Broad City Review: Sliding Doors (Season 4 Episode 1)

On Broad City Season 4 Episode 1, “Sliding Doors,” Ilana and Abbi have a Sliding Doors-esque meeting, which splits into two different timelines that both end in their epic friendship.

What an amazing start to another *slightly covers mouth* ahhmazing season.

The decision to push back this episode showcases Amy Poehler’s television prowess. It has a bigger impact kicking off the fourth season of Broad City than ending the first season. It is perfect seeing fetus Abbi and Lana and being able to compare them to who we’ve come to know and love.

Although Ilana is still as ill-prepared and eccentric as ever, small things, like thinking her curly hair makes her “too” Jewish, is a definite break from the proud Jewess we know today.

Ilana: You’re not a true Jew.

Abbi: I am a true Jew.

Ilana: *taps her nose* Check the records.

You can tell her thought process came straight from the caricatured, prep white girls who try to suck the individuality out of her. They pressure her to believe anything that doesn’t reflect the cis-white culture is negative.

However, they weren’t too far off about her bestiality obsession. I mean… Ilana… come on, buddy.

Fetus Abbi truly needs to break out of her shell. Even though the Abbi we know now still has trouble with confrontation, it’s clear her confidence is better now that she has met Lana.

Lana gives Abbi the courage to be more expressive and seize the day, while Abbi gives Lana a little more structure and the license to be herself without shame.

“Sliding Doors” affirms what this series has always been about: the power of friendship. Yes, that sounds cheesy, but the right best friend could make your life 100x better and that’s what this episode emphasizes.

One timeline shows Ilana’s day as full of drama, embarrassment and anger. Abbi’s day fills with monotony, loneliness and Bevers. Suffice it to say, both have a pretty horrible time without one another.

Contrastingly, the other timeline that shows them together is full of self-identification, confidence and hilarity. Even though they get pancaked by a bus, at least they’re crazy happy in their last moments.

Ilana and Abbi are truly soul mates, whether it’s platonic or one-sidedly romantic. They fit one another perfectly and it’s why they find happiness.

As I said in my preview of Broad City Season 4, this season will be a lot darker than previous ones. So, Broad City Season 4 Episode 1 acts like a treat for fans, because who knows how dark this season will become.

I don’t think this show would ever go Batman Begins dark, but the totally sweet moments, like Abbi and Ilana writing their names in the concrete, might come fewer and farther in between now that winter’s here.

The new season is now underway, and I couldn’t be any happier. I’ve missed my favorite Jewesses. Cheers, Kweens!

Other thoughts:

• Should we just start going around asking homeless people what will be our future? Robert, the homeless man, knows Donald Trump will soon become our president in 2011. The man is a prophet.
• Fetus Bevers is a cutie. And the freckles? Don’t get me started. Now we know how he slid in and planted his couch potato seeds to one-day be the festering blister on Abbi’s life.
• Did anyone else see Ilana look at the truck before it hit her and Abbi at the end? I guess she wanted to go for the dramatic death with the love of her life thing?
• It’s sweet seeing Ilana has always been a giver. I love that woman, I swear.

What did you think of this episode of Broad City? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Broad City airs Wednesdays at 10:30/9:30c on Comedy Central.

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