15x03 The Gang Buys a Roller Rink

[7.7/10] As someone whose adolescence took place in the 2000s, I’m inherently leery of Prequels. They have a tendency to try to account for all of the events/characteristics the audience has already seen in one fell swoop. (See: Solo, the Community prequel episode, etc.) It always seems too contrived and convenient for me to enjoy.

But I enjoyed this, even though it falls into the same traps! We learn how The Gang bought the bar. We learn why the supposedly “Sweet” Dee is the way she is. We learn how Dennis became such a sexually dyfunctional weirdo. We even learn how Charlie began huffing various inhalants.

And it’s...fun? It’s a hard thing to put my finger on as to why. But maybe it’s that for all the contrivance that leads our heroes to the same familiar spot, the show's just so wild and irreverent to begin with that it’s hard to be too concerned with trifling things like continuity or anything making true sense.

Case-in-point, my least favorite part of this is the strong implication that Dee turned into such a piece of work thanks to head trauma. It’s a cheesy, “El Kabong” style explanation at best, and a troubling, “making fun of concussions” bit at worst. But that said, seeing the versions of the characters so different from what we’re used to is a hoot. And as silly as Dee having overly loose axel’d skates and getting a blow to the head that changes her personality (a la Phineas Gage) is, watching her be genuinely demure and friendly and downright sunshine-filled tickles the ribs given her usual take-no-prisoners approach.

Likewise, I appreciate Dennis as a sort of babe in the woods, ignorant of both his father’s business and anything the slightest bit malevolent. Seeing him ape Jerry Seinfeld and seem woefully naive and craving of his father’s attention is so out of step for the Machiavellian, criminal unhinged figure that the contrast becomes funny. And while the miscommunication about Dennis wanting to watch Frank’s business, while Frank thinks his son wants an empirical demonstration of sex ed, is a little out there, their conversations before and after are funny enough to pass muster. Frank acknowledging the weirdness of it, while Dennis is shocked and realizes he wants no part of whatever it is his father does, is funny in a weird, transgressive sort of way that IASIP specializes in.

Plus, Mac and Charlie’s proto-selves are entertaining as well. Mac as a wannabe gangster circa 1998 is funny as hell. His attempts to seem tough and only wearing a gun handles when he makes threats are a big laugh. The most amusing running gag in the whole episode is Mac saying “Mark my words”, before unleashing some terribly wrong predictions for the future.

And Charlie is a pip as always, being a genuinely good worker and devoted employee, something implied to be taken away by his huffing and other low-key weirdness. His devotion to the skating rink, and awkward attempts to get in on Mac’s drug dealing bring the yuks. The same goes for him making up the lion’s share of the purchase price for the bar, only to get distracted from it only getting him an “equal partnership” by the prospect of sandwiches.

I don’t know. It’s not exactly clockwork, but it works! The way The Gang’s attempt to buy the skating rink led to them buying the bar is both byzantine and profoundly stupid, in the proud, IASIP tradition. And to the same end, the distance between all their grand plans and predictions, only to see them in the same place nearly a quarter-century later is darkly funny. The cut from past to present is devastating in its way.

Either way, this is the first episode of this young season that's felt truly ambitious. Trying to cement The Gang’s backstory and do some character history for all of the key members is a big swing, but one that connects. I’m not asking for more IASIP prequels, but like so much on this show, against all odds, the effort succeeds.