The loose plot has Murray deciding to embrace Jemaine (Jemaine Clement) and Bret (Bret McKenzie) as friends; by hanging out with them socially so they can progress up his homemade graph into friend territory. Currently, Murray only has one bonafide buddy, the constantly-questioning Jim (Jim Gaffigan), so will the Conchords join his inner circle?
It's another light and breezy idea to hang jokes and songs off, which is no bad thing. I'm just glad FoTC has found a few more ideas beyond band break-ups and romantic spare-wheels, and there's definitely more of an ensemble feel this season. Murray has benefited the most, but obsessed fan Mel (Kristen Schaal) is also being given more screentime, and gets her own song ("Dreams") to sing in this episode. It all helps because, in essence, Jemaine and Bret are practically the same character and their interaction is often too dry and stilted to deliver the kind of gags Murray, Mel and Dave (Arj Barker) can.
To wit, guest-star Jim Gaffigan scene-steals throughout this episode as Murray's mate Jim, because he equates social interaction with asking a stream of bizarre, closed questions ("do you read the paper?", "what’s your favourite section of the paper?", "how would you describe your hair colour?", "ever grow a moustache?") Murray is almost as bad -- only able to interact on a friendly level by re-enacting childhood (building bed blanket dens) and giving everyone a role to play based on TV's Friends. Still, at least he tries; Jemaine and Bret's idea of a good social activity is having a bath and sleeping.
The song were rather tiresome this week, although the visuals for Mel's song were quite a delight. I've grown to accept that I'm mostly impervious to comedy songs, so instead try to focus on the smaller delights of FoTC. I liked Mel's shock at Bret's actions in her dream (for which she demands an apology, supported by Jemaine once he's told what dream-Bret did), and Gaffigan's style of left-field normality was perfectly suited to FoTC's style of comedy.
Overall, I'm quite enjoying this new season after a dud start; the songs are still mostly forgettable, but the gags are sparkier and the show is broadening its appeal by including the other characters and finding more interesting (if bizarre) ways to get stories started, and sustain them with a kind of dream musical logic.
8 February 2009
HBO, 10pm
Writers: Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie & James Bobin
Director: James Bobin
Cast: Jemaine Clement (Jemaine), Bret McKenzie (Bret), Rhys Darby (Murray), Kristen Schaal (Mel), Jim Gaffigan (Jim)
