Corner Gas, Episode 10: Comedy Night

• The Writer – Paul Mather
• Director – Mark Farrell
• A brief synopsis – An out-of-town comedian steals Brent’s best story, which makes him foment a grudge.  Hank is happy to be the M.C. for the local comedy night, and takes Lacey’s advice on handling hecklers a little too seriously.  Brent ruins Lacey’s book club after she asks him to join it.
• The best line – Lacey (responding to Brent’s description of The Saint in New York): Oh, well that’s great!  Because we were thinking of The Life of Pi.  Everyone says it’s like The Saint in New York.  Brent (taking the book from Lacey): Really? Lacey: Yeah, except it’s about a little boy trapped in a life boat with a tiger.  Brent (showing interest): Alright, well I’m game.  Hey, will this, uh… book club have sandwiches?  Lacey: Absolutely!  Oh, I mean, unless you’re being sarcastic.  Brent (very serious): I am never sarcastic about sandwiches.  
• The best moment – When Lacey thinks that she will get Brent to join the book club with a “plan.”  Before the cliché can be completed, Brent agrees to join, right off, stating that he is a “voluptuous reader.”
• The best storyline – The book club has to take top billing, but Hank has his best episode yet with his call to M.C. the comedy night.
• Notable guest appearance – The bald guy from Whose Line is it Anyway?, Colin Mochrie, and funnyman Bob Lange played by Peter Kelamis.
• Em’s Favorite Character – Oscar…Dingos!  Dingos!  Dingos!
• Grade – A

Another superb episode.  So many great story lines.  If you don’t like Hank after this episode, you don’t have a heart, or a funny bone.  You get a great sense of the gently sarcastic, yet literate way of the people of Dog River here.  Even more you get a sense that they can have acid for blood at times, like when Bob Lange is given the business by Lacey just before going onstage.  As usual, Oscar is a tour de force, and his antics are often matched, if even in different scenes, by Emma.