Party Down- Reading Departure Signs

Spoiler alert...Below are some thoughts on last night's season two finale of Party Down, 'Constance Carmell Wedding'. So watch the ep, eat a tenth of an ounce of marijuana, and read what I had to say.

Patrick Duffy- "After making love in a glider plane over the rain forest...and then again in the waterfall where we crashed."

Constance Carmell- "That was you?"

For me Party Down is sometimes funny, rarely hilarious, mostly clever and occasionally cringe-worthy. It's a comedy that I enjoy, but can't remember a time I laughed out loud during it. Last night's episode was no different in that sense, but everything seemed to come together nicely for a season finale.

Because of Adam Scott's departure to Parks and Recreation and Ryan Hansen's pilot Friends With Benefits getting picked up, it is hard to imagine a third season would be a good idea. Scott's Henry Pollard isn't the funniest of characters here, but he is the glue that holds the whole thing together. It doesn't make much sense to replace him with a similar straight man that we have yet to meet. Party Down really isn't about a bunch of struggling artists who have to work in catering. It's about a struggling artist who has to work as a caterer and deal with this strange assortment of characters.

If this was the last Party Down we are blessed with, I'm happy with the way it went out. The fact that Henry is going to attempt to get back into the acting game is great. I'd really like to see this kid make it out there in this tough world.

As far as the episode itself, the highlight was Jane Lynch returning as Constance to get married to some old dude who croaked immediately following the ceremony. She's no Sue Sylvester, but Constance seemed much more enjoyable than any of her first season episodes. The fire between her and Lydia was fantastic.

What didn't work for me this week? Ron and his ridiculous search for love and success. I really liked this dude in season one for complaining about his employees, but this year he has taken a fall because all he does is fawn after numerous ladies. Not nearly as funny.

I guess I'd say this season was better than the first, but neither one was that great. I want to say that comedies need to be more than ten episodes, but Curb Your Enthusiasm does 10-12 and knocks it out of the park. Party Down is just an average series, I don't care what the high brow critics say.

Thursday Comedy- Guest Starry Night

Because there's never that much to talk about when it comes to comedies, I like the idea of reviewing all of NBC's Thursday night shows in one post. Last night was finale time for comedy night done right, and who came up big? The wily old veterans that's who. In a season in which The Office and 30 Rock are getting trashed (somewhat by me, but mostly be critics other than Tim Goodman), both stepped up to the plate and out did the up-and-comers known as Community and Parks and Rec.

Community
Two things held it back this week for me. The abundance of recurring characters that returned for the finale kind of took away from the stars that we should have following more closely as the season came to a close. I really don't need to see Vaughn, the British professor, or John Michael Higgins seizing the day, if it means that I get much less of Abed and Pierce. Which is exactly what happened.

The other thing was how much sappy romantic stuff there was. As Alan Sepinwall loves to complain about, the Jeff/Britta thing was terrible for this show and it definitely hurt it again tonight. The whole scene at the Tranny Dance when Jeff was caught between Slater and a Buzzkill was terrible. That is until the entire crowd started getting in on it. Now that is the type of stuff we watch Community for. The crowd yelling out, "Team Britta!" or "Bring Conan back!" was hilarious.

Parks and Recreation
I definitely haven't turned to the dark side yet, but Ron Swanson is definitely getting better in the last few episodes. He's being much less like Ron Swanson, that's what's better about him. If his character can continue this turn around into someone who hates on city government openly and giddily, instead of quietly and boringly, I'll enjoy him much more.

Through two episodes with guest stars Adam Scott and Rob Lowe and the latter is stealing the show. Again, Scott is being completely under-utilized as a dull straight man, considering the hilarious comedy chops he showed in Step Brothers. Lowe's character reminds me of his Benjamin from Wayne's World on cocaine. Between his "goal to run to the moon," pointing at Ann Perkins every time he sees her, and telling Ron to "focus up buddy" when he stopped massaging for two seconds, Lowe's Chris should definitely stick around in Pawnee.

The Office
Michael Scott absolutely held this season together. Last night that didn't change, he continued to shine the brightest, but everybody else seemed to step their games up as well. The cold open was again good with a great moment of Michael hating that the baby otter video was being watched over his, and then obviously gave into the cuteness and couldn't turn away from the screen while watching it. I also loved that his plan for punishment was make them work...and pay them...and give them their Christmas bonuses.

There was good Kevin stuff, we finally got an awesome Creed moment and Ryan was on point with his Woof bit. I love that he had a "woof on line one." And to boot, Jim didn't make me want to punch him in the face. He wasn't funny, a la the early seasons when he ragged on Dwight constantly, but at least he wasn't detestable like he's been the rest of this season.

30 Rock
Now maybe because it's because he is a two-time Oscar nominated actor, but boy did Matt Damon make his straight man guest starring role on 30 Rock look Oscar-worthy in comparison to Adam Scott on Parks and Recreation. Then again, maybe it was the writing by this once fantastic group at 30 Rock. It's hard to make lines like "Does that sound like more fun than me eating alone at the LaGuardia Chilis?" not hilarious. But then again Matt Damon did have a way of making it funny that he wished he had a terrorist on his plane, so I don't know.

The scene in which the loud music was playing and you couldn't hear Jack's voice was classic 30 Rock silliness without the complete weirdness they've had lately. The only man sitting there with a stereo? Great gag. That being said, I hope the whole Jack deciding between women thing is over because that got old half a season ago. We need new stories for Jacky D and quick.