Rapidly Reviewing The Critic Episode 3: Marty's First Date

We open our third episode as Jay is in a particularly good mood, singing Macho Man down the street. Not even an unflattering billboard change will deter him today. Two episodes in a row with Billboard jokes. Just noticed that. Jay's picking Marty up for career day. We do get some answers as to why Ardeth ever fell in love with Jay to begin with if she has such disdain for him (being a former nurse who fell in love with a completely bandaged Jay, and the reveal of what he actually looked like breaking any spirit she had left).

After another clever Woody Allen joke, we head to Marty's school "The United Nations Private School", where Jay shows off his criticism a bit too well. Despite that, he was a successful.

At Lunch, Marty bumps into a girl that he quickly becomes infatuated with. And after an international food fight rife with as many amazing stereotypes, Marty manages to hit it off with the girl named Carmen. Jay does his best to give Marty advice before his big date. It turns out to go well, with dinner and a movie.

You know, in this day and age I'm surprised that wasn't a real movie. 

Jay's hopes of giving the kids some culture by watching "The Red Balloon" is quickly squandered as remember, this is the 90's and there's always room for a horrendous sequel. With the evening soured, it seems that this love story is at a tragic end. Jay suggests giving her a gift and being persistent, the rare decent and less pretentious advice from him this entire episode. However when Marty tries this the next day, he learns that Carmen has gone back to Cuba due mainly to how badly the date screwed up. Marty decides to not give up and stows away on her flight.

It goes about as well as you'd imagine.

Jay goes to see his Parents if they've seen Marty, and explains the whole date fiasco. It gives us one of my favorite Franklin Sherman. Meanwhile, Marty and Carmen enjoy themselves in Cuba, who are holding a parade filled with many anti-American gags. This has finally caused this little relationship to hit it off. This leads to the big reveal of who Carmen's grandfather is.

Why it's just friggin' Castro!

Jay eventually makes his way to Cuba by way of marrying a clerk for citizenship (his most honest relationship he's had). Meanwhile, Marty and Carmen finally go their separate ways since she's staying in Cuba, and he has to go back to New York. Jay finally picks up Marty, and inadvertantly bad mouths Castro.

It goes as well as you'd expect. 

"Marty's First Date" is a fun episode. Definitely the most hilarious episode of the show yet. With the show no longer needing to spend a lot of time developing its world, we can get right to the meat of the comedy, to which this episode has in spades. From running gags like Jay being punched in the face, or his head in a bubble while trying to give Marty advice, to a lot of the Cuban Anti-American stuff, it all works great and holds up quite well. Marty and Carmen's relationship, while brief, was cute and it's a shame that this is a one and done thing. Plus, Jon Lovitz shines bright in this episode, making every scene Jay's in an absolute treat. After fearing a lack of the show's quality holding up from the first two episodes, it's refreshing to see my fears at ease from this episode. A definite must-watch.