TV Review: Eastbound & Down 3.6, 'Chapter 19'
We review episode 6 of the third series of Eastbound and Down.
rating: 3
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Its a family affair on Chapter 19 this week as Kenny and conman/father Eddie are reunited with Mother Powers, guest start Lily Tomlin. Both have ulterior motives though, Kenny wanting to unload Toby on her and Eddie just simply wants to rob her. Feel the love. As the episode begins we see how Kennys mom, Tammy, is as deluded as Kenny is about his fame and greatness when she punches a rival bowler square in the face for badmouthing him. I wouldnt expect anything less from the mother of Kenny Powers. The potty-mouth matches up too. Kenny and Stevie arrive at the house with Kennys estranged brother as Eddie hides in some bushes. Stevie continues to be an emotional, and now bald, wreck after his split with Maria. Eddie receives a swift shot to the nuts when revealing himself to his ex-wife after 27 years of abandonment, boy was it cathartic. All seems forgotten, at least for now, as the Powers family spend the day together. A sweet moment came as Kenny and his mother swap pills in the trophy room, which is filled with pictures of Kennys achievement and newspaper clippings, a proud mother. Eddie continues to try and worm his way into his ex-wifes good graces as the family go bowling. Kenny suspects hes just trying to con her, then again so is Kenny, sort of. A highlight of the episode came when Kennys half brother is describing the sex hes gotten, which includes pubic play, Kenny responds with you just mash your pubic hairs together? You could start a fucking rug fire doing that. Stevie begins to get a renewed hope for his marriage after seeing Kennys parents begin to reconcile, it doesnt take long for Kenny to shoot this hope down though. The family day concludes with a game of Pictionary, Kenny cant accept that hes bad at drawing. Eddie does his best to make a heartfelt speech apologising to everyone for his absence, before making sure everyone knows hes sleeping in the RV outside tonight. Tammy insists he sleeps on the couch before revealing how important family are to her, despite their abandonment, Outside is for the dogs. Inside, is for family. Stevie attempts and fails at adding to this belief, and the garage, is for cars. Kenny has a heartfelt chat with Tammy whilst smoking weed before going to bed, Tammy expresses how proud she is that Kenny is a good father, its at this point Kenny has second thoughts about leaving Toby behind. In the middle of the night Kenny and Tammy catch Eddie and his son stealing all the silverware. He admits he was only there to rob her, and that Kenny is planning on dumping Toby on her. Tammy cant accept that Kenny would abandon his son like that, who still believes his son is a curse and fucking up his shit, before stating Its fucking hard to be Charles in Charge when youre not Scott Baio. Kenny goes through with it, leaving Toby behind and riding off on the quad bike with Stevie in toe. Then begins the predictable montage of memories with Toby as Kenny fondly remembers time spent with him. If this wasnt enough on its own to make Kenny go back for Toby, it comes when Stevie compares their situations as they fill up for gas, Guess its just you and me, two broken men. Kenny reaches an epiphany and replies with a simple Fuck that. Maybe because he realised he does in fact love his son, or he never wants to be compared to Stevie. Its probably a bit of both. It all climaxes at Tammys championship bowling game. Kenny is surprised to see Eddie outside who states that hes gone through a similar realisation that he does indeed love Tammy. The both of them try to win her over by walking down the aisles of the bowling alley midway through the game, both asking for her forgiveness, ending in a cheesily timed We love you. She accepts the apologies, stating that weve all done some fucked up shit in the past, and sounds exactly like her son as she says So it wouldnt be fair to judge two men, who have either entered Eddie, or exited Kenny, my vagina. This then gives her the motivation to score three strikes and win the bowling game. The episode ends with Kenny doing a beautiful profanity filled diary entry narration as he and Stevie return to Myrtle Beach with Toby, now in a mini-van from Tammy. Kenny comes to the realisation that he needs to make a decision, his career or his family. We wont have long to wait as there are only two episodes left before the end of the season, and the end of the show entirely. Overall a good episode, but it lacked some of the Kenny Powers moments the show is built on. This could be down to the fact that this week Kenny was surrounded with characters who are similar and as messed up as he is. Nevertheless is was fantastic to see Kennys parents interacting together, and was filled with many poignant family moments without getting too sentimental, something profane is always just around the corner with the Powers family.