Broad City Review: Florida (Season 4 Episode 7)

On Broad City Season 4 Episode 7, “Florida,” Abbi and Ilana get a wake-up call about their priorities, Ilana’s mom and Aunt have family bonding time, and Ilana and Lincoln finally reunite! Have I mentioned how much I love season 4 of Broad City?

These ladies are bringing it, honey. It’s hard for me to choose which episode is my favorite so far this season.

Is it premiere, Sliding Doors? In my review of Broad City Season 1 Episode 1, I explain how heartwarming and timely the episode appears in the series. The extended allusion to the 90s movie is perfection. Is my favorite the creative and wonderfully intelligent Broad City Season 4 Episode 4 that replays America’s shock and bereft emotions after the 2016 election?

I honestly can’t narrow it down. Not with this episode now in the running.

Maybe I’m a bit biased because the amazing Fran Drescher appears in this episode along with my long-time couple favorite, Ilana and Lincoln. No. I know I’m biased. For me, these two aspects turn a good episode into an amazing one.

Fran Drescher shows up on this Comedy Central show in top comedic form. Her character’s sisterly dynamic with Ilana’s mom, played by Susie Essman, gives me chills. They play off of each other so well, their hilarity is non-stop.

Bobbie Wexler: Don’t raise your voice to me missy! I’m the one who taught you how to insert a diaphragm, so show a little respect!

Another aspect that plays well within the scheme of the episode is the overarching theme. As I’ve been connecting throughout my coverage of this season’s Broad City, each episode follows the chronological events around, during and after the election.

In my review of Broad City Season 4 Episode 6, “Witches,” I explain how the episode covers the moment of female empowerment signified by the women’s march directly after the inauguration.

And now, Broad City Season 4 Episode 7 shows the answer we were looking for as to how Tr*mp became our president: White American voters tried to overlook problematic policies and their moral compasses for a facade of security. Abbi and Lana thought the grass was greener in Florida and ignored their integral ideologies.

The people in the nursing home give three racist warning signs before they overtly use a racial slur.

1. The woman in the wheelchair called Lincoln a “gangster” dentist
2. The woman in the wheelchair also said it was “good for [Ilana]” to be broken up with Lincoln, purely based on his skin color
3. There was literally no one of color in the entire nursing home

These are all really big warning signs; however, Ilana and Abbi become so absorbed in an ideal image of economic security that they ignore them. The majority of white American voters did the same when they ignored Trump’s clear racism, misogyny and utter disregard for the poor.

They wanted so badly to be able to have their cake and be able to eat around the molded parts. However, unlike America, Ilana and Abbi recalculate their opportunity costs before signing a year-long lease. Unlucky for Americans, the presidency is four long years.

The overall message of the episode is realized when Abbi and Ilana realize that they’d rather be the Richard Pryor’s cocaine dick in the cogs of New York than in Tr*mp-loving Florida, “America’s droopy dick,” as Ilana’s mom so graciously calls it.

Now to my favorite part of the episode: Lincoln and Ilana. I mean, finally, they’re back together. Am I right?

For a while there I truly began to believe that Lincoln was leaving the show permanently. I felt like he had broken up with me too. What makes me smile harder than when Ilana pops out of the suitcase like a birthday cake stripper is when Lincoln basically says his own Broad City arc as he’s watching Scandal.

Like Olivia for Fitz, Lincoln will be waiting around forever for Lana to come to her senses. Even when he tries to move on, he can’t get enough of our Jewess queen.

I’m trying not to jump the gun. I know words of reconciliation haven’t exactly been spoken yet. But this is a ray of hope that I’ve been looking for all season.

Stray Observations:

• Fran Drescher’s iconic “here I am” pose when she enters her first scene has me in my The Nanny feels.
• I love how Ilana and Abbi love their frizzy, fro-like hairstyles when they get to Florida. Too often shows make it seem as if afros are ugly.
• Shout out to Broad City for including that That 70’s Show scene when Ilana’s family is sitting around the table smoking a joint. Love, love, love it!

What did you think of this episode of Broad City? Did you absolutely love it? 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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