Beginning with a series of incredibly brief flashbacks and ending with Skillet’s kidnapping by the umbrella-like creature that appeared last week, this third installment of 12 oz. Mouse contains more plot than any episode thus far. Of course, that doesn’t mean figuring out exactly what the hell is going on becomes any easier.
A dark figure talks incomprehensibly, corn dogs are everywhere, and lots of alcohol is involved.
Fortunately, understanding all of that doesn’t matter, because the pure bizarreness of each sequence generally lends itself to some good laughs. In one of the opening scenes, for instance, an image of a doctor delivering Fitz/Mouse’s child is shown. Instead of an actual drawing of a doctor, the word “doctor” simply appears on-screen with an arm extending from it, holding the baby by the neck.
Through these dreams, we discover that Fitz once was a federal agent of some kind, and that he had/has a wife and daughter. After awakening with a headache, more inane activity takes place. Fitz momentarily forgets who Skillet is and stabs him, after which he receives a “divining corn dog” from his furry companion. Obviously they are now in need of mustard. So the two go hunting in their rocket ship. They soon wind up on a corn dog farm owned by a human-looking hillbilly named Roostre, whose hair constantly waves in the wind, even if there is none. In one of the funniest sequences on the show, Mouse’s corn dog inexplicably sprouts stick wings and takes flight, after which Roostre guns it down with a missile launcher. This is all within the first half of the episode.
This first portion is strong with lots of random action delivering consistent laughs. However, the second half isn’t quite as sturdy, containing many scenes that are equally as bizarre, but not nearly as funny. The woman from the first episode transforms herself into a man again and tells the cop to arrest the Rich Businessman. In response, the policeman shoots his own hat off with a gun.
While these small patches prove that incomprehensible events do not always equal top-notch humor, the vast majority of this episode is quite good. The dynamic between Shark and Mouse grows stronger, nonverbal humor develops between Skillet and the New Guy, and even the show’s sketchy plot advances. It may take awhile to latch onto the groove that the show is settling into, but it looks as though it might be one worth hanging on for.