"I Won't Die With A Little Help From My Friends"
Well, it's been a while, but now that all the poster boards have long been collecting dust, a new episode of
Earl has finally been unleashed - and it did not disappoint. After NBC President and CEO
Jeff Zucker got the ball rolling with a quick recap and a good-natured joke or two about the writers' strike, we were back in Camden County.
Earl and Billie were, of course, right where we left them - unconscious in the street. As Randy commandeers an ambulance in order to rush him to the hospital, Earl dreams of starring in a sitcom since TV has always been a source of solace. This was an excellent way to kick off
Earl's return. I think the onscreen dichotomy between the actual episode and a farcical send-up of classic TV really drove the point home that these writers are right on the cutting edge. Also, it was in this imagined show that the big buzz surrounding tonight's installment played out.
Paris Hilton, fresh off of her latest box office flop (
The Hottie and the Nottie), made a small cameo. It was admirable that she was able to poke fun at herself, but I was very thankful that she had one recurring line and only had to play herself. The real joke for me, though, was that it took head trauma and the power of suggestion while in a coma for Earl to think of her.
The more enjoyable and necessary cameo was performed by the fantastic
Jane Lynch as Sissy, the mentally unstable truck driver. Not only was she hilarious, but the situation with her character provoked some of the best lines of the episode. As she kept the blissfully unaware Earl as a love slave, Joy tried to convince her that they were going to take him for a perm and to make him a little bigger downstairs ("We'll pimp your ride, don't worry"). In his best man-child shtick, the oblivious Randy followed this up by saying, "Earl with a perm? Not with
those cheekbones."
As usual, Randy, Joy, Darnell, and Catalina were in top form. However, it would be a disservice to not mention a few of this episode's minor characters who ended up bringing a lot to the table. Earl's doctor was a standout, being sure to mention
all of Earl's symptoms (including an involuntary orgasm) and making such wild assertions as "I'm Indian. We're the new Jews." The scenes with the young faith healer and his father were also very much up to snuff.
After seeing this episode, I'd say it's a safe bet that we have a lot of good things to look forward to in the coming weeks - not that I ever doubted it. The last scene placed karma definitively in Earl's corner, so maybe we can look forward to some old-fashioned list-tending. That and the Billie storyline should keep us primed, and some of the best comedic actors on television won't hurt either (famous socialites aside).
Mentioning all of the high points from this hour-long gem in limited space is a pretty tall order. I'll trust all of you to touch on anything I miss. Here we go:
" Joy on Sissy: "That crazy bitch tried to constipate the marriage!"
" Randy pleading with God: "Don't take him, Your Majesty."
" Darnell after a defibrillator shock to his brain: "Actually, it's not a bad buzz."
" Randy on Earl's injuries: "Well, at least they're internal."
" In church, Joy makes a reference to the "Father, Son, and The Friendly Ghost."
" Darnell's shady mention of making propaganda films in the third world.
" Joy tries to use her femininity to bring Earl out of the coma and says "C'mon, you're a vegetable, not a fruit!"
" A short
John Henson cameo. He's still my favorite
Talk Soup host.
" "Let me see you limp." "Okay, but you're only going to look, right?"
For more My Name Is Earl
, check out our
Online Video Guide
.
