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« My Name Is Earl
Episode Recap: "Our Other Cops Is On!"
After last week's episode got down to some serious karma business, I had high hopes for this one. Personally, though, this one left a little to be desired as we were "treated" to another flashback gimmick episode. Not even a year ago, "Our Cops Is On!" aired, which was hysterical while providing great insight into the characters. "Our Other Cops Is On" runs twice as long with half the appeal.
Kathy Kinney and Mike O'Malley were back as the stars of another fictional episode of Cops, along with Billy Gardell, who you might remember from O'Malley's Yes, Dear years. They try to keep the peace at the local Fourth of July carnival but are no match for Earl, Randy and the rest of the gang's criminal behavior. Eventually, they get their hands on $50,000 worth of Homeland Security equipment the cops showcase at the carnival.
There were all sorts of 9/11 and terrorism jokes right from the get-go. I'm usually all for pushing the envelope, but when dealing with a topic that is serious for many people, the jokes better be pretty funny. I feel they fell a little short. Probably the smartest play on the terrorist theme was having Earl and Joy's neighbor, an immigrant who the characters might wrongly pigeonhole as a possible "terrorist," be the only character to actually be terrorized by his wacky neighbors.
Now, I can't be completely glum about the episode because I can say this: It's still Earl and, of course, every week can guarantee us a fair amount of creative and humorous moments. The clear standout this time was Randy. Tim Stack, who cowrote the first "Cops" episode and wrote this one, had quite a few outlandish moments himself. But while quite good on screen, I just hope he doesn't cross the picket line if the much-rumored writers' strike does indeed happen. Much more could've been done with an hour-long episode, and while I'm not opposed to flashback episodes, they should be done with more purpose at this point in the season. Earl may be in the stir, but he can still move forward without stopping to look back every other week.
But without further ado, let's get to the many undeniably laugh-out-loud moments this episode had to offer:
Joy gives Earl quite the lesson in his marital duties when she yells "... feed me, do me, and die!"
The patriotic toaster slogan: "French toast? Not anymore!"
As Earl and Randy play with the thermal camera, Randy exclaims, "Wow! Turns everything into a fruit roll-up!"
Kenny recounted details of his unhappy childhood, once being forced to play catch with his dad for a full hour while his mom cooked without using the pot holders he'd made her.
Excited about learning a new fact about Michael J. Fox, Randy yells "MJF is from Canada?"
Instead of commenting on a wartime tour of Vietnam, Tim Stack recalls his Vietnam "sex tour in the '80s."
Randy and an inmate end up doing their own rendition of the Cops theme song. The lyrics? "Tim Stack, Tim Stack, set him on fire. Set him on fire, watch him burn to death."
A multitasking Catalina strips while babysitting, as a patron yells, "Take it off! Take the baby off!"
Randy yells at the immigrant neighbor: "You need to cool it, Magic Genie!"
The thermal camera provided the funniest and most creative sight gag I've seen in a long time, and Randy adding his own sexual glow at the end made the scene.
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Nov 2, 2007 12:55 AM
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The bumper car going down the street was great. But the best part of a one hour Earl is: no 30 Rock!
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Nov 2, 2007 1:17 AM
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 The thermal camera sight gags were funny!!! Why didn't Darnell just steal him some clothes??
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Nov 2, 2007 8:02 AM
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While this episode wasn't as hilarious as last season's Cops one, I did think this was an improvement over last week. I thought the whole terrorist/post 9-11 sentiments was handled well. Hands down the funniest moments belonged Tim Stack. The whole driving down the road with the bumper car and singing was priceless.
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Nov 2, 2007 9:24 AM
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I thought it was good! I enjoyed the thermal vision gag and you are so right, Randy was hysterical. This show is funny no matter what!
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Nov 2, 2007 10:32 AM
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removed duplicate post
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Nov 2, 2007 11:14 AM
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I heart this show so much. When Mike O'Malley accidentally shot the lamb, and the vendor asked for, I LMFAO. Literally, my a$$ hit the floor (thunk). I had to pick it back up.
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Nov 2, 2007 11:15 AM
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I meant, asked for "it." Sorry.
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Nov 2, 2007 11:16 AM
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This was indeed a mostly disappointing episode. I like the Tim Stack appearances, but I'm not up-to-date enough on my D-list celebrity trivia to get all the references. Was he actually up for the "Family Feud" gig? That would be funnier if I knew. Previous episodes filled you in enough even if you aren't a Tim Stack affectionado.
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Nov 2, 2007 11:51 AM
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Funny. I had the exact _opposite_ reaction. This was one of the funniest Earl's I've seen. And the 9/11, Homeland Security satire/parodies were dead-on and well-appreciated by me. I mean, it's been over _six years_, and I'm sick of the political clowns destroying our freedoms to aggrandize their own power, while simultaneously making us less safe than we were before. Three cheers from me.
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Nov 2, 2007 2:39 PM
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One of my co-workers loved it too and said I was nuts for hating it. Also, I'm quite ashamed to have misspelled aficionado. (I ain't that stoopid.)
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Nov 2, 2007 2:49 PM
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Hated it. After the season premiere, I'm just not feeling Earl this year. I was getting bored about 20 minutes in; to usurp my beloved 30 Rock for an hour of mediocre Earl must be some kind of sin.
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Nov 2, 2007 4:29 PM
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Torturous. Stupid. Pointless. Hated it, hated it, hated it. Earl has lost it this year.
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Nov 2, 2007 5:34 PM
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"Our Other Cops Is On" runs twice as long with half the appeal.
That sums it up quite nicely for me. I cannot believe how well they did with the first Cops episode just to ruin it with this one.
The only things I found remotely funny were Tim Stack in the bumper car and the site gag of Darnell's grandma running from the police...Olympic style.
I cannot believe they skipped the much-better 30 Rock for this.
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Nov 2, 2007 5:44 PM
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you know you guys should just go on the 30 rock blog....
earl is a required taste....and i for one can't get enough.
i haven't seen anything that has made me laugh so hard in along long time.
how bout the daytime hooker running out of the tent with the knee pads on????
come on people...i was laughing so hard i was in tears..
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Nov 2, 2007 10:34 PM
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