Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 10, Season 1

Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 10, Season 1

Picture Credit: AV Club

"Blind Spot"

Synopsis:

Everyone at school is competing in a science fair for a pizza party. While Jessica's ex-boyfriend Oscar is coming to stay with the family. Everyone seems to find it weird that Louis isn't getting possessive which makes Jessica paranoid. Emery is trying to win with a volcano, Evan made a machine that analyzes the chemicals in a liquid, and Eddie is taking in a football phone. Evan gets the chicken pox and Eddie plans on catching it to miss the science fair. This gives him the idea to get Emery sick. Oscar is stereotypically gay and Jessica realizes that Oscar was in love with Lewis the whole time. Oscar thought they were dating back in college. Eddie got a C+ on his presentation on chicken pox that his brothers helped him put together.

Review:

This episode was okay. I wasn't sure how I felt about the stereotyping of the gay characters. I did like how the conflict didn't come from the fact that Oscar was gay, but that it came from the mixup of who he was dating.

MY GRADE: B-

Reviewer's Quotes:

The problem could also be that tonight’s main plot didn’t have much to say thematically in the first place, except that sometimes Louis and Jessica can be oblivious to their surroundings. But we already know that about them. What about their children’s attitudes towards gay people? How do they feel about Oscar? We never really get to see them interact with their eccentric guest. This feels like a missed opportunity, and further proof that when Fresh Off The Boat has the chance to make a point, or at least depict someone with complexity, it often settles for a dumb joke. - Dan Caffery

Ratings/Share: 1.3/5         Viewers: 4.83 million

Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 11, Season 1

Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 11, Season 1

Picture Credit: AV Club

"Very Superstitious"

Synopsis:

Jessica's superstition comes out when she is asked to sell a house with an address full of 4's. Eddie gets caught by a counselor when he was selling ripped cds. The counselor convinces him that he should run for student council. Jessica sells the house but tells Louis that the commission check needs to torn up because it's bad luck. Instead he buys a mechanical bull for the restaurant. Eddie trips over the cord and Louis convinces the kids to not tell.

Louis decides to tell a lie about how he broke his arm after Louis says that a white lie never hurt anyone. The lie used to help him win class president. His lie was about a fight and a school employee suspects he lied and called Child Services. The grandma performs a ritual involving Garfield mugs to rid the family of bad luck.

Review:

This episode was good, but nothing special. In the book the show was based off of Eddie talks about how Child Services was called. He has said publicly that he has stopped watching the show because it's gotten off track and that he doesn't recognize his own life anymore. Knowing that makes the show significantly less funny.

MY GRADE: C-

Reviewer's Quotes:

The script pays attention to how the characters would actually react—not how just anyone would react, but how these specific people in this specific place at this specific time would react. It shows that Fresh Off The Boat is starting to build a consistent, well-developed world. Maybe the writers have a long game in mind after all. - Dan Caffery

Ratings/Share: 1.4/5         Viewers: 4.85 million

Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 9, Season 1

Fresh Off the Boat: Episode 9, Season 1

Picture Credit: AV Club

"License to Sell"

Synopsis:

Eddie still has a crush on Nicole and asks Louis for advice. He tells him to start going to the places Jessica goes so they can spend time together. Jessica goes to take the real estate license exam after she is asked to show it at an open house where she is intimidated by another woman into abandoning the test. Eddie tries to get close to Nicole by getting thrown into detention. Jessica continues to hide the truth about the exam. Eddie tries to get closer to Nicole by letting her practice her beauty school skills on him by getting his ears pierced. Honey tells Louis about the real estate license exam. Eddie's parents let him realize that he shouldn't change himself to get a girl to like him so he takes out his earring. The episode ends with Jessica passing her exam.

Review:

I liked how the episode's story line did have the point of teaching people to not quit. This episode seemed to have less humor then it normally does and it showed.

MY GRADE: B-

Reviewer's Quotes:

What’s especially rewarding is that she’s able to take and pass the exam after finally opening up to her family about it. She’s able to recognize her weakness and overcome her fear, and that’s what makes her strong. If Fresh Off The Boat could apply this same principle of consistency and surprise to all their characters, they’d have a fully good episode instead of just half of one. - Dan Caffery

Ratings/Share: 1.6/5         Viewers: 4.20 million

Parks and Recreation: Episode 12, Season 7

Parks and Recreation: Episode 12, Season 7

Picture Credit: NBC

"One Last Ride"

Synopsis:

Leslie gets everyone together to reminisce in the parks and rec office. As the usual situation plays out Leslie decides to have them help a Pawnee citizen fix a swing set in one of Pawnee's parks. Flash forward to Seattle 2023 where Donna and Joe are doing well. Donna is reaching out to April at the American Service Foundation to help fund Joe's school with a new program called Teach Yo' Self. Craig ends up happily married to Typhoon. We see April and Andy going through the decision process to have a kid, who is born Burt Snakehole Ludgate Karate Dracula Macklin Demon Jack O'Lantern. Jean-Ralphios future is him and Mona Lisa faking his death to get start up money for an overseas casino.

Gif Credit: dehaanradcliffe tumblr

 

 

 

 Toms future takes a dip with the economy but he rises as a motivational speaker and author. Gary is continually elected as mayor and dies at the age of 100. Ron's future consists of Leslie putting him in charge of the Pawnee National Park. In the future Leslie and Ben try to decide who will run for the governor. Ben decides to let Leslie do it (she becomes a two-time governor). The last episode ends with us seeing the swing set from the beginning of the episode.

