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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: This is not only the best episode of the second season, but is actually the best episode of the series to date. As highly as I think of the creative talents shown by the producers and writers of the show, I never thought episodes such as "Grad 68" or "Comedy Night" could be noticeably topped - but this episode does it. In every episode up to this point, no matter how good, there's at least one joke that doesn't have a lot of impact, but in this episode almost every joke works perfectly. Much like "Mosquito Time," the main plot and the side plots work on the same level, but in this one they all work at the highest levels the show has ever achieved. If I were to be stranded on a deserted island with only one Corner Gas episode to watch for the rest of my life, as of this writing (who knows that the show will come up with in its third season), I'd pick this episode without thinking twice.
This is one of the five funniest episodes of any sitcom I've ever seen, which is pretty high praise from someone who has seen every episode of a combined 22 seasons of Cheers and Frasier. Never will you see the Three's Company "misunderstanding" concept used more effectively (up until now, the best example I had ever seen was in a Cheers episode when Diane wanted to use therapy to cure the slump of a Red Sox pitcher and he thought she was offering him sex). Even if you're one of those rare freaks who has seen the show and doesn't find it enjoyable, this episode will convince you to give the show another try, guaranteed. This episode is a true comedic gem, comedy in its absolute highest form.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: See the ninth item in my list of ten funniest scenes for this episode. By this time, the "misunderstanding" plot has been brought to a perfect boil.
MEMORABLE LINE: There are repeated instances of this in the episode, but the most memorable lines all have one Dog Riverite or another spitting out awkwardly long acronyms with the speed of Denis Leary's speech in rant mode. I remember wondering how long these actors had to practice to do that and how many cuts each such scene took.
KUDOS TO GABRIELLE: She's just perfect as the tour guide who to anyone else would seem like an attractive and highly likeable girl but to the hayseed doctor appears to be a harlot from the seventh circle of Hell. Particularly noteworthy: during the aforementioned ninth item in my "funniest scenes" list, Wanda says "that's not really fair, Davis started the whole animal thing" and Lacey replies with a knowing "really." It's quick and probably didn't take her much effort, but Gabrielle really nailed this one - to the point where for the first time in the entire series, Lacey looked like a true Dog River insider (necessary for the scene). Had it been asked inquisitively instead of spoken aloud with unsurprised interest, it wouldn't have been half as funny. Sure, the choice of delivery is to the scriptwriters' credit as well, but you still have to nail the line - and Gabrielle did. It's little things like this that separate the good comedies from the great ones and good actresses from great ones.
FUNNIEST LINE IN THIS EPISODE: "Well, everything was going okay, but then he wanted to bring animals into it" from Brent. It doesn't look like much of a side-splitter until you see it in context.
FUNNIEST SCENES IN THIS EPISODE:
The sad thing is that doing this list justice would require me to list almost every joke in the episode, so with great restraint I limit it to the following ten:
1.) The first time Hank displays his gardening knowledge and Oscar says "Good pretending."
2.) When Brent tries to pay the Girl Guide (a blue-uniformed equivalent of what an American would recognize as a Brownie, or junior Girl Scout) with a $100 bill, knowing damn well that she can't make change. The first time I saw this scene, it almost made me spit out my drink in laughter.
3.) When Brent sticks up for Hank's "ghost" theory.
4.) When Emma tells Lacey and Dr. Garner that she threw Hank out of the Leroy house.
5.) Hank's attempts to solve Karen's age-old "where do you bury the survivors" riddle.
6.) When Davis joins in the riddle game with the "a rooster lays an egg on the roof�" question. Particularly funny are Karen's reactions to solve this one. This is another one that almost made me spit out my drink in laughter.
7.) When Brent opens his apartment door and sees Hank trying an experiment with a rooster. This one actually DID make me spit out my drink.
8.) When Brent and Karen are talking about Gordon and Lacey brings Dr. Garner to introduce her to him. This entire scene is hilarious.
9.) The next scene when Lacey brings Dr. Garner to a booth at the Ruby where they chat with Oscar, Emma, Wanda and Karen.
10.) The scene where Lacey brings Hank to the bus stop to try to explain all of the misunderstandings to Dr. Garner.
BLOOPERS: Forthcoming.
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