TV Review: The League - "The Out of Towner"

Season 3 - Episode 9

FX (US)

The guest cast list for The League this year has been highly impressive. Seth Rogan, Brie Larsen, Ray Liotta, Sarah Silverman and Jeff Goldblum have all showed up and put on stellar turns. This week was the turn of Will Forte, who arrived as Chuck, one of the out of town members of the show's titular fantasy league, and Pete's old college wingman.

Except Chuck is now a reformed chracter, teetotal and engaged. Of course, his fiance has a gorgeous sister, and Pete begs him to get the setup. Chuck agrees for old times sake, and tells Pete he'll bring them both to Andre's cocktail party. Which brings us to Andre's latest hairbrained (lol, he's bald) scheme. Mixology. Basically this is another excuse to put Paul Scheer in ridiculous clothes. Andre is a total douche, but a harmless one, and one who means well. And it really isn't his fault this time when the party inevitably goes tits up.

It's Kevin's fault. He and Jenny are bored and decide to get high. Unfortunately, that means using Taco's incredibly confusing drug dealer. Naturally, he shows up, talks some nonsense and Kevin and Jenny are left with $500 worth of cocaine. Of course, it ends up at the party while Kevin awaits Taco and his dealer showing up to give him a refund. But Andre mistakes it for a bag of confectioners sugar and laces everyone's drinks (including Chuck's non-alcoholic one) with cocaine. The end result is ridiculously funny as Chuck's fiance and her sister walk in just as Chuck teabags an out of his face Ruxin. Brilliant chaos.

This episode was actually written by stars Paul Scheer and Nick Kroll, their first credit this season, although third overall. The fact that the quality doesn't drop from the regular team of writers says a lot about the talent that make this delightful show. The League is crazier now than ever, but it's not lost the spark.

****