7x02 Ron and Jammy

[8.4/10] I’m on record as not caring for Jamm, but that’s mostly because when the show uses him, they use him as one-dimensional, jerk antagonist. When they move Jon Glazer outside of that, and show him to be this pathetic, largely deluded little man, it not only allows the actor to shine, but it makes the character far more tolerable, and god help me, even pretty damn funny.

Making him the latest tool Tammy 2 is trying to use to get to Ron is a brilliant move on that front. Jamm listing the parade of miserables that is his life with Tammy to Leslie, and the other various tall tales the cast offer about her are great comedy. It also provides an important and understandable reason for Ron and Leslie to set aside their enmity and defrost a little bit for the greater good.

That leads to great comic set pieces, like Leslie and Ron deprogramming Jamm (with Leslie’s incredible Tammy 2 impression), or their confrontation with Tammy 2 (with Ron’s “the crotch blinder was inside you the whole time” and Tammy 2’s “there’s a prize inside for you”). But it also leads to great character moments for the growing Leslie-Ron detante, where Leslie is offered the winning vote on the city council and turns it down to save Jamm, and Ron is willing to set aside his and Leslie’s differences to help a fellow man. It’s a nice moment for the pair to recognize what they once liked about each other despite their current estrangement.

The other two stories in the episode were a little hit or miss. I like the idea of Tom being finally successful in his professional life, but feeling unfulfilled in his personal life. Bringing back Lucy is a good way to go with that, but the whole “Oh no, we ended up in Chicago! And I offered her a job instead of asking her out! And she has a boyfriend!” feels like cheesy sitcom stuff rather than the organic comedy and storytelling of the show. Still, Aziz gives a particularly funny performance being awkward around his crush, and Chris Pratt is on fire with Andy genuinely worrying about this “new job” he’s taking in Chicago or tucking into a stranger’s plate of half-eaten spaghetti.

The last story, with April hearing Joan’s speech and trying to find her dream job with Ben, is a nice idea, but a little undercooked. I do really enjoy the April-Ben pairing, but the two of them going to a punning mortician and blanching when April learns there’s still lots of paperwork in the job didn’t do much for me. I don’t know. I should like this storyline more, because I appreciate them further developing April and I like the pairing, it just felt like less than the sum of its parts. (Though Donna’s “orbit of Saturn” coda was hilariously-delivered.)

Overall, a still funny and well done episode that does the seemingly impossible feat of redeeming the presence of Jeremy Jamm!