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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: The main plot (Emma and Oscar mistaking Brent's intentions as greed) is below average by the show's standards, a secondary plot (a new breathalyzer program in Dog River) is even less funny and the episode's best plot (Lacey coming up with a cryptic bulletin board rules system) bulletin board plot isn't enough to elevate the episode to the upper half of the series' 50 episodes to date, but don't despair - the series goes on a long roll of outright excellence starting with the next episode.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: Emma and Oscar's "commercial" for legal will kits. As exaggerated as their speech patterns are during this scene, they really aren't that much different than those you would expect to see on some of the commercials currently prevalent in the States as of this writing, especially those which feature soccer moms who are unable to mention Ovaltine without first throwing in the words "rich" and "chocolate" in front of the product's name ("Hey, Bill, as long as you're up, would you me a cool, refreshing Labatt's Blue?"). Even Emma's hilarious "hmm" before continuing with "an easy and convenient way to make your wishes known to loved ones" would not seem out of place in commercials for Ovaltine or some of the local cable advertising I've seen as of late.
MEMORABLE LINE: "Your bulletin board sucks" from an old lady to Lacey.
KUDOS TO GABRIELLE: She's hilarious as she comes up with a bulletin board rules system which is only slightly less complicated than the U.S. tax code, especially during her explanations of the rules.
FUNNIEST LINE IN THIS EPISODE: In response to Wanda's "So, you don't wanna kill your dad," Brent says "Well, not for his stuff."
FUNNIEST SCENES IN THIS EPISODE:
1.) Brent "having fun" with his parents.
2.) Lacey charging Oscar three bucks for previously on-the-house fries after Oscar doesn't leave her anything in his and Emma's will.
3.) The scenes of Oscar's prospective charitable donations to kids.
4.) When Lacey tells Emma that her (Lacey's) bulletin board doesn't need Emma's pity.
5.) When Wanda smacks Brent in the head after his crack about her height, and Brent points out that it was on purpose.
6.) When Brent asks Oscar "Can I at least have your giant novelty checkbook?"
BLOOPERS: Forthcoming.
LAME ATTEMPT AT A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: The scene which shows why the DRPD's new breathalyzer no longer plays chimes ("it failed the field test") reminded me of something worth passing along. I have some friends who are cops, and all of them get a big kick out of people who trust the "test your sobriety" machines in bars. It goes without saying that you're better off not even having a drop of booze in your system when you drive at all, but if you insist on having a few drinks and driving home, the only thing worse than trusting the judgement of a machine in an establishment trying to sell as many drinks as possible is to flip off a cop on your drive home. In the words of one D.C. police sergeant I know: "You're better off just mailing in the fine from the bar, at least you'll keep your license and save court costs."
If you do get pulled over, no matter what state you're in, the last thing you want to claim is "I only had two beers," even if it's the truth - "two beers" is the gold-standard "check is in the mail" lie that cops joke about in the break room or off-duty (a few of the cops I know run a "two beers" pool in which for$20 you can bet how many people claim "two beers" in that jurisdiction that month).
At any rate, don't trust the machines in bars - or, better yet, don't drink and drive at all. Do us all a favor and spring for a cab.