Let’s start out by addressing the whole Leslie/Ben relationship, as it played a decent role in this episode. I’ve read a lot of commentary on various blogs about how they don’t really feel believable as a couple. I take a slightly different view on this, I think that at first they didn’t quite fit but now they kind of do, albeit in a strange way. Take April and Andy for example. They do not have a typical relationship/marriage in any sense, and seem like total opposites, but somehow it works. Not sure how, not sure why, but tonight’s April and Andy moments had me grinning from ear to ear. I think the writers tried to create the same magic again with Leslie and Ben, another unconventional ‘weird’ couple. But instead of the quirky weirdness of April and Andy, we now have the all-around dorkiness of Leslie and Ben. This is a very different dynamic and it plays out differently on screen, instead of piggy back rides as mild-flirtation it’s now Leslie suggesting Ben that he goes to a snow-globe museum. See? Different dynamic. It works, but in a way people aren’t used to seeing, which I think is the cause of the conflict that a lot of people have. I have an entirely different gripe about the Ben/Leslie relationship, and it’s that although Adam Scott is only a year younger than Amy Poehler, he looks a lot younger. To me he looks like he’s in his late 20’s, not 38. It’s not his fault, just a small gripe of mine. Anyways, on to discussing ‘Jerry’s Painting’.
This episode has a very refreshing premise that I absolutely loved, essentially Jerry paints a painting of a centaur goddess who looks curiously like Leslie. Also there’s a fat baby that looks like Tom. Our B-story isn’t original but is still insanely funny, Ben moves in with April and Andy and has to teach them how to be adults, you know to use plates and cups. Let’s start with our painting fiasco.
I can’t begin to imagine how the goddesses name is spelled, and Wikipedia couldn’t help me, so I’ll just call her the goddess for the rest of the review. As I said earlier, she looks suspiciously like Leslie, and when she sees it instead of getting angry she embraces the concept and takes the goddess to heart. This is completely unexpected and I loved every minute of it. The look on her face changed, she started standing taller, her voice took on a tone of husky confidence, and the braid in the hair to match the braid in the painting were all amazing touches to the character. Later when she fights to save the painting, it’s very clear that she’s also fighting to save that newly found goddess within, she’s no longer a loser dork and she doesn’t want to lose that. In a nice twist apparent speed painter Jerry paints another painting with Tom as the subject, in a switcheroo to please the recurring Christian prude character. Of course a bare female chest is obscene, but Tom’s newly painted six pack is not offensive. Oh America, y u so silly?
On a side note, the idea of bringing in a porn star during the Perd Hapley segment that looks identical to Leslie was an amazing juxtaposition. You could just see the confusion on poor Leslie’s face. And when Brandi Maxxxx started taking over and speaking for the both of them, I just about died of laughter. Easily this was my favorite scene from the night.
Second favorite scene of the night? When Ben was trying to sneak a peek at the painting. Adam Scott is a great actor, but the writers keep him as a typical straight man, so those rare chances when he gets to do something a little silly he really gets to shine as an actor.
Moving on to April and Andy, despite being married April is afraid to grow up and start acting like an adult. Andy is a perpetual child, who will probably never grow up, and that’s exactly how we like him. Despite this they both made strides in the maturity department thanks to some pushing and shoving by Ben. This ends up being another brilliant pairing, with an odd-couple living situation that hopefully we will continue to revisit in future episodes.
Bonus, Today’s Fun Parks Related Website of the Week: Tom Haverfoods
Favorite Quotes:
- “I love setting people up! Here’s my secret. I determine people’s best qualities, and then I find someone else with compatible qualities. And I bring them together!”
- “You can’t use the front door, you have to climb in through the back window. No personal phone conversations. If you ever speak to me in Spanish, please use the formal usted. No electricity after six pm.”
- “You can use as much free electricity as you want! It’s free!”
- “Ok, everyone, SHUT UP. And look at me! Welcome to Visions of Nature. This room has several paintings in it. Some are big, some are small. People did them and they are here now. I believe that after this is over they will be hung in government buildings. Why the government is involved in an art show is beyond me. I also think it’s pointless for a human to paint scenes of nature when they can just go outside and stand in it. Anyways please do not misinterpret the fact that I am talking right now as genuine interest in art and attempt to discuss it with me further. End of speech.”
- “Were you guys, frying marbles?”
- “We were trying to see if the fire alarm worked. It doesn’t.”
- “What can’t that centaur woman do? Besides ride an escalator and drive a car.”
- “With one brush stroke, Jerry has killed the Jay-Z vibe that has taken me years to cultivate, and replaced it with a fat brown baby vibe. Which is not as cool of a vibe!”
- “Why am I upset? Let’s start with government funded animal porn.”
- “Who had sex with what and gave birth to which?”
- I’m sorry, are you eating turkey chili off of a Frisbee?”
- “No. Do you know what cute means?”
- “No, dude, we already spent you money on a new XBOX 360 and more Frisbees to eat off of.”
- “For me it’s when the penis goes in.”
- “Please let the record reflect that the fat baby is referring to the painting.”
- “Ok, here is a list of errands and things that human adults need.”
- “There’s like a thirty percent chance they’ll both die.”
