Superstore continues to pile on the comedy with Shoplifter. This episode begins with the priceless moment that Jonah (Ben Feldman) touches the old dead guy on the blue display couch:
Garrett: Oh, Jonah touched a dead guy! Jonah touched a dead guy!
Shortly after the blue couch incident Jonah meets Amy’s daughter Emma (Isabella Day), who correctly informs the shop assistant that he has loaded a soft drink can incorrectly in the cool case. He learns that Amy has spoken about him at home, albeit rather unflatteringly, and that Emma is not supposed to be at work.
The best bits of the episode were between America Ferrera and Ben Feldman’s characters as well as Day (who plays Emma) and Feldman. Amy (Ferrera) is looking after the jewelry counter, where Emma can hide when Glenn (Mark McKinney) calls her away. Jonah (Feldman) is asked to look after the counter, in the interim.
Amy and Jonah’s exchange, where jewelry is used as an euphemism for Emma and kids is hysterical:
Amy: “I don’t think, um, Jonah has very much experience. With… jewelry.”
Jonah: “I don’t have any jewelry of my own, but my brothers have some jewelry…That I’ve played with.”
Amy: “Well, I’ll be right back. don’t go anywhere. Stay here, and, uh, whatever you do, don’t bring attention to the jewelry.”
Jonah: “Trust me, no one will know the jewelry is here.”
Glenn: (Bewildered) “There is so much I don’t understand about sales.“
Of course seconds after Amy leaves, and Jonah reveals that he is as interested in The Maze Runner book as Emma’s mother is, the girl announces she needs the restroom. After a long wait Jonah goes to see if the girl is okay and learns that Emma is having her first period.
Amy has been grabbed by Dina to help force a suspected shoplifter to confess, so Jonah tries to help Emma on his own.
Meanwhile, Cheyenne and Mateo are competing to get the couch that the old man died on. “Judge Garrett” has set up a competition between the two; whoever sits on the couch the longest can get it.
Superstore may not hit every nail on the head in terms of comedy, some things just feel a little forced, such as store manager Glenn wanting to hold a service for the dead guy, but even these tend to be amusing. The “viking” style funeral, i.e. the burning of the blue display couch, was funny to a certain extent.
Dina and the shoplifter interchange was worth a giggle or two and did go to set up a “connection” between uber religious Glenn and Dina later on. (Via a “placed” Barney DVD.)
After Amy finally returns from her busy day away from Emma, she finds her daughter and Jonah playing an age inappropriate video game (where Jonah has just instructed the girl to kill the family on the platform) and she learns that the two got on fine.
Of course just as Amy relaxes, Emma drops her bombshell:
“Jonah taught me how to use a maxi pad.”
In terms of casting, Isabella Day was the perfect choice to play America Ferrera’s daughter, the child actor exuded the aura of a “mini” Amy with the dry and matter-of-fact manner of her “mother.”
Standout Moments:
Jonah in the ladies room covered with maxi pads “Emma, look through the crack. I’m a mummy! Ahh!” This just as another customer comes in…
Garrett screaming that Jonah touched a “dead guy!”
The jewelry counter conversation.
Conclusion:
Superstore is one of the best comedies on television at the moment. Sure there are things that do not “gel,” like the whole “ceremony” for the old guy found dead on the couch, but the show generates a lot of laughs. As mentioned previously, the chemistry between Ferrera and Feldman is just perfect and it is these two who bring comic cohesion to the this series.
Superstore airs Mondays on NBC. Tune in and catch the comedy.
Mikes Film Talk 
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