After a December winter special, IFC's Portlandia officially kicked off their third season this past Friday night. While it's hard to review a sketch series in general, Portlandia has enough recurring characters and very specific situations to garner something to say about it. It also manages to be funny to a great number of people, despite it's very narrow subject matter, namely, that all bits revolve around the strange residents of the city of Portland, Oregon.
In the premiere hour, the Mayor (Kyle MacLachlan) has a mission for Fred (Fred Armisen) and Carrie (Carrie Brownstein). He would like them to go to Seattle, which has been poaching citizens, and recruit some of their people to move to Portland. The catch? He thinks a personal touch is needed, so Fred and Carrie should go door to door in their effort.
I've always loved MacLachlan's take on the Mayor, even when he isn't accompanied by his assistant (Sam Adams, the real life mayor), as he isn't in this episode. He seems the perfect mix of liberal hibbie and actual idea man to sort of keep Portland going, but never to push it beyond the elements that make it such a distinct place, and into the world at large. This newest project is fantastic in keeping with the themes of the series, and Fred and Carrie's willingness to take it on is perfect.
As the bit plays out in several scenes, Fred and Carrie take on the personas of Mormon missionaries. I like this because nothing in Portland ever seems entirely original, just an odd take on a thing that exists elsewhere, taking it to the extreme. Also, living in Portland and embracing the town is like a religion, so the concept works very well. It's also funny in plenty of places, such as where Fred introduces some young housemates to the "Portland invention" of the chore wheel.
I don't know why it's so enjoyable to watch Fred and Carrie play a version of themselves, but the times that they do, stripped of the utter goofiness of the other characters, are always fun.
Having never been to Portland myself, Portlandia makes me feel like I have been. It's not just a humorous series of sketches, but also a love letter to a town where the odd, lovable people are earnest and living the way they want to, uncaring about what others may think. Maybe it's not for everyone, and maybe we shouldn't be laughing at them. But there's no mean spirit present, so it's easy, rather than uncomfortable, to chuckle at.
Portlandia has some truly memorable personalities, so it's wonderful when they are brought back over and over again. In the first two half hours of this season, we revisit Peter and Nance, Malcolm and Kris, Kath and Dave, Spyke and Iris, and Toni and Candace. Each of these duos manage to stay completely unique, even when played by the same two, very talented, actors. There's also a level of comfort to find new situations for beloved favorites.
Not that Portlandia isn't accessible to newbies; it is. The structure of the show invites anyone to jump in at any point, and still laugh. But for those loyal viewers who watch week after week, the recurring people are a treat.
Doug and Claire also return. They are featured in my favorite episode of the series to date, season two's "One Moore Episode," and I love that their second appearance not only gives us more TV goodness, but also finds a way to once more, organically, stitch in the old, black Ron Moore and his wife.
Other characters not played by Fred and Carrie in the premiere include Alan (Jeff Goldblum), who now sells doilies, rather than knots, MTV video DJs, and Chloe Sevigny (Big Love, American Horror Story: Asylum) as Fred and Carrie's new roommate. This is her first appearance, but we should be seeing her quite a bit more throughout the year.
Portlandia airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on IFC.
Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!
Article first posted on TheTVKing
In the premiere hour, the Mayor (Kyle MacLachlan) has a mission for Fred (Fred Armisen) and Carrie (Carrie Brownstein). He would like them to go to Seattle, which has been poaching citizens, and recruit some of their people to move to Portland. The catch? He thinks a personal touch is needed, so Fred and Carrie should go door to door in their effort.I've always loved MacLachlan's take on the Mayor, even when he isn't accompanied by his assistant (Sam Adams, the real life mayor), as he isn't in this episode. He seems the perfect mix of liberal hibbie and actual idea man to sort of keep Portland going, but never to push it beyond the elements that make it such a distinct place, and into the world at large. This newest project is fantastic in keeping with the themes of the series, and Fred and Carrie's willingness to take it on is perfect.
As the bit plays out in several scenes, Fred and Carrie take on the personas of Mormon missionaries. I like this because nothing in Portland ever seems entirely original, just an odd take on a thing that exists elsewhere, taking it to the extreme. Also, living in Portland and embracing the town is like a religion, so the concept works very well. It's also funny in plenty of places, such as where Fred introduces some young housemates to the "Portland invention" of the chore wheel.
I don't know why it's so enjoyable to watch Fred and Carrie play a version of themselves, but the times that they do, stripped of the utter goofiness of the other characters, are always fun.
Having never been to Portland myself, Portlandia makes me feel like I have been. It's not just a humorous series of sketches, but also a love letter to a town where the odd, lovable people are earnest and living the way they want to, uncaring about what others may think. Maybe it's not for everyone, and maybe we shouldn't be laughing at them. But there's no mean spirit present, so it's easy, rather than uncomfortable, to chuckle at.
Portlandia has some truly memorable personalities, so it's wonderful when they are brought back over and over again. In the first two half hours of this season, we revisit Peter and Nance, Malcolm and Kris, Kath and Dave, Spyke and Iris, and Toni and Candace. Each of these duos manage to stay completely unique, even when played by the same two, very talented, actors. There's also a level of comfort to find new situations for beloved favorites.
Not that Portlandia isn't accessible to newbies; it is. The structure of the show invites anyone to jump in at any point, and still laugh. But for those loyal viewers who watch week after week, the recurring people are a treat.
Doug and Claire also return. They are featured in my favorite episode of the series to date, season two's "One Moore Episode," and I love that their second appearance not only gives us more TV goodness, but also finds a way to once more, organically, stitch in the old, black Ron Moore and his wife.
Other characters not played by Fred and Carrie in the premiere include Alan (Jeff Goldblum), who now sells doilies, rather than knots, MTV video DJs, and Chloe Sevigny (Big Love, American Horror Story: Asylum) as Fred and Carrie's new roommate. This is her first appearance, but we should be seeing her quite a bit more throughout the year.Portlandia airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on IFC.
Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!
Article first posted on TheTVKing
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