'Broad City' Review: "Abbi's Mom"

Kyra Power ’19 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
This week on Broad City, Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) receives a visit from her mom. We’ve met Ilana’s (Ilana Glazer) parents and Abbi’s dad, but her mom is a mystery. From the opening, we gather that Joanne is uptight and a very good person. Abbi has planned a fun, G-rated day for them that will end with dinner at Ilana’s restaurant. When Joanne (Peri Gilpin) arrives, though, she tells Abbi she had a recent breast cancer scare. She’s fine, but she wants a fun night out. Abbi is a little shocked, but she agrees. They set out, Joanne wearing Abbi’s iconic blue dress, to Ilana’s restaurant.
Meanwhile, Ilana is dealing with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). She has been slowly lowering her antidepressants and substituting them with a “SAD Light.” Over at the restaurant, Marcel (RuPaul) has turned the night into a competition. Whoever makes the most tips, gets all the tips, and whoever makes the least, gets fired. Ilana’s night slowly turns into a mess as she keeps breaking down at tables. She keeps her light in the break room and slowly adds more bulbs and tin foil to boost its effects.
Abbi and Joanne start with shots, which Joanne has never done. Joanne then begins to question Abbi on the amount of guys she’s had sex with. She’s feeling trapped in her marriage to Abbi’s stepdad. The episode climaxes with Ilana’s lights causing a power surge and the power going out. When Abbi and Ilana reenter the dining area, Joanne stands atop the table yelling “32,” the number of men Abbi has slept with before falling into the pond. Even though Ilana made no tips, she isn’t fired. Marcel is into her depressed, I-don’t-care vibe.
While the story of this episode isn’t as funny as most, it’s still hilarious. Marcel always has great one-lliners and did not disappoint in this episode. Abbi’s deadpan humor works well with her mom’s attempt at living a wild life. Where last week’s episode was all situational comedy, this episode relies a lot more on the cast and the small bits they had.
Grade: B