[SPOILERS] After the charmless first episode, things definitely improve in the following two installments of Eastbound & Down. A key factor of my dislike for the pilot was how Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) was far too unsympathetic, which made it an unattractive proposition to spend any time with him. Episode 2 and 3 assuaged that problem slightly, as Kenny elicited empathetic feelings in small ways, and even appeared to learn a valuable lesson at the close of episode 3. If E&D is essentially going to be about the rehabilitation of a raging egomaniac through the collective goodwill of a soft touch family... then maybe there's hope for this comedy after all...
In "Chapter Two", Kenny spots an opportunity to promote a local car lot, run by overbearing platinum-blonde salesman Ashley Schaeffer (Will Ferrell, predictably hamming it up). Kenny's offered a scant $200 to sign autographs on the premises, which he grudgingly accepts and prepares for his return to the "spotlight". But corporate dick-sucking chips away at Kenny's "rebel" persona and an irritating fan's wish for Kenny to pitch him a baseball puts him in a difficult position, as he's lost the skills that made him a star player and will embarrass himself in public by throwing a ball...
In "Chapter Three", we open with perhaps the best example of Kenny's sociopath nature, as he intentionally crashes Stevie's (Steve Little) car he was driving while drunk, then puts a traumatized Stevie in the driver's seat to take the blame before the traffic cops arrive. Little is proving himself quite an entertaining dogsbody, actually, equally as chipmunk-faced and foolish as Kristen Schaal from Flight Of The Conchords.
The plot itself involved Kenny selling his glut of tasteless merchandise for extortionate prices; hawking memorabilia on school grounds from the back of his van, and persuading Cassie (Jennifer Irwin) to auction his stuff on Ebay. Meanwhile, in something of an undercooked subplot that deserved more room to breathe, Kenny tracked down a college baseball prodigy expected to go pro, and tried to ingratiate himself with the talent scout sent to appraise the teen.
While still a show in the grip of a bullying monster it's hard to like, these episodes had a tad more light and shade than the opener. Seeing Kenny on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing from car dealer Schaeffer was initially gratifying because he deserves a chewing-out, but you couldn't help feeling sorry for Kenny once it became clear he's lost the only talent he ever had. In "Chapter Three", Kenny even winds up realizing it's impossible to sell his career paraphernalia for the outrageous sums he was expecting, so on the advice of Cassie he allowed his nephews to take and play with whatever they wanted. It hasn't quite clicked for Kenny that his family love him because he's family (he was preparing to haggle with Cassie over commission for her internet expertise), or that his nephews really do look up to him, which is part of the sadness.
Kenny Powers is basically the American dream gone badly wrong, forced back home to re-establish himself amongst those he mistakenly believes are losers because they're not famous and have more practical values and pursuits. If Eastbound & Down can keep the rehabilitation of Kenny central to the plots, and slowly transform him into a half-decent human being over however many years the show runs for, maybe it'll be worth sticking around to see that happen.
8 October 2009 (1.2)
15 October 2009 (1.3)
FX/FX HD, 10pm
written by: Ben Best, Jody Hill & Danny McBride directed by: David Gordon Green starring: Danny McBride (Kenny Powers), Katy Mixon (April Buchanon), John Hawkes (Dustin Powers), Andrew Daly (Terrence Cutler), Ben Best (Clegg), Jennifer Irwin (Cassie Powers), Steve Little (Stevie Janowski), Sylvia Jefferies (Tracy), Ethan Alexander McGee (Dustin Jr.), Bo Mitchell (Wayne), Will Ferrell (Ashley Schaeffer), Scott Clackum (Scott), Jacob Dietrich (Weight Kid #2), Rhoda Griffis (The Teacher), Quentin Kerr (Kevin Hickman), Terry Bowden (Schaeffer Salesman), Tyler Nisbet (Fan With Football), Thomas Upchurch (Salesman #1), Jeff Clayton (Cameraman), Deacon Dawson (Mr. Nesbit), Zac Gardner (Slow Kid), Ira Menard (Bar Patron), Darryl Tucker (Cameraman) & Corshonda Springer (Angry Black Woman)
