Eliza and Carlos are impressed with Carlos’s new nickname, “Blockbuster Daddy,” as well as his newfound work ethic. Although it seems like he has everything under control, he goes to Percy and confides that he needs to let someone go from the payroll to keep the store open for the month. Thinking about the decision has given him anxiety and he has grown a patch of grey hair on his head.
Hannah and Connie are enjoying a reality show when they learn that “Hollywood Harold”, the local movie critic, has passed away. Carlos walks in and is devastated over his loss. He takes it upon himself to give him a proper send-off and do something in his memory. Eliza puts on her daughter Ali’s music in the store. Ali is in a band and Eliza still has not got a chance to hear it herself. But when Kayla hears it, she awakens Eliza to the fact that her song is about Eliza. She is ranting about how suffocated she feels with her mother.
Percy and Timmy try to decide whom they should fire but cannot come up with a mutually agreed-upon solution. Timmy suggests Kayla but Percy is understandably against it. They decide to interview the employees about their “dependencies” on the job. Carlos wants to dedicate a rack for Harold and the group comes up with the idea of an “Employee’s Picks” section. Kayla is still trying to make Eliza understand that the song is about her but she is having a tough time getting it.
Connie is the first person Timmy and Percy go to. Although she does not need the job financially, or emotionally, the store gave her a new breath of life. The time she spends with Hannah is too valuable to lose but she doe get a hint that something is wrong. Carlos is next but Timmy invariably concludes that he is perhaps the most suitable for the job due to his love and extensive knowledge of movies. Percy agrees too. Eliza has finally read the lyrics and comes to the conclusion that the song is about her.
She tries to take comfort in Connie, who says that it is because Ali feels safe with Eliza, and she rants like this. Eliza reveals that she has not told Ali that Aaron cheated on her. Timmy is almost about to fire Kayla secretly when Percy walks in. She is clearly the most uninterested, underserving employee of them all but Percy is holding her up. Hanna is sweet and makes mistakes sometimes due to her barren barrel of movie knowledge.
The group confronts Timmy together about the firing and Kayla herself volunteers to leave the job. Connie once again comforts Eliza that it is good Ali is processing the divorce by acting out. If she keeps it inside, she might end up like Connie’s son who drove a car through a Wendy’s store. Hannah surprises Carlos with a plaque for Harold. Carlos explains that Harold was like his best friend when his family moved to America. He had no other friends and developed a close bond with the show and Harold particularly. It is a sweet moment between the two that might hint towards romantic overtures later. ..
In the end, we see two teenage kids standing in the parking lot and all the cars’ alarms going off. Timmy and Percy frighteningly say, “they’re back”, and we cut to black.
The Episode Review
The Office’s storylines feel like they were lifted from an episode of “The Office.” Remember the episode where Michael had to fire an employee on Halloween?
Episode 2 of Blockbuster’s show tries to be something it’s not: a comedy. Unfortunately, this far the brand of comedy is taken too far, with characters and moments that feel trite and delusional. The writers seem to be purposely sabotaging the episode in order to make it more boring.
This episode was a mess. The actors tried so hard to put emotion into their characters, but it all felt like a waste of time. There were no interesting connections between the characters, and the lack of movie-like references was embarrassing.
Community had a great time experimenting with styles and paying homage to the great champions of cinema. However, Blockbuster has none of that charm but dated weak one-liners. Eliza and Timmy are given a couple of moments in this episode, but that is the only tangent that can put up a fight.
Both these actors have been hugely let down by the show and perhaps choices made during its production would have been better advised. ..
