To say that the second season of Angie Tribeca was a bit of a rocky road would be an understatement. Despite having some hysterical episodes that captured the spirit and charm of the first season, the follow up outing of this cop-spoof show also contained some of the series’ worst. Episode “Boyz II Dead” was particularly bad, in large part because it failed to take advantage of its boy band subplot or bother trying to make it as hilariously ridiculous as possible. What’s worst of all is that after the last few misfires of episodes, I genuinely considered no longer watching the program, because it felt like the show was starting to go completely downhill. But from completely out of left field, Angie Tribeca draws up two surprisingly great episodes to serve at its second season finale.
In episodes “Contains Graphic Designer Violence” and “Electoral Dysfunction,” Angie Tribeca (Rashida Jones) finds herself at a cross-road. With her ex-fiancee Sargent Pepper (James Franco) reappearing in her life, and asking for her to help assassinate a corrupt mayoral candidate, Tribeca is torn between assisting someone she used to love, or standing by her present love interest Jay Geils (Hayes MacArthur) on the side of justice. To make matters worse, Tribeca is suspected of killing the graphic designer for the corrupt mayor’s campaign. Though the evidence points to someone else, Tribeca is adamant that she is really the culprit. What is the dastardly cop planning?
Let’s get the biggest highlight right out in the open. These last two episodes of season two feel like they were some of the first episodes to be worked on by the production team, because they’re apart of the most well-crafted, uproarious over the top chapters that perfectly encapsulate what made season one so good. They fit so well into the mentality of “over the top funny with just enough plot to keep things rolling,” that it makes mediocre episodes like “The Coast is Fear” come off like tacked on filler to extend the life of season two. All the characters are well-balanced in their screen time together, a great number of the jokes hit really well, and the humor takes center stage once again instead of some forcefully unwanted subplot nobody asked for. We finally get more screen time and laughs with Lieutenant Chet Atkins (Jere Burns) and DJ Tanner (Deon Cole,) who were painfully lacking from season two’s worst outings. Rashida Jones and Hayes MacArthur are given plenty of time to shine themselves, and their great chemistry in sexual tension and comedic timing will help remind you why you fell in love with this series to begin with.
These last two episodes of Angie Tribeca have left me with a rediscovered excitement for the upcoming third season. Sure, there are still jokes that don’t quite land, even in the season’s best episodes, but there’s such a stockpile of gut-busting ideas to be made for this series that there’s no real way not to be excited. On that note, however, I really do hope the writers take the second season’s shortcomings into account. Don’t try to force a love triangle subplot that was never all that funny to begin with, or take any of the stories too seriously for that matter, just stick to the asinine humor. These actors and actresses are hilarious both together and apart, so just let them heave fun with the roles, and give them the screen time they deserve. Despite this season’s list of problems, there’s still enough highs in hilarity to make it binge watching (although, if you feel the need to skip over “Boyz II Dead, you really wouldn’t be missing much.) In the end, Angie Tribeca resolves it second season with a comically satisfying conclusion.
Episode 9 Rating: 9/10
Episode 10 Rating: 9/10
Season 2 Rating: 7.5/10
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