Miracle Workers: End Times Season 4 Episode 5 Review: Jim Carrey in the Park

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Miracle Workers: End Times being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Halfway through the season, Miracle Workers: End Times Season 4 Episode 5, “Jim Carrey in the Park,” finally proves that this season has a purpose and these characters have goals.

It has definitely been a slow-going trek so far, but as always, it was worth the wait. We finally get to see Freya develop away from both Sid and Tai while Sid and Tai find themselves able to bond and develop without Freya. 

The writers taking the time to mix and mingle characters that haven’t been around each other much up to this point is a fantastic move earning this season its first solidly hilarious episode.

Jim Carrey, The Bard

While Miracle Workers has always been great at switching up cultural references to create humor within the environments it plays in for each season, this reference takes the cake. Instead of Shakespeare being “The Bard” for these futuristic citizens their focus is instead on Jim Carrey.

To be fair, Jim Carrey has some stellar pieces of work to his name. However, likening him to Shakespeare by calling him “The Bard” adds humor to everything that follows. As always, Steve Buscemi delivers this humor with the grace and poise that only he knows how.

While Geraldine Viswanathan’s talents mixed with Jon Bass’ absurdity can give the laughs on their own, Buscemi’s physical comedy amplifies their efforts ten-f0ld. It’s a combination made in heaven that this show doesn’t bank on often enough.

Viswanathan going into full Jim Carrey Ace Ventura mode is seamless and feels like she was born to take on this impersonation. Fans of her know that she has a variety of comedy acting chops, but this role is truly a sight to behold.

What makes it stand out more than an average impersonation is that it’s Freya — former warlord — impersonating this goofy, over-the-top character. It shows Viswanathan’s range to be able to go from angry Freya one minute and Ace Ventura the next. 

To add to this is Bass’ absurd continuation of Scrapps, who up to this point has just been an overly clingy “pet.” Now, he is calling Freya mommy and acting like a petulant child who is also a bit of an animal. 

All of this combined makes for laughs as he navigates trying to be a support for Freya’s role in the play and his own disappointment at misunderstanding the assignment.

Sid and Tai Best Buds?

Since Miracle Workers: End Times premiered, I have been critical of the lack of screen time for Karan Soni. Thankfully, this episode gives him his due — finally. 

Tai is definitely one of Soni’s more frustrating characters who grates on everyone’s nerves. There is sarcasm and so-called “bitchy” behavior, and then there is Tai who amplifies all of that to another astral plane.

Maybe because he’s an AI, but either way Tai isn’t the most beloved character this season. It would be great to be able to say this episode allows us to forget all of that, but unfortunately, it doesn’t.

Taking what we’ve been told so far about Tai and combining that with sweet, affable Sid is bound to be a disaster right? Wrong. 

Somehow, these two completely opposite characters find a way to see eye to eye by the end of the episode. Granted, it takes quite a bit of cringy dogpiling on Sid from the identical Tais before that happens.

While the scene where Sid has to stand there and be ridiculed by Tai and his friends, the other Tais, is hard to watch for someone who has experienced such bullying. It is necessary to drive the plot forward and make what Sid does for Tai that much more impactful.

With Tai being an AI hooking up to a landline for a “high” ends up being more hilarious than it seems on paper. This is because Soni goes above and beyond to sell it. 

Between his pouty nature and his over-the-top frustration at Sid for ruining his friendship with Freya, the audience truly believes Tai has had enough. All while managing to chuckle a bit at his expense.

Most people need CPR to be resuscitated, but with Tai being a machine it becomes a moment of hilarity because Sid realizes he has to throw rice on his wife’s best friend.

This moment does make them kinder toward one another, but it’s doubtful that they will ever be best friends. 

I’ve been saying for years that this cast is talented as individuals and on another level when put together. This episode just solidifies that belief even further. No one else could have pulled off all the antics that occur during Miracle Workers: End Times Season 4 Episode 5, “Jim Carrey in the Park” 

 

What did you think of this episode of Miracle Workers: End Times? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Miracle Workers: End Times airs Mondays at 10/9c on TBS.

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