NEW SHOWS:
Community — “Repilot” (B-) / season premiere, “Introduction to Teaching” (A-)
The fifth season premiere has to do a lot of work to put it where once and future showrunner Dan Harmon wants it. That comes at the expense of jokes, but it’s a transition episode, as opposed to a transition season. Still, we got jokes at the expense of Johnny Depp, Eli Roth and Zach Braff, so I’m happy. The second episode, featuring Jonathan Banks as the new disgruntled old person, is as good as anything the show has ever done. Bravo. Danny Pudi kills his Nicolas Cage routine, proving he’s good for more than just pop culture references and psychotic breakdowns.
OLD SHOWS:
Key & Peele — Season 3, Episodes 11-13 (average: A-)
Thus closes out the finest season yet of the best sketch show on the air. Everything went up a notch, including the production values, some of the finest on TV, even if they’re in service of ridiculous gags. Congrats Jordan and Keegan, you definitely “put the pussy on the chainwax.”