Saturday, November 19, 2011

The League celebrates "Thanksgiving"

     "Thanksgiving" is in the air on The League this week, as well as the smell of cooking guinea pig when Ellie's (Alina Foley) class pet gets loose and into the turkey. Thanksgiving isn't known as the most sexy of holidays, but The League goes there anyway. Andre's sister (Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program), who taught the boys everything they know about sex, comes to visit. Learning that Kevin (Stephen Rannazzisi) isn't using all his knowledge with Jenny (Katie Aselton), she offers a refresher course. While Jenny would like Kevin to step things up, she doesn't want Andre's sister to do anything more. Even worse is Ruxin Sr. (Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park, The Fly), who engages in a sorbet act with Andre's sister that cannot be named in decent company.

     The League can be pretty raunchy, and that's part of what makes it so funny. But generally it's the main guys who get invovled with that stuff, and it's usually regulated to talking-only, porn references, or marriage-based monogamy. In "Thanksgiving," it's the guest stars the get naughty, and quite a bit more so than usual. Andre's sister not only wants to retrain Kevin, with Jenny present, or showing Kevin on Jenny, but also sleeps with Taco (Jonathan Lajoie), and makes a play for Peter (Mark Duplass). Heck, she even wants to give her brother (Paul Scheer) some tips! That she is trying to take Ruxin Sr. home only makes her more of a slut. She's very promiscuous. And because she is played by comedian Silverman, also hilarious.

      Ruxin's dad goes more for the creepy factor, like his son. As an added bonus, Goldblum looks the part perfectly. Ruxin (Nick Kroll) thinks he can ditch both family Thanksgivings to stay home and masturbate, but is surprised when his dad showns up at his door with the same idea. Not knowing Ruxin will be home, Ruxin Sr. intends to use his son's house as a hideout. Disturbingly, not only does Ruxin continue with his plans, but it seems Ruxin Sr. likely does the same solo activity, and both in excess, given the reading Ruxin's pedometer shows.

     It's a testament to just how good The League is when it can attract talent the level of Silverman and Goldblum, as well as Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) and Seth Rogen, in previous episodes this season. While hidden away on cable, it's a series that should not be missed. The relationships feel real, and guys are authentic friends who act in a relatable manner. Some of the situations are unrealistic, of course; it's still a sitcom. But at the same time, every actor is fully committed to their role, and can deliver top notch comedy of both the zinger and physical kind. It is no wonder people more well known for their film roles want to play in this sandbox.

     Even with all the sexual tomfoolery, the only thing that really comes close to crossing the line is the cooking of the guinea pig. Escaped from its cage, it crawls into the turkey, which Jenny then places back in the over. Strangely, no one finds fur, even though Andre pulls the name tag out of his mouth. Guinea pigs are eaten in other countries, and if prepared properly, could be excused. However, in this case, as it is a pet, and it being cooked is accidental, it's stomach turning and wrong in a way that shakes the soul. Let's hope Jenny throws the rest of the turkey away.

     Watch The League Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. ET on FX.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     Please click here to buy streaming episodes, DVDs, and Blu-rays of The League.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.