Another Period
“Olympics”
Season 3, Episode 3
Comedy Central
I know he's my nephew but I do admit: I do not care for Adolf Hitler!
One of Another Period’s best traits is its ability to relate to today’s issues. Season three’s premiere focused on women’s rights and the stupid bewilderment from people who oppose it. Now “Olympics” brings women back into the forefront in pretty much the same light. At the same time, the show introduces Adolph Hitler to the world as a young, innocent boy who’s tangentially related to one of the many characters. What’s more, he’s one of the funniest bits of the episode.
“Olympics” pits Lillian against Victor as both try to enjoy what they would later to find out to be the trials. Newly added women’s archery takes the heart of the sister Bellacourt who partially wants to participate because her nemesis Helen Keller is the sports’ ambassador. Lillian is really good at archery as she makes friends quickly, pissing off Victor along the way. He forms the WNBA (Worried Nationalists on Behalf of Archery) and picks the women off one by one only to fail when Helen joins Lillian on the range.
Little Hitler joins Dr. Goldberg and Hamish as they sit Shabbat. It’s so funny to see a real figure such as Hitler characterized in a way they’re usually not. Preacher did this by making the viewer sympathize with the version of the character as he was tortured more ways than one in Hell. We got a real sense of who he was (in love with a woman only to have that woman leave him) and felt for his pain. But, you know, it’s still Hitler. This younger version of the tyrant is a dreamer and an artist who is led to hate people of the Jewish faith by the two Bellacourt mansion residents as they taunt his works. The story pointed to its inevitable conclusion the entire time but every step was also expectedly funny. To that, Hamish cheers “To Adolph Peaceful Hitler!”
On the other side of the mansion, Frederick is led to believe he’s adopted. His wife, Celery, convinces him that he’s now allowed to be with his ex-sister Beatrice. But the two lost their love and can never find it, even if they’re sitting in the same bathtub or crib (the latter is featured in a hilarious stinger during the credits in which Beatrice requests Blanche to finish her off with a feather, orgasm forcefully and revert to an innocent “Thank you”). Of course, in the end, Celery reveals in a talking head that she was tricking Frederick the whole time as a ploy to get him into the White House. Remember? Frederick is vice president or something?
Should you watch “Olympics?”
While Another Period usually suffers from scattered plots, the episodes tend to be filled with a lot of good jokes. Watch it but don’t expect much in terms of development.