Portlandia Review: Carrie Dates A Hunk (Season 7 Episode 2)

Feminism is addressed, and Fred gets in a nerd/hunk turf war on Portlandia Season 7 Episode 2.

“Carrie Dates A Hunk” is a strong episode that should have opened Season 7. The premiere, “The Storytellers,” was a bit lackluster. This second episode is non-stop with the laughs. Social commentary done through parody is the show’s forte, and that is evident in this week’s episode.

I love when Portlandia focuses on feminism. It’s actually one of my favorite subjects that the show tackles.

Usually Candace and Toni, the Women and Women First bookstore owners, are at the center of it, but in this episode it is a couple of meninists that examine the issue.

Andy and Drew feel left out of the movement and they want to know “what about men?” They complain to each other and then in a music video that men are oppressed. The “What About Men” song perfectly encapsulates the absurdity of male tears over feminism.

To quote Leslie Knope, “you’re ridiculous, and men’s rights is nothing.”

Drew: How come we don’t know about Harriet Tubman’s husband or Eleanor Roosevelt’s?
Andy: FDR?
Drew: We only know his initials?!

The production of the music video is excellent. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have musical backgrounds so I expect nothing less and they deliver. Also, they both excel at playing the opposite gender. Brownstein is stellar as Andy.

While the “What About Men” segment is certainly the highlight, the main story line is a showdown between nerd and hunk. The nerds go to battle with a new strain of hunk that is both good-looking and smart.

Their duel begins with a delightful West Side Story homage. The dudes and nerds compete in a series of categories. I’m not sure what the criteria is or who is judging the competition, but the ridiculousness of it all is part of that quirky Portlandia charm.

The bar is set high with the meninist opener and the nerd vs. hunk bit that is revisited throughout the episode. The other skits meet the high standard and are equally entertaining.

The first date therapy sketch is an interesting concept. I almost think it’s a good idea! It is well-acted, facetiously spoofing the perceptions of couple’s therapy.

The sketch in which the couple buy a rug really hit close to home. The act of buying a “grown-up” item like that is unnerving. Portlandia effectively portrays the trepidation, excitement, and then subsequent disappointment of such an endeavor.

The lighting gets gloomier as their regret over purchasing the rug grows. Their exaggerated reaction doesn’t even seem that exaggerated to me which made it both funny and accurate.

Melanie: This is a document of shame! We are terrible people. We don’t deserve anything nice!

This week’s episode renews my excitement over the return of the show in its second to last season. I was slightly worried after the season premiere, but here I see the show is as wonderfully weird as ever.

Stray Observations:

• Having Andy and Drew ride by the Women and Women First bookstore to spur their conversation is a nice touch.
• I want more of meninists Andy and Drew. They are a great addition to the line-up of characters.
• Fred’s response to why something is a double-standard is that it is “standard.”
• “The hunks are taking over again. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. My own four eyes, if you know what I mean.” This is my favorite set-up/punchline of the episode.
• The passive aggressive lawn sign bit is great. “It shows I have a sense of humor, but…” “But, you don’t. You don’t.” It also kind of has a Wes Anderson feel to it with the music and the framing.

What did you think of this episode of Portlandia? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Portlandia airs Thursdays at 10/9c on IFC.

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