TV Review: Broad City (2×09) “Coat Check”

This is the type of Broad City that I love. It starts out in one place and ends in one that I didn’t see coming. You can’t predict what’s going to happen on this show, you just have to sit and enjoy it.

I was convinced that when the episode begins with Ilana and Abbi working as coat checkers at some charity event that it was going to turn into some bizarre, hallucinogenic bottle episode. I was wrong, a little disappointed but then pleasantly surprised when suddenly, and Ilana was forced to leave the coat check room and crossed paths with Alia Shawkat.

I can’t imagine that they wrote this part without having Shawkat in mind, it’s simply too uncanny. They meet in the hallway and are immediately entranced by one another. Ilana seeks her out after ditching Abbi with the mess of a situation she created with the coats, finds the mysterious girl and begins to make-out with her. Of course it takes Abbi the next day informing Ilana that the two of them look exactly alike to throw a wrench into things but hey, it was nice while it lasted. The next night as the two of them are in bed Ilana is having a hard time focusing on anything other than their similarities. She finally has to give up, the peculiarity of their mutual narcissism finally getting to her.

I do appreciate that the final nail in the coffin wasn’t anything about them looking alike, but about Shawkat’s character not smoking weed.

I do like that the show addresses Ilana being either bisexual or pansexual without hardly any notice. She’s simply attracted to people.

Despite Ilana hooking up with doppelganger it’s Abbi who has the most surreal night. She lives up to her promise of finding and hand-delivering Kelly Ripa’s coat (who is playing herself). Ripa ends up inviting her in for a drink (which swiftly turns into many drinks) and Abbi gets to meet the secret version of who she believes to be America’s sweetheart. Ripa is nothing less than enthusiastic as she gets to explore her alternate universe version of herself who drinks until she’s near incomprehensible, rolls joints with strangers, and invites two prostitutes into her house.

It’s that last bit that Abbi finally leaves at.

It’s a great episode with a lot of laughs, most of them being delivered by Abbi Jacobson who is simply on a roll lately. Her threat of breaking a man’s gun is maybe my favorite line reading of the week. Also make sure to look for her utterly dejected look when Ilana calls Shawkat the hottest girl she’s ever seen. However, despite the big laughs, this episode reinforced by love of it’s unabashed love of it’s two leads.

I love how much these two friends love each other. It’s unconditional, supportive, and what we need to see on television regarding female friendships. There is an intimacy and casual nature that women have with their friends and Broad City makes it a point to showcase it. Largely in part due to Glazer and Jacobson’s natural chemistry, the two friends seem like they’ve known each other forever. They’re fearless with one another, fearsome with one another, and love one another to bits. There was plenty that I loved about this episode, but my favorite moments happened in moments where it was just the two of them. There was the moment where the two race for empty lounge chairs (it’s the little things in life) and later as the episode is ending and their misadventures are done for a week and Abbi is telling Ilana about how she almost had sex with a prostitute. She was feeling self-conscious and passed but she’s kind of curious. The two chat about the logistics if setting this up for her while lying in bed and snacking.

These are the type of moments we don’t see and should see more of in television and film. We need these little moments that flesh out female characters and give them more than simply the motive of the story to act against. What makes Ilana and Abbi more than just two dimensional characters and instead people we know and people we’ve met in our own lives is their dedication to showing the little moments and the casual interactions. Broad City is relatable beyond its wacky storylines and ridiculous situations because of these two and their relationship.

9/10