Necrotongue

This is the second episode in the season which doesn't seem to fit into the series. It was only linked to the main story by the setting and some familiar characters, but in terms of the plot, it felt like a completely different direction. The upside to the whole situation is that I saw a similar development coming, so I don't feel much disappointment, and that's fine.

Last time, the whole alternate timelines thing really got me hyped, and when I heard the fifth episode was going to be Halloween-themed, I was pumped like a kid in a candy store. Unfortunately, what I got wasn't the epic Halloween experience I was hoping for—it was more like a weird, half-hearted party with some spooky stories thrown in. Unlike the dice-rolling in the last episode, this one just didn't do it for me. Honestly, Dan dropped the ball on this one. / Lesson learned: Do you want to analyze your own psyche? There are probably less horrifying activities out there.

This episode blew me away. Six different timelines were a great idea; the series needed more of them and much earlier. When I think about it, the episodes I enjoyed the most were the paintball episode, the Halloween episode, and this one. Chang was missing, and to make up for it, humor wasn't. Win-win :-) / Lesson learned: Three timelines later, a butterfly flaps its wings and you're dead.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed Miss Congeniality (2000) because it delivered some solid humor despite its straightforward and predictable plot. While not a groundbreaking film, it kept me entertained and even got a few laughs out of me. Now, fast forward to the sequel, clearly made to capitalize on the success of the first one, and unfortunately, all the good vibes I had were flushed down the drain. A major red flag for the sequel was the absence of the original cast, signaling a potential dip in quality. True to expectations, the story, which kicked off with some action in the beginning, quickly devolved into a heap of clichés. If the first movie could be described as a comedy that appealed to women but also had something for the guys, this one lacked that extra spice for me. I did crack a smile here and there, but overall, I found myself a tad bored. The plot lost any semblance of logic, and it just didn't click with me anymore. It was nowhere near as amusing as the first movie. / Lesson learned: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Initially, the pilot episode left me somewhat uncertain, but by the second episode, I was satisfied, and the third one didn't disappoint either. One thing I'm certain about is that this series isn't for the paranoid — it's a surefire way to mess with your head. You can see the series evolving gradually. Even the seemingly mundane walks through the corridors turned out to be surprisingly insightful. Boredom wasn't a concern for me, and the atmosphere, which I praised before, somehow became even more grim this time around. / Lesson learned: Don't swallow indigestible objects.

Honestly, I was tempted to slap a big fat zero on this episode at first because it felt like a square peg in the round hole of the series' overall vibe. Eventually, I settled for a reluctant one-star rating, mainly because Todd's character brought some entertainment to the table. However, the rest of the episode let me down, and Chang's film noir was just way off the mark. / Lesson learned: Don't set turtles on fire.

Just like the last episode, I got the vibe that the creators gave up on involving the entire group in the plot and instead zeroed in on individual characters. Yeah, in the second episode, they were all in the mix, but most of them didn't get much screen time. The spotlight was heavily on Annie (not that I mind, because I'm a big Alison Brie fan) and Jeff. Oh, and let's not forget Britta and Chang, though I kinda wish I could. / Lesson learned: Don't be overly competitive.

The third season kicked off in a pretty weird way. The main gripe with the first episode, at least for me, was that the core group got pushed to the sidelines, and Chang stole the spotlight with his hilariously absurd monkey gas inhalation. John Goodman delivered an outstanding performance and looked impressively terrifying. / Lesson learned: Do not inhale toxic gas.

The second season took a bit of a nosedive in terms of quality. The individual episode ratings were less erratic than the previous season, but sadly, they stayed pretty low. I even gave zero stars to some of them, which says a lot about how disappointed I was with the creators' effort — or, lack of it, to be precise. It's baffling because the characters and setting had the potential for the writers to go all out. / Lesson learned: Keep your expectations in check.

The only five-star rating from me this season, and it was well-deserved because the creators knocked it out of the park with the second paintball episode. The western vibe transformed into a Star Wars showdown, and even though I was disappointed at first, I ended up enjoying this unexpected twist. This was exactly my kind of thing. / Lesson learned: Keep your cool in battle.