Portlandia: “Winter in Portlandia” (Special Episode)

Though its third season doesn’t officially begin until Jan. 4, Portlandia fans were treated to an early Christmas present with the bonus episode “Winter in Portlandia.” Instead of a re-tread of old clips, which many shows resort to for specials, this winter episode was filled with brand spanking new skits filled with ridiculousness, confirming Portlandia as one of the more original shows on TV.
Winter is approached in Portlandia, naturally, from a different perspective. Seasonal affective disorder and pasta addiction are themes that traverse the episode. Even before the opening credits, we watch as a group of Portlanders chase little spots of sunshine through the gloom. When the sun peeks through the clouds and shines on a patch of grass, the group is there—barbecuing, drinking beer and applying the sunscreen. Reggae tunes play from the boombox and dancing ensues. For about 15 seconds. Then the sun-worshippers go and chase another ray of sun, no matter where it is.
Though not our favorite Portlandia residents, Peter (Fred Armisen) and Nance (Carrie Brownstein) play a big part in the episode. Peter is worried about getting fat, and they decide to cut pasta out of their lives. Instead of weaning Peter off slowly through whole wheat or a soba noodle-substitute, they cut him off cold turkey. We watch as Peter suffers through all the stages of addiction. And while we know substance abuse is no laughing matter, we couldn’t help but be amused as we watch Peter try to heat up a few corkscrew pastas in a crack pipe-like bowl in his car or when Nance finally finds him in a seedy motel room bed surrounded by dried pastas and a number of take out containers of spaghetti. They should have ended it there, because the rehab scenes are anticlimactic and not that funny.
Of course, this episode has its special guest stars. Saturday Night Live’s Bobby Moynihan plays the straight man (pun intended) perfectly in a Women & Women First Bookstore. He’s Candace’s son, Robert, who stops by the store with his baby while Christmas shopping.