Animal Control Season 5 Episode 3 Review: Bugs and Rabid Dogs

Animal Control Season 5 Episode 3, “Bugs and Rapid Dogs,” dials up the competition between the pack and Roman Park’s Pax Romana. But does it end?

Hopefully, this episode, written by Jim Brandon & Brian Singleton and directed by Clark Mathis, is only the beginning of a new chapter for this story.

The Frank, Templeton, and Emily team-up proves there’s still plenty of potential. 

“Bugs and Rapid Dogs” does a great bait-and-switch when Frank and Templeton need someone “pure and trustworthy.” First thought is Shred, but, of course, Emily is the right choice — the better one across the board.

Animal Control Season 5 is only getting started, but it continues naturally fold Emily into what’s happening at the precinct. This “undercover” opportunity at Pax Romana is a perfect callback to Animal Control Season 2 Episode 4, “Big Dogs and Mini Horses.” Emily even mentions it!

For that reason, it is a bit disappointing that “Bugs and Rapid Dogs” doesn’t give Emily the chance to go head-to-head with Roman. 

Instead, the episode follows a very familiar route by putting Frank in another scene with Roman. Yes, Joel McHale and Ken Jeong work extremely well together. It’s more than likely that literally no one else could pull off that extremely odd armpit-shaving bit better than them. But it’s also more of the same.

If the stakes are meant to be big for the whole team, then it would be more exciting for Animal Control to set the whole team opposite Roman. 

This episode delivers some of that with Emily and Templeton listening in on Frank and Roman from the truck. The editing of that sequence is so smooth and elevates the humor. The best part may be when Emily and Templeton know that Frank would rather sell out their whole plan than shave his beard.

It’s also incredibly creative to make Templeton’s brooch to be the actual bug. It’s Animal Control’s pitch-perfect take on Chekhov’s gun. 

That reveal also tees up the best part of “Bugs and Rabid Dogs” — the pack actually working together against Roman. It’s so fun and productive that it proves exactly why the show needs to push back against the Frank-forward approach. 

That is, if Animal Control plans to take this Pax Romana storyline farther. By setting him up for televised failure, the pack certainly puts Roman on his back foot, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s what fuels him to double-down. 

Roman’s relationship with the public isn’t as solid as just one episode ago. So, what will he do to win them over? And how quickly will he react by buying out another precinct. As Shred says at the start, Precinct 22 is “almost next.” 

If things do escalate, Animal Control can’t rely on Frank and Roman’s dynamic. It has to branch out. In the end, “Bugs and Rabid Dogs” proves why. 

However, Frank being on this side quest opens the show up to revisiting of of its most underrated dynamics: Shred and Patel.

They haven’t really had much to do together since their extra-long house-flip project. The logical next step is, understandably, creating a band and failing to watch the pig that Victoria has become so attached to. 

It’s very sweet and very Shred that he sets Alex up to be Patel’s friend because Shred can’t immediately show up for Patel in the way that he needs.

Hopefully, the show doesn’t forget about Shred and Patel’s friendship again. Shred and Emily aren’t always going to have antique dates, and Patel needs to have more scenes with the pack. Look at what Animal Control Season 5 Episode 2, “Crows and Lizard Legs,” delivered with Patel, Emily, and Victoria! 

As for Victoria, it’s already becoming intriguing to see how far this season goes with her and the pig. Will she adopt him? Will she grow even more attached just to accept passing him on to a family will take care of him? Is it a secret third option? Ideally, Frank and Victoria will keep flirting throughout.

“I’ve been here a while. I’ll show you around.” Are you kidding, Frank?! 

As great as that quick exchange is, the best surprise of “Bugs and Rabid Dogs” is Emily and Templeton working together. Well, that and Frank repeatedly holding Templeton’s feet to the fire about his inappropriate behavior. As always, it’s appreciated when someone other than the female characters do this.

Frank and Templeton’s coalition is always a means to an end, but the one between Emily and Templeton offers a whole lot more for Animal Control.

“Bugs and Rabid Dogs” has Templeton admit that he needs Emily at the precinct, which is actually a big step for his character. Now, him accepting that in practice will likely be more complicated. The same can be true about Emily being back at work. There’s certainly plenty for the season to work with moving forward.

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Animal Control airs Sundays at 8:30/7:30c on FOX.

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