I would posit that it's not just people who love the show and people who hate the show; I suspect there are a lot (like me) who want to love it, but struggle to. The writing is just too contrived and unfocused, so it all rests on the charisma of the cast.

I would love to see some data on average ratings or rankings of various shows by avclub readers. I wonder for instance how many people love Veep and 30 Rock but don't love Community or Parks & Rec.

People sure love to get upset about some of the strangest things.

Reminded me of the infamous "people cling to their guns and religion" remark from Obama. Which, oh my god, so true, and so stupid to say.

The comparison with the Clovis episode feels backwards to me! Clovis seemed like well done funny filler, whereas this felt like fast-paced, momentous mayhem. I loved both episodes… this week's slightly more. Both definitely seem a big step up for the season, which has otherwise been a little duller than I was hoping.

I remember her having a boyfriend, not a husband.

Deciding which electoral college delegates are spongeworthy?

I think I'm on board with the reviewer that I enjoy when the episode is "on Selina's side" to some extent… Her foibles are much more enjoyable for me when she's both plausible as a political success (smart, good at politics) and at least partially sympathetic (having despicable characteristics drawn out by the stress…

Solid episode. The fake conversation ("What about France, for example?" … "We won, by the way.") was one of my extremely rare "actually laugh out loud while watching tv by myself" moments.

Big fan of your work, otm.

Yes.

Hm, I thought that was great. Why does it have to be a serialized sketch comedy with a multi-episode narrative arc, why can't they just do sketches sometimes? I continue to be amazed at both Fred's and Carrie's abilities to find and distill characters that I instantly recognize without ever having seen them. This…

It's funny. My gut response starts out, "I would much rather watch a spin-off with a less sappy tone… starring April & Andy, and Donna, and Leslie & Ben, and Jerry, and Ron, and Tammy Two, and Ethel Beavers, and Joan, and…"

Yup, a giant cop-out totally in keeping with a show with a childlike level of emotional sophistication (not bad, just childlike). Surprise, everything works out great for everyone, everyone loves everyone, and everyone is happy! Except no one's surprised, because this is Parks & Rec.

You are correct. But the converse implication, Jewish=circumcised, does work as genuine source of comedic surprise (vanishingly few Jewish men *aren't* circumcised). And the practice has waned enough in the U.S. that it's not implausible for Peter to be uncut.

So glad I didn't have to search long to find where we vote on Joel vs Mike.

Doesn't it just restore your faith in humanity to know that there's sufficient demand to make (and renew) a show like this? Yayyyyyy, Archer.

This was fun to read—nicely done piece. God, remember when Rabin used to do these? (It may make me a petty man, but I can never forgive bad writing when it comes to The Simpsons.)

I agree. This show isn't for us anymore, it's for people who want extremely gentle comedy while feeling like they're hanging out with some of their favorite 1.5-dimensional people whose gentle problems are guaranteed to be gently resolved at the end of twenty minutes.

His explosive freakouts are a good bit, but they really lose their punch exponentially more as they pile up in a single episode. I did laugh at the escalation over how many notches he would take it down, though.