Episode 20 - The Natural Order
22 March 2012
Synopsis: Jack’s mother is in town and it’s the 35th anniversary of when Jack’s father left them. Colleen has brought her boyfriend Paul with her and Jack doesn’t like him. Tracy demands that Liz treat him like everyone else but they both dislike the results of true equality. Jenna adopts a wild monkey with disastrous results.
The Good: Tracy pretending to be professional is funny if you are into his character. His sensible sweater and reading glasses are just so incongruent with the crazy personality he projects. His feud with Liz threw up the odd good line (see Comic Highlight). Liz trying to bring down the guys with her cry of “Let's go see some naked daughters and moms!" made sense.
Jack’s story too was a good vehicle for him to deliver some outrageous statements such as Florida being “basically a criminal population. It's America's Australia.” As we know he is being irrational that line is pretty funny, as is Liz’ suggestion that Simon Cowell is the closest thing to Nikita Kruschev these days. I also liked Jack not missing an opportunity to look down at Liz when she made the valid point that some men like older women – “let’s not make this about you.” I’m sure his search for his real father will be a fun story for Jack to play as the grandiose soap plots work nicely for such an otherwise in control character.
Kenneth’s line about his knut sack had a certain appeal.
The Bad: Jenna’s story lacked everything. You knew exactly where it was going the second she took to a monkey. When you think about her motivations for second and how sad, lonely and pathetic it makes her look, you can see the underlying reasons why she isn’t a good comedy character.
Colleen seems oddly wasted here. Having poured genuine scorn on Jack time after time (209, 306) it feels odd to see her being so nice to him without more of a struggle. It’s a nice moment to see them being loving but her previously consistent hostility actually made me think this scene was too easy. And speaking of wasted, Steve Buscemi wanders into a scene to reprise his role as a private investigator (203) though now looking less successful and creepier. I understand the appeal of making professionals look incompetent for comedic purposes. But it just makes me question why Jack would hire someone like him when Jack always gets the best things in life. At least in the case of Dr Spaceman he cooperates with Jack when discrete unethical things need to be done. So his incompetence has a vaguely plausible cover.
Finally Tracy and Liz’ dispute is based on a misunderstanding. Equality in the workplace doesn’t mean everyone should do the same jobs. No one would expect Liz to operate a camera so why should she change the water cooler? Similarly as the boss she should be given some preferential treatment or else the hierarchy won’t function properly and the show won’t get made. Seeing them try to trap each other never really takes off because of this fundamental misunderstanding. It reminds me of Phoebe trying to show Joey that a selfless good deed could exist, which also missed the point (Friends 504). And speaking of Joey, Liz’ water cooler gag was an exact copy of a joke from Joey (219). And just like when Michael tried to put in a new water cooler, the joke is so obvious that it rapidly loses its initial appeal.
Comic Highlight: With the prevalence of data about how men still get paid more than women in the workplace and the sensitivity of the issue I enjoyed Jack’s thoughtful but blunt reply to Liz’ enquiry.
L: “Do you treat me any differently because I’m a woman?”
J: “Well, I pay you a little less.”
The Bottom Line: Even if you switch your brain off this isn’t very funny.
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