11x09 The Gang Goes to Hell (1)

[7.1/10] Fun idea for an episode, but the execution was hit or miss. I like the setup of each member of The Gang having to avoid one of the seven deadly sins because they’re on a Christian cruise ship, none of them being able to do it, and all of them ending up in the brig.

The one that worked best for me was Charlie and Frank giving into gluttony. Something about the pair of them dressing up like Gilligan, not understanding the idea of people drinking straight mixers, and then drinking boat fuel to get drunk is absurd enough to be hilarious. And Dee trying to get away from the rest of The Gang, but eventually getting annoyed enough at one woman for stealing her seat that she gives into “wrath” was easy, but effective enough.

I was less on board with the other two stories. I like the idea of Mac being shocked by non-fear-based religion, initially loving it and then being weirded out by it, but I’m so tired of them playing up him being closeted. Maybe him coming out will be the end of it, but I doubt it. And didn’t care for Dennis’s storyline either. Him joking about seducing girls on the boat because of “the implications” in a previous episode worked well enough as black humor because it was abstract and Mac called him on it for how creepy that idea was, but seeing him actually ply that creepiness on a young girl was too much for me.

Overall, some solid laughs in this one, and a good setup, but the episode definitely hits choppy water at various points.