Hey everyone, sorry this is a little late, I’ve been drinking heavily enjoying quality time with my family. For convenience’s sake, I’m going to combine these two reviews into one, super-review, capable of leveling entire cities.
First, “Battle of the Bulbs” which is all about the crazy lengths we go to for pats on the head from the wanton authority figures we love. For Lem, its his cold-hearted, scientist mom (you may recognize Khandi Alexander from Newsradio) who thinks that Lem is a sell-out for working on ridiculous inventions for Veridian Dynamics. Ultimately the two reconcile, thanks to Phil’s drunken righteousness (“Yes, I think you’re sexy. Yes, I don’t have a lot of adult drinks. And yes, I wish I had a third yes.”) in an agreeably sweet moment that (as all agreeably sweet moments do) involves popcorn that pops in your mouth.
But the real action was with Ted and Linda, going to war over their dueling light bulb designs. It started with Ted’s newer efficient light bulbs, which the company is excited to release (thanks to a study that finds that people rank seeing things third, “after hitting things and trying to have sex with things”), until Linda has a light bulb brainstorm of her own: scented light bulbs. Ted turns her down, but Veronica encourages Linda; not just that the light bulb is a good idea (and that it wasn’t) but that she needs to be more forceful (“we shall feast on chicken!). Linda uses her new found confidence to reach new heights, forcing Ted’s light bulb out of the picture (because he couldn’t take the heat, just like his precious polar bears) and bringing a Veridian executive to tears in a meeting. Ted goes to extremes to get the company to notice him, but continually fails to do so. Ultimately, Linda decides she doesn’t like being mean, and Ted agrees to help her, finding his way back into the company’s good graces.
All in all I thought “Battle of the Bulbs” was decent, but a little light on laughs. I enjoyed “It’s Nothing Business, It’s Personal” a great deal more, if only for the return of the Ridiculously Tiny Office. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Veronica’s relationship with Mordor, the wild magician from “Secrets and Lies,” is leaving her too exhausted at work to do anything except fall asleep with her eyes open and make creepy purring noises. Linda suggests that Ted intervene by telling Mordor he needs to cool it a little. But, as Ted learns the hard way, telling Mordor to be less passionate is like telling Ghandi to be less…whatever he was, so Mordor has an affair with Ashley from Accounting. Linda makes Ted tell Veronica, who promptly sends Ted to the Ridiculously Tiny Office (which is a reliable source of hilarious physical comedy, every time someone enters or leaves it). Then she shoots Mordor with a crossbow, unintentionally, although it could have been the word of her subconscious, which is both overprotective and kind of a douche.
Meanwhile, in the most inspired bit of satire from either episode, the company gives Lem a red coat (“It’s differentness makes me say things,” says Phil), because studies have shown that any slight change in the work place increases productivity. This leads to a fierce competition to see who can work hard enough to win the coat, and also a lot of angst over what the coat could mean. Friend turns against friend as the competition heats up (“I don’t want the coat to see me like this”).
Meanwhile, Mordor cheats on Veronica again, in Ted’s office. But Ted stands up to him, and Veronica forgives him (and has a chat with Linda about how great Ted is), while Ted steals back the coat and replaces it with a nice flower.
So I would say these were both good, but not great. There were plenty of laughs and a few sharp points, but for people like me who have been trying to argue Better Off Ted is one of the best comedies on TV, neither of these exactly helped my case.
Jonah’s Score: 64/67
Tangled Up In Wires Grade: B-/B
P.S. Just a friendly reminder to you Better Off Ted fans that the show will be back on Friday with some post-Rose Bowl mayhem, giving us an extra half hour of Better Off Ted this week.
Michael
ulyssesworkman
awarshauer
