Episode 12 - Subway Hero
6 January 2009
Review
Synopsis: Liz’ ex-boyfriend Dennis becomes the “The Subway Hero” after saving someone’s life. Jack tries to persuade Tracy to be a celebrity for the Republican party and Kenneth shows 40s and 50s TV star Bucky Bright around the studio.
The Good: Three stories which have obvious comic potential and live up to them, to some extent.
Tracy and Jack are a natural comedy duo and they set up several amusing moments with the unlikely thought of Tracy becoming a Republican spokesperson (see Comic Highlight). Jack even gets a chance to play Richard Nixon (while Toofer plays Sammy Davis Jr) in Tracy’s dream which is fun. And the “Don’t Vote” campaign they come up with may amuse those of you who enjoy rampant cynicism. Of course the campaign is paid for by “The Committee to Reinvade Vietnam.” With all the plethora of strange political groups out there, that idea has the magic sliver of plausibility to be really funny.
Kenneth’s story with Bucky has only one tone, which is the political incorrectness of the 40s and 50s and the implication that just as much weird stuff goes on now. It’s fine for what it is, the jokes work if they match your personal appreciation of shock value when it comes to sexual harassment, homosexuality and anti-Semitism.
Finally Dennis is back and once more he and the writers do a decent job of showing you why Liz is attracted to such a loser. His mean spirited humour appeals to her and encourages her to be unkind and lazy. For once the show writes Liz in a positive manner. Despite her weakness for him, she fights against it and doesn’t make the mistake of ending up back with him. Jack even tops it off by replacing “The Subway Hero” with “The 911 Bird.” As Jack explains “Winston here dialled 911 with his beak and still said fire, but only because he didn’t know the word for rape.”
The Bad: Dennis can be annoying and overbearing to watch at times. But then that is the point of his character. Jenna’s description of real love is too over the top and the dig at Conan O’Brien is pretty cheap.
Comic Highlight: Jack uses the fact that Lincoln (Tracy’s distant relative) was a Republican to try and convince Tracy to endorse the party. We then get a little character development for Dotcom who points out that Lincoln was a member of a radically different Republican party in his day. Jack rebukes him “This need you have to be the smartest guy in the room is…off putting.” Instead of some kind of witty retort he hangs his head, slinks off and says “I guess that’s why I’m still single.” It’s amusingly unexpected.
The Bottom Line: The best episode of the season so far. Why? Because Liz Lemon is treated like the heroin of the story for once and isn’t proven wrong. It gives the whole episode a logical feeling. It also helps that Tracy and Jack get together and provide some genuine laughs.
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