[7.5/10] Every once in a while, the powers that be on The League let the performers write an episode and, in outings like this one and “Rafi and Dirty Randy” the results are much better than the run of the mill installments of the show. “The Bringer Show” is not perfect, by any stretch. The clockwork “everything comes together” ending is more than a little contrived, but it has a better hit-to-miss ratio on humor, and there’s fewer of the facepalm-worthy gags that otherwise drag down the show.
Case-in-point, this episode isn’t exactly kind to Andre, but the humor comes much more from him just making an ass out of himself rather than the rest of the group constantly slagging him. His misguided efforts to do stand-up comedy are amusing and well-observed, and his contrived efforts to work in a cajun shrimp boat captain saying the phrase “ya gotta keep ‘em separated” is a funny running gag. He even gets a bit of a win here, eventually finding his footing on stage through insult humor despite some heckling from an unexpectedly witty and urbane homeless person who, in a fun reversal, Andre paid to be there. (And hey! Leslie Jones is there!)
The other major story in the episode of is Jenny lying about her life in an effort to gain admittance to the Lucrative Ladies Club, an exclusive group of high class female investors, which is a premise that has a lot of mileage. Jenny’s extensive efforts to fabricate a life with her husband, “Kip” and to stage her home are worth a laugh. Taco being mistaken for an eccentric wunderkind businessman is a good extended gag. And Kevin feeling down about Jenny treats him is more of the show’s vaguely Home Improvement-esque domestic sitcom humor, but is worth a few chuckles here and there.
The only bit in this episode I didn’t really like is Pete (who proves more of an asshole each season) tricking Ruxin into starting an undermanned lineup. It’s just more “being a dick for the sake of being a dick” material from the show, and I don’t find it funny.
Still, the episode brings everything together with a weaving together of each of these storylines at the end, and it largely works. Sure, Kevin seeming like a homeless person is a real stretch, and why Andre would mistake Kevin’s “rep book” as a bout of stand-up material is a headscratcher. But still, the episode cuts back and forth between everything so quickly that it helps “The Bringer Show” glide over that.
Overall, this episode has its flaws, but it’s another outing that makes me wish the Schaffers would step back and let other folks take the pen more often.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2019-09-17T19:41:11Z
[7.5/10] Every once in a while, the powers that be on The League let the performers write an episode and, in outings like this one and “Rafi and Dirty Randy” the results are much better than the run of the mill installments of the show. “The Bringer Show” is not perfect, by any stretch. The clockwork “everything comes together” ending is more than a little contrived, but it has a better hit-to-miss ratio on humor, and there’s fewer of the facepalm-worthy gags that otherwise drag down the show.
Case-in-point, this episode isn’t exactly kind to Andre, but the humor comes much more from him just making an ass out of himself rather than the rest of the group constantly slagging him. His misguided efforts to do stand-up comedy are amusing and well-observed, and his contrived efforts to work in a cajun shrimp boat captain saying the phrase “ya gotta keep ‘em separated” is a funny running gag. He even gets a bit of a win here, eventually finding his footing on stage through insult humor despite some heckling from an unexpectedly witty and urbane homeless person who, in a fun reversal, Andre paid to be there. (And hey! Leslie Jones is there!)
The other major story in the episode of is Jenny lying about her life in an effort to gain admittance to the Lucrative Ladies Club, an exclusive group of high class female investors, which is a premise that has a lot of mileage. Jenny’s extensive efforts to fabricate a life with her husband, “Kip” and to stage her home are worth a laugh. Taco being mistaken for an eccentric wunderkind businessman is a good extended gag. And Kevin feeling down about Jenny treats him is more of the show’s vaguely Home Improvement-esque domestic sitcom humor, but is worth a few chuckles here and there.
The only bit in this episode I didn’t really like is Pete (who proves more of an asshole each season) tricking Ruxin into starting an undermanned lineup. It’s just more “being a dick for the sake of being a dick” material from the show, and I don’t find it funny.
Still, the episode brings everything together with a weaving together of each of these storylines at the end, and it largely works. Sure, Kevin seeming like a homeless person is a real stretch, and why Andre would mistake Kevin’s “rep book” as a bout of stand-up material is a headscratcher. But still, the episode cuts back and forth between everything so quickly that it helps “The Bringer Show” glide over that.
Overall, this episode has its flaws, but it’s another outing that makes me wish the Schaffers would step back and let other folks take the pen more often.