THIS WEEK ON Eastbound & Down – Chapter 18

We are fully in uncharted territory on EB&D. Where it goes next, nobody knows…sorta. Following a doppleganger story arc from last year, we have another family affair this week as KP focuses on breaking out of his slump with an epic 4th of July blowout. Stevie goes back to being a putz, and we fully explore the deep dark cavities of humor that are completely unpresentable to most audiences.

The episode opens with a shoplifting scene featuring Eduardo Sanchez and his mongoloid offspring Casper, thus announcing their return to the mix. Next scene, Kenny announces his plans for a 4th of July party to his fellow Mermen, over a lunch of catered Chic-Fil-A. His rivalry with with Ivan continues, as we learn that Ivan is DJing a competing party that same evening.

After lunch Eduardo and Casper poach Kenny in the parking lot wanting information as to the whereabouts of Kenny’s mother. He refuses, and promptly attends a planning session for the party with Stevie. It is here that Stevie reveals he has cheated on Maria, and is so riddled with guilt, that he is considering telling her of his infidelity. Kenny advises him to “handle it like a baller”, and dips to the next scene where he pays homage to Shane’s grave over a McDiesel combo meal. Stevie ignores his advice, and tells Maria, thus providing an excuse for him to pretty much be absent for the rest of the sode.

With Stevie out of the picture, and the party quickly approaching, Eduardo Sanchez offers to watch young Toby while Kenny attends the ball. In drug preparation, Kenny learns from his experiences with Shane, and instead of opting for cocaina, decides to snort some Adderal. Drug wisdom. He then suits up, and heads to the party on his Panty Dropper waverunner.

When Kenny arrives to find his party deserted, he decides to pay Ivan a visit at his club gig, which is off the chain. KP does another one of his shameless, awkward speeches, before being run off the stage by security. When things get this bad for KP, he always goes gorilla. Keeping with tradition, he and Casper return showering the entire party in Roman Candles, dissipating the crowd.

Defeated, Kenny returns home vulnerable. Eduardo seizes the opportunity, and manipulates KP into contacting his mother for assistance. In the middle of the discussion, Stevie shows his freshly shaven head/eyebrows, in the midst of his personal crisis. The episode ends with the introduction of KP’s momma, as she receives a call from her son in the middle of her bowling night.

That’s pretty much all I got for this episode. There was not much slapstickery. A lot of sneaky lines per usual. I know the show is still pretty unpredictable, but you still kinda get the feeling they are adapting off last year’s script. While it doesn’t completely ruin the show, it does help tone down the magic x factor. What would really be crazy is if they actually shifted the tone a little bit. The story line is quasi-unpredictable, but the tone is ominously formulaic. Hilarious, degenerate, awkward, pathetic, rinse, repeat.