Season two of Dr. Ken just keeps getting better and better. “Ken’s Banquet Snub” managed to top the prior two episodes on the laugh scale. This installment saw the return of Juan-Julio, the arrival of a stalker for Dave and Allison does stand-up.
At work, Ken is stressed that he has not gotten his invitation to host the HMO banquet. As he angrily queries Siri and checks the clinic phones Pat enters telling a joke to some very appreciative staff.
“How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?”
“None, unless it’s ready to change.”
Ken learns that Pat will MC the banquet and also that Clark and Damona both knew already. He kicks a waste basket on his way out of the office.
He has a moan at Allison about being “winklevossed” and she tells him to take the high road. Ken then decides to buy a bottle of scotch for Pat to congratulate him.
Dave has an interesting new friend; Emily. She stares at him through the kitchen door. Molly calls the neighbor kid weird and D.K. chases the girl off with a pot and wooden spoon.
Pat and Damona have a exchange where he shows his displeasure at Eric attending the banquet as her plus one.
Ken goes off on Siri in the parking garage and in mid rant he backs into Pat’s car. Juan-Julio is ecstatic as he wants to give Ken’s parking space to the new “Ear, nose and throats” specialist.
Pat is angry about his car, especially after Juan-Julio shows them the CCTV footage. (Ken screaming “I hate you, I hate you” as he backs into Pat’s “boy toy” is pretty damning.)
Ken explains he is taking the high road and Pat responds that he would not know a highroad if he was driving in the Alps. “And those are high roads!”
Emily manages to finally get inside the house after D.K. turns the sprinkler on her and chases her off. When she is gone, Dave misses her and Molly suggests that there may be more to their relationship than stalker and victim. It is after this that he and Emily become an item.
Pat’s car breaks down the night of the banquet and Ken is asked to MC in his place. As Ken eagerly goes to man the mic, Allison looks at him. Ken realizes he needs to pick Pat up from the 405.
The two men bond on the way back to the HMO banquet. Pat reveals that he forced the committee to let him host the banquet. He wanted to impress Eric, Damona’s new boyfriend.
Pat confesses that he can be “small and petty,” and that he can be pretty “low road.” Ken replies that he can as well.
Back at the banquet Allison is “killing em” at the mic. Ken and Pat come in and Ken is delighted to find that his wife is funny. Later he tells her that she is much more than “bookclub funny” she is HMO Banquet funny.
Standout Moments:
D.K. and his reactions to Emily.
Allison doing stand-up.
Ken screaming at Siri.
Pat’s line about his father telling him about the birds and the bees…and the rest of his family. Slightly disturbing yet so funny.
Dave’s matter-of-fact acceptance of Emily as his stalker. “Sometimes she has lunch and other times she just ‘powers’ through.”
Allison lying to Ken about how much of her material was about him.
Bookclub funny.
Eric and Damona at the banquet. Eric’s line about Damona’s “big a**ed biscuit’s you call feet.”
Clark and Connor’s argument and Clark’s overreaction.
Connor talking to himself.
Molly and Dave with their high-five and Molly’s surprise at Emily being in the kitchen.
Emily.
Final Thoughts:
This episode was all about relationships, familial and otherwise. Ken’s relationships with Pat, Allison, Damona and Clark are all looked at here. There is even a peek at his not-so-good relationship with Juan-Julio.
Dave enters into a relationship with Emily, with the wise counsel of big sister Molly and D.K. has entered into a different kind of relationship with the family since moving in.
Allison is more present in this season. The first season showed how she and Ken felt about one another and this time around they have more interaction per episode.
Suzy Nakamura killed it in this episode. Her performance at the microphone was the right balance of nervous confidence and intense pleasure at getting those laughs.
Ken Jeong and Suzy Nakamura continue to be the funniest couple on television.
Jonathan Slavin continues to be a delight and may Trish Campbell-Martin and Jerry Minor keep doing what they do. Dave Foley keeps that comedy mark high and Krista Marie Yu and Albert Tsai just get better and better.
Ken Jeong’s daughter Zooey Jeong knocked it out of the park as Emily.
This season has brought back the more volatile and excitable version of Dr. Ken. It fits very well with the new focus on family and relationships and it makes the show even funnier as a result.
Dr. Ken airs Fridays on ABC. Tune in every Friday and get your giggle fix for the week.
Cast:
- Ken Jeong – Ken
- Albert Tsai – Dave
- Suzy Nakamura – Allison Park
- Krista Marie Yu – Molly
- Tisha Campbell-Martin – Damona
- Jonathan Slavin – Clark
- Dave Foley – Pat
- Dana Lee as D.K.
- Marques Ray – Juan-Julio
- Stephen Guarino – Connor
- Jerry Minor – Eric
- Zooey Jeong – Emily
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