My Brother, My Brother and Me Review: Secret Societies & Apologies to Nathan (Season 1 Episode 5)

Hulk-a-mania about to run WILD.

On My Brother, My Brother and Me Season 1 Episode 5, the Alternate Reality Game steps to the forefront, and the McElroys start a secret society – kind of – while answering Nathan’s question and hating on him wildly (apologies to Nathan).

Nathan is a jerk person. He actually believes that the McElroy brothers are savvy enough to find a secret organization!

Lucky for Nathan, and the brothers, a little detective work leads them through an old theater – and they subsequently travel throughout Huntington to find clues to lead them to, well, anything.

They seem to be blocked at every step. Even a trip to the Mayor leaves them without any answers.

Mayor: Did you all stay up late last night watching a bunch of movies?
Griffin: We did have a movie and candy party, but that doesn’t change the fact that a shadowy organization controls the banks and government of Huntington.

So what else would Justin, Travis, and Griffin do other than start a secret society of their own?

After calling the Knights Templar (their number was on GOOGLE. WTF?) the brothers gather up their friends and family, take them to a roller rink, and have a grand-old-time.

The highlight of the episode involves secret society wardrobe.

The McElroys put on the spiffiest apparel that they can get their hands on and then proceed to hurl insults at one another based on their outfits of choice.

OUTFIT INSULTS FROM JUSTIN, TRAVIS, AND GRIFFIN:

• “You look like a new character in Candy Land that just deals Twizzlers.”
• “You look like a Vaudeville usher who’s trying for a management position.”
• “Justin you look like the Halloween costume to represent farts under a blanket.”
• “You look like if Hepatitis was a person.”
• “You look a businessman with an extremely specific fetish.”
• “Justin looks like some rye bread that a cape got on.”

The McElroys realize quickly as their society arrives that wearing a “robe” doesn’t mean fancy duds – like theirs – to the citizens of Huntington, but instead bathrobes.

The meeting at the roller rink is quite possibly the most bizarre meeting ever held in the history of meetings. I can’t tell if the McElroys have formed a secret society, a roller skating club, a banking coalition, or signed cult contracts.

The answer for Nathan? Secret societies are really just a bunch of people doing things and not telling anyone else about it, so anyone can start one.

It’s nice to see the brothers stay on task for an entire episode. While the formula getting muddled is a hilarious bit in itself, there’s something nice about seeing real payoff for their antics through Huntington – I’m sure Mayor Williams would agree.

The more fun aspect of “Secret Societies & Apologies to Nathan” involves an ARG that unfolds throughout the episode.

What’s an ARG? Why, it’s an Alternate Reality Game, something we had no idea we were playing until this episode.

At least I didn’t. Who knew those clues existed?!

If you rack your brain following the clues dropped during the episode, you’ll find – well, nothing. There’s no sense to be made from the clues dropped.

UNLESS…

…you follow dad Clint’s clues at the end and visit, “my youngest son’s seventh word hyphen my youngest son’s fifteenth word dot pizza” and unlock the BONUS CONTENT.

This isn’t a joke.

If you visit that webpage, you will find some fun bonus footage.

I can’t link you. You have to do the work yourself. If there was anything to be learned here, it’s that this is what being a member of a secret society is all about.

It’s much more satisfying this way, trust me.

What did you think of this episode of My Brother, My Brother and Me? What color are your society robes? Will Justin find more envelopes in future episodes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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My Brother, My Brother and Me Season 1 is available for streaming on Seeso.

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