Broad City Review: Bedbugs (Season 4 Episode 9)

On Broad City season 4 episode 9, “Bedbugs,” Abbi and Ilana can’t seem to keep lady luck on their side.

In continuance with this season’s extended analogy regarding the birth and current state of Trump’s oppressive era, this episode exhibits America’s current situation. Whenever we feel like we’re making progress in keeping Trump and his ridiculous policies at bay, Congress tries to pass something else that keeps us down.

The analogy speaks to the current “bedbug” infestation of selfish politicians, and it all goes back to money. The root of evil that placed them in their seats and let them rot away the working class is the cash of the 1%. Now that we’ve found out the root of the problem, how do we exterminate these leeching politicians?

Exterminator: I can’t guarantee that I can get them out. However, I can guarantee that I can’t.

It would be wonderful if the last episode of the season touched on this. Although that’s the current question we’re dealing with now, even though the obvious answer is to vote, it would be perfect if Broad City used their audience of predominantly liberal teenagers and young adults to spread the message of the importance of voting.

They did this last season with their Hillary episode, so I don’t think it would be out of pocket for them to attempt one last outreach in the time when we need it the most. This is especially the case when you take into consideration how perfect they are at balancing comedy and serious themes.

What a wonderful episode. Ilana Glazer did a great job directing it. Kudos to the Jewish Queen. I love how the women get to step up and actualize their own visions for the lives of Abbi and Ilana beyond the writer’s room. The script gives directions, while the director gives the lens.

In the episode Abbi directs, Broad City season 4 Episode 5, the scenes are full of dry humor. Everything, even the jokes, feels slightly off to create the eerie tone fit for witches, demon exorcisms (i.e, Tr**p), and all the other supernatural things that go on.

The lens Ilana creates for “Bedbugs” sets the perfect tone for an episode that’s filled with a lot more happiness and positive perspectives. This episode comes after Broad City Season 1 Episode 7, where the women figure out that they prefer the dirty cogs of New York to the racist suburbs of Florida.

*Note: I’m purposefully acting like the last episode didn’t happen, because as I explain in my review of Broad City Season 4 Episode 8, those scenes and jokes are subpar compared to this season in so many ways.

With that said, Episode 7 of Broad City acts as the key shift that moves the women from burdened hopeless and looking for an escape, to finding their happiness in the little things, gaining strength for the fight, and finding solace in their hard times through friends and family.

Ilana nails this tone, especially in my favorite scene of the episode when Jaimé and Ilana fight in the living room. They argue like an old married couple and it gives me absolute life.

First, they accuse one another in a heated debate, and suddenly, Jaimé goes too far and brings up Ilana’s other wife, Abbi. I feel just as betrayed as Ilana when he says this. Her outrage and his immediate repentance split my sides with laughter.

Their husband and wife dynamic even continues to the scene with the exterminator. The little hug they do before she explains how the bedbugs first laid their eggs on the cash was so marital-like – as if they found out their child has some terminal illness.

The Jaimé and Ilana scenes take the cake this episode, easily. I’m glad they give Jaime more to do than avoid getting boners. Arturo Castro’s acting range grows by the episode. I didn’t think it was possible for his comedic timing to get even better but… here we are.

Stray Observations:

• I love how Ilana’s first instinct when burning cash is to spend it on booze and hookers. She’s wild.
• Confident Abbi is my favorite Abbi.
• The music director in this episode kills it. I love every song. They fit so perfectly with the scenes!
• My Ilana and Lincoln feels are on 120%. Now they have a dog-child for their new, slightly domestic life. I love Sticky already.
• Shoutout to guest stars Steve Buscemi and Lea DeLaria. Their scenes are golden.

Great script, great comedy and a great cast lead to another notch this series can put on their belt for this season. Broad City Season 4 Episode 9 acts as the perfect come back after the disaster that is Season 4 Episode 8.

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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