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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: This episode signifies the end of the three-week run of outright excellence that we were treated to after "Hurry Hard." As disappointing episodes go, this is still better than "I Love Lacey" and way better than "Hurry Hard," but for the first time we appear to have an episode specifically written around a cameo. The Tragically Hip make an appearance in the episode, and while watching this one I found myself wondering if the main story line would have been written at all if there hadn't been a famous group readily available to be thrown out of Brent's garage. The only really amusing part of the main plot, the reunion of Brent's / Hank's / Wanda's band "Thunderface," was Davis trying out as a drummer and then getting booted immediately in favor of Karen. The side plot about a country singer ripping off a song from Oscar was of minimal humor value as well. The best plot of them all was Lacey being in charge of creating the town's historical plaque, but that's by default - in most Corner Gas episodes even this plot wouldn't warrant a third of an episode's time. The culmination of the main plot, the Thunderface concert, had only two truly amusing moments - not enough to justify the long buildup.
Although even a bad Corner Gas episode is better than an average episode of most sitcoms, and while I have no doubt that fans of The Tragically Hip got a huge kick out of this episode, the bottom line is that only "I Love Lacey" and "Hurry Hard" keep this one from being my least favorite of the first two seasons.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: The Tragically Hip being thrown out of Brent's garage, since it seems so clear that the episode was structured around this scene.
MEMORABLE LINE: "That is a boot in the berries" from Wanda. Up to that point I thought I had heard every possible line which describes what Wanda was talking about.
KUDOS TO GABRIELLE: She cracked me up when Lacey "translated" Paul's usage of the Cree language and her attempts to remember what the name of Brent's band was.
FUNNIEST LINE IN THIS EPISODE: "Oh my God, you've become your own metaphor" from Wanda to Hank.
FUNNIEST SCENES IN THIS EPISODE:
1.) Brent describing Wanda's agreeing with Hank as "peculiar and unnerving." Brent Butt has a talent for slipping in lines like this (with trademark, perfectly subdued delivery) during casual conversation like nobody I've ever seen.
2.) When Karen asked "Was this before or after you jammed with Hendrix?" in response to Oscar's contention that an international country music superstar stole a song from him.
3.) Timmy playing a slide whistle in immediate response to Davis' amazingly lame joke about the Danish language. Kudos to the show's writers for turning a truly stale joke into a hilarious scene.
4.) Wanda's observation that a "high percentage" of bands have drummers.
5.) The band tryouts.
6.) Wanda's reaction to the only musician trying out that could actually play, and Brent's immediate disposal of the poor guy.
7.) Emma's reaction to the kids who returned her lost wallet. If pressed to name the funniest scene on the episode, this would be my choice.
8.) Paul's explanation to Lacey as to why he loved Thunderface.
9.) Oscar classifying Thunderface as "too derivative of the heavy glam rock of the 80's."
BLOOPERS:
1.) At 4:30, Lacey is headed towards Oscar with a coffeepot in her hand as Davis is complaining about the lack of available tickets for a concert. She's holding the coffeepot over the floor, but when the camera angle turns to show her standing next to Oscar, the coffeepot is on the counter.
2.) Starting at 17:31, Emma and Lacey are sitting in a booth at the Ruby, as Emma explains the dark secret behind Dog River's name. At the very beginning of the scene, Lacey's left arm is right on the edge of the table and Emma's elbow is close to it as well, with her hand pointing towards the window. Lacey is sitting closer to the edge than Emma, and the coffee cups in front of them are about six inches apart. When the angle points to Lacey, there is now space between her left arm and the table's edge and she's sitting a little farther in than Emma. Now the angle switches to show Emma, - the distance between the coffee cups has increased, and her right forearm is pointing towards Lacey. Now the original scene of the angle returns, and Emma's arm is pointing back towards the window.
3.) Thunderface's gig starts at 18:36. There are a fair number of discrepancies regarding notes versus hand position on the fretboards of the string instruments from start to finish.
SUPERFLUOUS COMMENTARY: I'm not sure if that was Fred Ewanuick singing during Thunderface's show or not - but assuming it was, his voice is surprisingly well-suited to more than a couple hard rock bands I've heard, although none of them are any good (Slaughter, Victory, the ultra-horrific Stryper, etc.).
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