4 out of 5 (for the episodes)

2 out of 5 (for the BD extras)

Director: Sun

While I’ve yet to be disappointed in a Sunny season, there have absolutely been those that are just off, that require re-viewing of episodes with a bit of an understanding of what was being aimed for in order to wring laughs from them.  Which isn’t ideal – the comedy should hit instantly and then become more rewarding on repeats.  Perhaps that makes me sound like a simpleton, but the episodes that don’t find that vibe aren’t particularly subversive or anything (the kind of thing where the comedy comes from the layering or some other, uh, stuff) – I mean, it seems like they’re trying to be funny, so I don’t think it’s a purposeful move – they just sort of stumble for their jokes instead of finding a natural groove.  Now, my love is totally bias, which means I will, inevitably, end up re-watching and finding value and giving a season a high rating… but there is always the possibility of things tipping where they never hit that mark, and then… the show ends?

Thankfully, although season 7 has some odd patches – the opener is way heavy on sight gags, “Frank’s Little Beauties” starts with a broken nose that’s particularly brutal, although the episode is funny, and Mac’s fatness hits a weird mark at first – it all comes together.  And amongst the scattered bits that get slotted into “Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell” or “Gang Gets Whacked” pile – episodes you smile through but don’t particularly laugh at (I’m tossing Frank’s Brother and the reunion episode into that) there are some of those wonderfully genius Sunny episodes (“How Mac Got Fat”) that indicate the chemistry and balance of absurdity and ignorance that really sells the show, and that would come back in full force for almost every episode of Season 8.  Some of the stuff here is really oddly topical – the Social Network, Jersey Shore, Catfish – but the mass group of writers who’ve now fiddled with these characters seem to get that it’s never funny just poking fun at modern events, but the comedy comes from how our in-their-own world characters still manage to be completely themselves even when partying with Jersey guidos.  And moreso than some of the ‘misses’ in the past, Season 7’s re-viewings adds shape to those off moments, as they work in a world building sense that didn’t exist a few seasons ago.

Thaaat being said – the extras… are incredibly depressing.  Sometime after season 4, the commentary started to get pitiful.  Gone was the feeling that these people were actively involved in the making of the show, even though I know they are… but their blabber is just them repeating funny lines or, golly, silence while they re-watch the episode with us.  And oh, that’s so and so’s friend who we had lunch with in Italy, or that’s an extra I’m just trying to help out… Yes, attitudes will change as responsibilities increase and they got married and they’re growing up and blah blah blah, but it’s still depressing to not hear just three friends cracking up on the commentary, gleefully explaining how they came up with the ideas.  The same can be said for the “bloopers”, which are just your typical “I’ve got the giggles.”  Which is what they were before, but again, there was more of a feeling of camaraderie on those previous outtakes, versus those included here which are the guys being actors.  The “Artemis tours Philly” bit is watchable, but a reminder of the generally douchey college audience the show merits.