Picture Credit: NBC Official Tumblr

Review:

This episode made me so happy and sad. We all knew that the finale was coming but saying goodbye to your favorite characters is hard even with the awesome goodbye they all received.

MY GRADE: A

Reviewer's Quotes:

In Leslie Hope and ragtag band of proximity workplace acquaintances, we are left with a portrait of—to borrow some words our president spoke shortly before Parks premiered—“a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.” And with the finale of Park, we saw what “Winning” really looks like from a truly great sitcom. Unlike Ron Swanson, I’ll be able to hold the smile forever. - Jeff Jenson

Ratings/Share: 1.6/5         Viewers: 4.20 million

Parks and Recreation: Episode 11, Season 7

Parks and Recreation: Episode 11, Season 7

Picture Credit: NBC

"Two Funerals"

Synopsis:

Many changes are happening in Pawnee. Leslie tells everyone she and Ben are moving to DC, Donna and Joe are moving to Seattle, Garry is retiring (again), Tom is going to propose to Lucy, and Mayor Gunderson is dead. As members of Pawnee mourn, Ben must find an interim mayor until elections can be held. At the funeral Ron receives news that Salvatore, his barber, has passed and Ron is devastated. Donna helps him finds a new barber whom he can tolerate.

Gif Credit: I guess I just like liking things Tumblr

Leslie and Tom are off to plan Tom's proposal while Ben looks for an interim mayor. He interviews Bobby Newport, Joan Callamezzo, and many other candidates unfit for the job. Tom ends up scrapping everything Leslie and he planned for a simple proposal which Lucy accepts. Meanwhile Ben has found his perfect candidate, Garry!

Gif Credit: haft just be me Tumblr

  

Review:

This episode made me so happy for Garry! Karma finally paid up for him. They are doing a good job wrapping up side storylines while leaving room for the hour long finale next episode.

MY GRADE: A

Reviewer's Quotes:

It all had satisfying conclusions, there were tons of feel good moments, every cast member got their time to shine, and the sentiment was through the roof. I really think Parks is hitting their high right now, and that stride will literally come at the end of their run. - Jared Russo

Ratings/Share: 1/3         Viewers: 2.47 million

Parks and Recreation: Episode 10, Season 7

Parks and Recreation: Episode 10, Season 7

Picture Credit: NBC

"The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show"

Synopsis:

Andy is hosting his last show as Johnny Karate. The last episode starts out with his guitar being missing. And who's better for the job then Bert Macklin, F.B.I.? April's part of the show is "April's Animal Corner". This week it was supposed to be a Goliath Bird-eating Tarantula, but it escaped! An apparently standard animal loose disclaimer is played and the show goes on. Ron's part of the show is Carpenter Ron, this week Johnny learns how to make a shadow box. Ben is Professor Smartbrain who teaches Johnny how long it takes to get to Pawnee from D.C. Garry shows up as Mailman Barry to deliver fan letters.

Gif Credit: Parks and Recreation Tumblr

Leslie is the part of the show called "Try Something New". She goes through the history of how Andy Dwyer became Johnny Karate. Later in the show they nab the guitar stealer, John Cena. Donna sings "Kung Fu Fighting" as Ron plays his saxophone as Johnny's gi is retired and hung in the rafters and the last Johnny Karate show ends. The spider is found, unfortunately, by John Cena. He escapes it though.

Gif Credit: Parks and Recreation Tumblr

Review:
This episode was great! It showed how much Andy had grown throughout the series. It also brought back some of the local businesses and celebrities through the ads shown on the Johnny Karate show.

MY GRADE: A

Reviewer's Quotes:
While many people might have complained that Chris Pratt was underused this season, obviously due to other contractual obligations he has going on, this episode was a direct, “We know you’ve been missing Andy, so here’s as much Andy as you can possibly have.” -  Kathryn Loper

Ratings/Share: 1.1/3         Viewers: 3.06 million

Parks and Recreation: Episode 9, Season 7

Parks and Recreation: Episode 9, Season 7

Picture Credit: NBC

"Pie-Mary"

Synopsis:

Ben and Leslie decide to skip the candidates' wives pie contest (The Pie-Mary). April breaks the news to Ron that she is going to move to Washington. Ron is frustrated with her continued government work but tells her that she needs to give the spare key to his house back. Opting out of the pie contest is a bad plan it turns out. Reporters focus on her skipping the Pie-Mary and if it's a a statement. She would be the first wife to break tradition. April meanwhile can't find the key because the box she stashed it in has a note "If you are looking for Ron's key, I moved it and you'll never find it." Ron loves puzzles and is going to use the clues in the box to solve the mystery. Ben decides to enter the contest instead of Leslie to avoid making any statement. This causes a men's rights organization, the Male Men, to protest Ben's oppression by Leslie.

Gif Credit: nbcparksandrec

They try to smooth it all over with a press conference that leads with mixed feelings but a big backer for Ben. It turns out that the quest for the key is pointless because Ron changes his locks periodically. April remembers where she left it. She buried the key by a big oak tree because the tree reminded her of Ron, both are strong and quiet and is always there when you need him.

Review:
I loved this episode. Ron and April's friendship has always been one of the more interesting ones in Parks and Rec. They are the ones who like people the least and are the harshest. They're partial goodbye was classic them. Parks and Rec seem to be commenting on the "Menimist" movement that has been happening (on a small scale) on social media sites.

MY GRADE: A

Reviewer's Quotes:
Tonight’s entries are both terrifically funny, and, like “Donna And Joe,” they gain so much vital comedic vitality from all the energy found elsewhere in the storytelling. -  Alasdair Wilkins

Ratings/Share: 1.2/4          Viewers: 2.9 million