Portlandia Review: Fred’s Cell Phone Company (Season 7 Episode 3)

Portlandia Season 7 Episode 3, great characters and acting save “Fred’s Cell Phone Company” from what could’ve been mediocre sketches.

Communication and how we, as humans, fail at every form of it threads this week’s sketches together.

The main story line, once again, follows Fred and Carrie as Fred starts his own cell phone company. Just the idea of this makes me anxious. Starting a small business terrifies me.

All that paperwork, and tax stuff, and legalities. No, thank you. Not to mention the technology of cellular phones. Where does one even begin? Fred somehow figures it out and signs up nine of his friends to be in his network.

In a half-hearted and misguided attempt at selling, Glengarry Glen Ross-style, Fred tells his friends/customers to “Always Be Calling.” Just when I think it’s going to parody that famous sales speech, Fred says, “Why? Because we can’t text yet.”

These unexpected little punch lines are some of the best parts of the episode and play a big part in saving these average skits.

It becomes clear quickly that Fred’s venture is an exercise in futility. Trying to keep on top of everything, Fred is listening in on calls and reading texts. His friends, including his roommate, Carrie, turn on him. They storm his house waving their devices and cell phone bills instead of pitchforks and torches.

I am nervously waiting for a resolution that comes as a nonchalant throwaway. Portlandia is adept at keeping the viewer on their toes with this tactic.

Carrie: How’s the business going?
Fred: Oh, I didn’t tell you. I got bought out. US Wireless. They wanted some kind of boutique company, so they just bought it. Took the name and everything.
Carrie: Should I be filing a class action lawsuit against you?
Fred: No, you would sue them. The parent company. So, please, do it. Knock yourself out.
Carrie: Great.

The theme of communication and its anxiety-inducing failings runs through all the sketches. And that theme begins the episode as a young couple chats via webcam. They both have so much going on that they aren’t actually communicating. Windows are popping up, delivery food arrives, calendars are being synced.

The format of this sketch really solidifies the restless mood that comes with technology use and the decline of our modern society’s communication.

I am thrilled to see meninists Andy and Drew back so soon. Their story shows the misunderstanding of the feminist movement. They fail to communicate with a funeral director when they try to arrange a funeral for “masculinity.”

This is so relevant to the misconceptions of feminism, especially with the outcry against the upcoming Women’s March. It funnily portrays the erroneous feeling that supporting equality among the sexes leads to the death of “men in general.” Just, no.

John Early from TBS’s Search Party is fantastic as the funeral director giving them just enough sass and resistance while still trying to accommodate their inane request. “We don’t usually inter abstract concepts.”

Lance and Nina make their first appearance this season in a sketch about a massage chair that takes over their life. The chair literally cuts off Lance’s ability to communicate.

I’m not sure why the premise is funny, but it works. And the reasons it works are the performances and the established, well-liked characters. This sketch also ends with a simple and comical, yet unanticipated conclusion.

Not all episodes have an obvious connecting theme. I like the use of it in “Fred’s Cell Phone Company.” It’s not something I think is necessary for a sketch comedy show, but it’s nice every now and then.

Pointing out the many ways we suck at communicating is perfect fodder for Portlandia. Where else in the country will you hear someone say “What if I start my own cell phone company?” I’m sure only a Portland hipster would dare pose such a question.

Stray Observations:

• “I don’t know how many Christmases my dad has left?” “Can we have, like, an end date?” “To my dad?!”
• Fred’s delivery when he tells his friend that his mom is insane is hilarious.
• Pat Boyle makes an appearance with her hard-hitting news exposé, The Pat Down.
• I have that ‘The Future is Female’ t-shirt!
• That massage chair is quite an impressive prop.

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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