maybe that's why it's not one of my favourite episodes...
Highlight? Corner Gas (Wanda running)
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Sat, Nov 29, 08 - Rising Damp, Cavemen, Corner Gas, Venture Bros
