I would have written this even without the other user's 5/10 review that seems to miss the point of the show's possibly only multi-episode arc's biggest benefit: freshness. This is still the same show, just re-invigorated with experimentation. And this is the high point of the experimentation period. Everyone probably spotted Danny Glover on the cast list, and boy, does he milk his guest appearance for all it's worth! Unlike in the previous episode, here the plot benefits, Glover's appearance giving the writers an excuse to load this one to the breaking point with various genre jokes, movie & TV references and spoofs, in-jokes, even a meta-joke, plus one of the best cliffhangers before a commercial break. Phew! Absurdist comedy that reaches exceptional levels, falling only ever so short of a full 10/10.
4 Reviews
Reignighting 'Earl'
aprilcat1 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I caught this episode quite by accident this morning on TBS and while I haven't seen an 'EARL' epi in a very long time, I was lucky to see this one! I'm not aware of the 3 part arc, but we find out EXACTLY who Crabman is, and its complicated, its big, its revealing, and most of all its FUNNY.
It does veer from the premise of the 'list' but that is good; the show is about some pretty strange folks and giving a deep background on Crabman ties up all the peeks we've been given since his introduction and makes me want to go back and view the series all over again. I wonder if this episode was in concept all along.
Danny Glover is wonderful and effective in his role, the spy tricks used are really over the top and its laugh out loud funny (or funnier!) as 'Earl' has been. I don't see the slow slipping here, and to compare it to the fall of 'South Park' is apples and oranges. South Park has never been as inventive as 'Earl' in script or in visual style, and the show doesn't rely on bathroom humor to be entertaining.
I'm emailing friends and telling them to look this one up, its one of the most inventive 'Earl's I've seen. This one has me interested in episodes that I haven't seen already, causing a re-ignition to my interest in the show. I'll be watching, again!
It does veer from the premise of the 'list' but that is good; the show is about some pretty strange folks and giving a deep background on Crabman ties up all the peeks we've been given since his introduction and makes me want to go back and view the series all over again. I wonder if this episode was in concept all along.
Danny Glover is wonderful and effective in his role, the spy tricks used are really over the top and its laugh out loud funny (or funnier!) as 'Earl' has been. I don't see the slow slipping here, and to compare it to the fall of 'South Park' is apples and oranges. South Park has never been as inventive as 'Earl' in script or in visual style, and the show doesn't rely on bathroom humor to be entertaining.
I'm emailing friends and telling them to look this one up, its one of the most inventive 'Earl's I've seen. This one has me interested in episodes that I haven't seen already, causing a re-ignition to my interest in the show. I'll be watching, again!
Danny Glover
fh_315 August 2022
I would have rated higher except for Danny Glover being in the show. He was an average actor in his prime and mailed his performance in this episode. Oh, and Danny Glover spews hate and lies from his wealthy entitled lounge chair.
Disappointing
starbucks959053 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I have been a fan of the series since the beginning, and I am disappointed in these last few episodes revolving around Darnell's involvement in the Witness Protection Program. They don't keep to the spirit of the show with Earl crossing items off his list, they instead go off on what seems to be filler not focusing on the main idea of the show. If this show is going down the toilet with South Park, it is really quite sad. I have high expectations of the show, hopefully there isn't anything else like this in the series. While this isn't really painful to watch, it is very disappointing and okay at best. Earl still has plenty of list items to cross of, so there isn't really an excuse for this. I really hope this isn't the beginning of the end of this series, because it would be a real disappointment if it was.
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