Flight of the Conchords

Episode Overview: When the Flight of the Conchords run  across a pair of muggers, Bret leaves Jemaine behind, causing a rift in their friendship.


This Sunday night's episode of Flight of the Conchords on HBO revolved around Bret and Jemaine discovering the dark underbelly of living in New York City – they get mugged. Sounds scary, doesn't it? Well, it would be on any other television show, but this is Flight of the Conchords…so it was hilarious. The episode, "Mugged," more importantly marked the show's evolution into finding its own rhythm. With its voice, style and humor already well in place, rhythm was the one thing still holding it back somewhat. Not this week. This episode flowed from beginning to end with some of the funniest cut-aways and most brilliant absurdist humor yet, without faltering in pace and timing.


The show opens with Bret on the phone talking to his mom back in New Zealand. We only hear his end of the conversation, but the gist is that she thinks it is scary in New York City and he keeps telling her it isn't. She also seems to think that everyone in America has guns, but Bret says he is not getting a gun. Jemaine wants Bret to tell her there are lots of television channels – he doesn't know how many, but it is more than four – which is obviously considered a lot in New Zealand. It's a quick bit, but it does its job – which is to set up the theme of this episode.

After the opening montage, we are in Murray's office for another band meeting. As always, it starts with role call, where Bret declares that he wants to be called by his rap name – "Rhymenocerous." Jemaine also has a rap name – "Hip-hopopotamus" – but tells Murray he can still call him Jemaine. They run through their meeting items, ending with the fact that Murray doesn't have any new gigs for them. Jemaine suggests that he get them some night gigs to play, but Murray refuses because it is too dangerous at night. He warns them that they could be ridiculed like he has been, remarking that he has been called "ginger balls" – but that doesn't scare them off since it was Bret who called him that.

Murray caves into their decision, but decides that he needs to equip them properly in order for them to be able to survive in New York City. He says they need to "blend in," but of course, everything he gives them – New York t-shirts and cheesy hats, maps of the city and reflective safety belts – are all items that will make them look more like tourists than natives to the city. Next scene, Bret and Jemaine are parking their bikes, when two guys come around a corner and rob them. But c'mon, it's Bret and Jemaine -- they don't really have anything to steal. The muggers take Jemaine's camera phone (a gift from Bret that is actually a regular camera glued to a cell phone), then want their bikes, too, which leads to the first song of the show.

SONG #1: "Rhymenocerous vs. The Hip-hopopotamus"
Bret and Jemaine break into their pseudo-rap anthem, but their attempt for badassery falls short, with genteel lyrics about Bret drinking tea with his grandmother: "Ain't no party like my nana's tea party."  To enjoy this hilarious video and clips of their other songs featured on the show, visit the HBO website or just CLICK HERE.

When that bit of zaniness is done, one of the muggers pulls out a steak knife and the Conchords flee. A chase ensues, leading to an inevitable fence-scaling; Bret makes it over, but Jemaine gets stuck. Bret leaves him there because he's "too scared."

In probably one of my favorite scenes, Bret takes Murray and their American friend Dave (with his paintball gun) to where he left Jemaine as he tells the story of what happened. They rib him because Bret didn't think to come back and check for him until Jemaine hadn't shown back up at home for two days (hee! ). While his friends are telling stories about him in the past tense, Jemaine is presently in a cell with the more talkative of the muggers (whose name is John). He is lending an ear to John as he goes on and on about his mugger buddy leaving him there when the cops showed up -- much like what happened to Jemaine when Bret left him. Bret, Murray and Dave finally show up at the police station to pick up Jemaine, though they think they are picking up his dead body.

Bret and Jemaine attempt to get back to normal (with a new temporary roomie, Reuben, who Bret rented Jemaine's half of the apartment to because he thought he wasn't coming back), but Jemaine has not forgiven Bret for leaving him to die at the hands of the muggers. As he tells Murray later, "If I can't trust him in the streets, I can't trust him on the stage."  As a peace offering, Bret agrees to seek out the other mugger and retrieve Jemaine's beloved camera phone.  Jemaine never actually cared for the phone, but Bret is undeterred.  As Bret heads off, Jemaine follows him while they perform the second song.

SONG #2: "Think About It...Think, Think About It"
The duo lament the many problems in the world, from fatal silverware stabbings to child labor to monkey diseases.  The song is catchy, and when Bret talks about someone being stabbed with knives and forks, it's hard not to be impressed by Jemaine's lyrics: "Would somebody please / Remove these / Cutleries / From my knees."

Eventually, they do reconcile through the help of the most unlikely people -- the muggers. The reconciliation between John and Mikey (the other mugger), in the midst of John stealing an old lady's purse, somehow inspires Jemaine to forgive Bret and all is well again.

There were so many additional bits of guffaw-worthy moments in this episode -- the female cop impersonating Jemaine, Mel (their only fan) jumping out of her stalker-hiding place wearing a t-shirt with Jemaine behind bars and asking inappropriate questions like whether or not he was strip searched or raped while he was in jail, Jemaine and Reuben playing Battleship, and so much more. This gem of a show has found its stride and now we can coast in its wake of ridiculous fun.


-Amy J. Johnston, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of HBO)