Powerless Review: Wayne Dream Team (Season 1 Episode 2)

Bosses can’t be friends with their employees.

Emily struggles to figure out the work/friendship balance on Powerless Season 1 Episode 2.

Emily and Van are both feeling left out – Emily is lonely in a new city, and desperately tries to become pals with her co-workers, while Van can’t believe that only his shoulder made it into the Wayne Dream Team photo.

While Powerless Season 1 Episode 1 heavy-handedly set up the premise of the series, to the degree that many who watched the original pilot at Comic Con earlier this year said the show was “unrecognizable,” this episode feels much like the Powerless  that was presented originally.

The comedy changes a bit this week:  it’s more clever and whimsical rather than cheesy. The characters are fun, and not overly caricaturized. They all feel distinct, and fall easily into their roles, which I assume we’ll all soon become accustomed to.

Emily, in particular, feels the most defined. Though, I will admit, I wish we knew just a tad more about her backstory, but I hold out hope for flashbacks to fill us in later.

She’s new in town, friendless, and placed in charge of an established group of geniuses, who happen to be the best of friends as well. Emily sees how fun work can be if she gets connected in a friendly way, and spends the episode quickly regretting every action she takes while trying desperately to fit in.

Why? Well, simply put, she’s a terrible boss. She’s no better than Van, who practically wears a “worst boss” patch on his suit.

When Jackie tries to explain the reality of superior/employee relationships, Emily rebuffs her, believing she knows better, after being the boss of her team for exactly two seconds.

But the reality hits her faster than a flaming box hits the pastry cart she’s finally in the front of the line for; it’s tough to be in charge and still be a pal.

At stake: the Fantasy Superhero League, an event where everyone chooses their hero who will prevail with the most saves at the end of an undisclosed period of time. (For the record, I’d have chosen Catwoman. She’s a hero in my book, despite anything you try to tell me.)

Emily’s tattletale move to HR is a rookie mistake, and totally realistic in the actual office world.

In fact, Emily has a little twinge of The Office‘s Michael Scott in “Wayne or Lose,” between her many terrible references, actions, and flip-flopping.

Luckily, her team realizes that she’s just desperate for friendship, they set her straight, and after six hours of watching puppets sing about bullying, Emily finally learns her lesson, and realizes that being a boss and a friend is something that will take a lot of work; but it’s also something that her team is willing to try.

Van is equally as lucky in his own struggles, and we learn that although he appears to be a self-absorbed nincompoop (wow, did I just use the word nincompoop?) he’s got a softer side that only Jackie knows about – and while he’s not necessarily her “friend,” she respects him enough to keep protecting him from having his feelings hurt.

Am I the only one who smells a romance brewing between Jackie and Van? (I’m a ‘shipper – I can’t help it.)

I must admit that I wasn’t totally on board with the ‘pew-pew-pew’ jokes and Van’s many photoshopped images, but they were silly enough to amuse me.

I have to give comedy credit where it is due for this episode.

Ron Funches and Danny Pudi showcase their humor this week with their smart delivery and facial expressions that we’ve loved on their previous comedy endeavors.

And it works for me.

Ron’s love of sharks and Teddy’s intensity over the internet were the laugh-out-loud highlights, and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing that we’ll get to see more of that in the coming weeks.

Additionally, can we take a second to appreciate that cat sweatshirt that Wendie showcases? Where do I buy ten of them?

Wendie is a character I hope we get to see more of in upcoming episodes. Her hatred of Emily seems to run deep – so much so that even while the others are warming up to the new boss, she seems to be unimpressed.

I’d love to see Emily desperate to gain Wendie’s affections. I think it would yield some great comedy.

Overall, I think the sophomore outing of Powerless gives us a great picture of what this show will be focused on – the office politics, the people behind them, and the superheroes that vaguely affect them.

Super-Funny Speak:

• Ron: “It’s like when I say I NEED to own a pet shark. I don’t need one. I just really want one.”
• Van: “Jackie, what is wrong with this picture?” Jackie: “There are no women or minorities?”
• Teddy: “My God…the only site we can get on is LinkedIn.” Ron: “What monster did this?”
• Ron: “I try not to use the word ‘hero’ outside of a sandwich context, but you just might be one.”
• Ron: “You’re on the very short list of things that upset me. It’s you, and the shockingly high price of shark ownership.”

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

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Powerless airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

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