4x03 Asbestos Fest

[7.0/10] Solid episode all around. Not as many laughs or in depth stories as some of the show’s better episodes, but enough good chuckles for an amiable experience.

My favorite of the stories was Alexis helping David and Patrick spot and stop a pack of shoplifters. It’s nice to see Alexis used outside of her normal setting, not to mention employing the skills of her wayward youth for good. Her totally knowing and thwarting their scheme is a nice win, and I like the fact that David’s blind to it because the young “skidmarks” as Alexis put it, complimented his style.

The weakest part, as usual, was Roland. Him trying to work at the motel because he needs some extra scratch isn’t a bad story, but it’s tough for the show to get many laughs out of someone so annoying. There’s obviously something sympathetic about him trying to provide for his family, but I just find his shtick grating, even with Johnny and Stevie reacting to it, so there’s not much there.

Moira’s story was more of a mixed bag. There’s some very broad comedy to her trying to recreate an old, half-remembered Patty Hurst musical presentation, and it doesn’t always land with me. But 1. I got a lot of laughs out of Jocelyn finally pushing back at some of Moira’s crap and 2. It’s sympathetic when Moira realizes she’s bitten off more than she can chew and wants to give up. David jumping in to help her with an old (roundly inapplicable) family routine to both help Jocelyn’s cause and give his mom a number she definitely knows how to do is a nice note to go out on.

Overall, this is a gentler episode of the show, but still one that’s entertaining enough on balance.