This week, "Eastbound & Down" proved once again that A) Kenny Powers has no limits and B) neither does this show. Bringing back some of the best characters this show offered in the first two seasons, including Cutler, Stevie, Maria, Dustin, Cassie, and Ashley Schaeffer, "Eastbound & Down" season three took no time at all to remind me why this series is so great.
Episode two of season three had an incredible series of predicaments for Kenny. Dealing with his baby alone, trying to get Stevie away from Ashley's new KIA dealership, getting Maria to help him even though she hates what Kenny did to Stevie, and outrunning cannon fire. There is no possible way any show in history has ever covered all of these obstacles in one season, let alone one episode.
What was amazing about last night's episode, as well as this entire series, is the immense variety within the show. In one episode last night we are reminded that Kenny is a hilarious jackass, that he is self-centered, that he is stupid, but also that he has a soft spot and he cares (somewhat) about the people around him. The scene when Kenny pushes baby Toby down the river a la Moses, there is the moment when he looks at the kids in the park and we realize he has changed his mind. But without being too sappy, he writes it off by saying "kids do say the darnedest s***." Jumping back into the river to retrieve Toby, the only thing left to do is save the other helpless soul that Kenny loves: Stevie.
The relationship between Stevie and Kenny (as well as the rapport between Danny McBride and Steve Little) is really what keeps "Eastbound" ticking. As Kenny stares into Ashley Schaeffer's large plantation mansion to see Stevie dressed as a geisha trying to seduce businessmen from Korea, what choice does he have but to grab a samurai sword and try to take Ashley down? And even when that fails, what choice does Kenny have but to run from cannon fire in order to try and save his best friend and the likely babysitter of Toby? Kenny has to go through the risk to come through the other side where he can continue to be a self- centered jackass that parties and treats women terribly. That's who he is, and he won't let anything stand in his way of making that happen. Only on "Eastbound & Down" can you find this: compassion for the most vile and humorous reasons. And only on "Eastbound" can you have a semi- normal story turn to the most ridiculous cannon scene you have ever seen. It is great to have this show back.
Best line: Kenny: "If she is not back by the time "S.W.A.T." is over, she is going to have hell to pay."
Biggest laugh: The entire sequence of Kenny and Stevie trying to outrun cannon fire, followed by them laughing in the back of the truck where Kenny tells Stevie "You are f****** weird man."
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Episode two of season three had an incredible series of predicaments for Kenny. Dealing with his baby alone, trying to get Stevie away from Ashley's new KIA dealership, getting Maria to help him even though she hates what Kenny did to Stevie, and outrunning cannon fire. There is no possible way any show in history has ever covered all of these obstacles in one season, let alone one episode.
What was amazing about last night's episode, as well as this entire series, is the immense variety within the show. In one episode last night we are reminded that Kenny is a hilarious jackass, that he is self-centered, that he is stupid, but also that he has a soft spot and he cares (somewhat) about the people around him. The scene when Kenny pushes baby Toby down the river a la Moses, there is the moment when he looks at the kids in the park and we realize he has changed his mind. But without being too sappy, he writes it off by saying "kids do say the darnedest s***." Jumping back into the river to retrieve Toby, the only thing left to do is save the other helpless soul that Kenny loves: Stevie.
The relationship between Stevie and Kenny (as well as the rapport between Danny McBride and Steve Little) is really what keeps "Eastbound" ticking. As Kenny stares into Ashley Schaeffer's large plantation mansion to see Stevie dressed as a geisha trying to seduce businessmen from Korea, what choice does he have but to grab a samurai sword and try to take Ashley down? And even when that fails, what choice does Kenny have but to run from cannon fire in order to try and save his best friend and the likely babysitter of Toby? Kenny has to go through the risk to come through the other side where he can continue to be a self- centered jackass that parties and treats women terribly. That's who he is, and he won't let anything stand in his way of making that happen. Only on "Eastbound & Down" can you find this: compassion for the most vile and humorous reasons. And only on "Eastbound" can you have a semi- normal story turn to the most ridiculous cannon scene you have ever seen. It is great to have this show back.
Best line: Kenny: "If she is not back by the time "S.W.A.T." is over, she is going to have hell to pay."
Biggest laugh: The entire sequence of Kenny and Stevie trying to outrun cannon fire, followed by them laughing in the back of the truck where Kenny tells Stevie "You are f****** weird man."
READ MORE MOVIE, TV, AND VIDEO GAME REVIEWS AT: CustodianFilmCritic.com