Last year’s season finale of EASTBOUND & DOWN was so good there was some trepidation about what to expect with this second season. The possibility of ruining what could be one of the most perfect seasons of TV was just too good. Luckily the show returned with its balls intact and we were ready to travel south of the border with Kenny (Danny McBride) in “Chapter 7″. When we last left Powers, he had just been scouted by Duke (Adam Scott) to play baseball in Tampa so he could make his valiant return to the game he loved and he was bringing April (Katy Mixon) along for the ride after she left her fiancé and job.
And as we all know things have a way of getting messed up for Kenny. Duke revoked the offer and instead of admitting his defeat, Kenny ditched April at a gas station and headed on down to… Mexico? The second season premiere finds the pitcher living as Steve, a ruthless cock fighting honcho down in the ‘butthole’ of Mexico. From his cornrows to his fake name and his poor imitation of The Godfather style gangster moves, our Kenny is back. The episode showcased just how funny bad can be, and it was pretty darn funny. Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Shawn Harrell have mastered just an awful character that is impossible not to love to watch.
As a vegetarian, animal-rights supporter and overall good person, it’s difficult for me to giggle and laugh at the idea of anyone making money off of animals taught to fight and kill each other for sport, but dang it did. The overwhelming not rightness of Eastbound & Down is too much for political correctness to knock down, and the premiere of its Season 2 continued the sick story. Kenny, making his living off of a cock fighting ring is unhappy south of the border and finds amusement at a local baseball game – the home team are the Charros and they are terrible. After one of the games, the coach, Roger Lundes, notices Kenny in the crowd and reaches out to him. Of course, as we already know, Kenny has too much pride to join forces with this bunch of losers, or so we think. But once his prized Big Red rooster loses a big match, he is kicked out of the ring and needs something to fill his days, so why not it be baseball?
And with a lovely shootout to Bad News Bears, Kenny rides his bike onto the Charros’ field and asks to join the team to redeem himself, his game and possibly score the attention of every American. Lundes agrees, the team remains confused, as they don’t speak English, and we have ourselves a new season of Eastbound & Down.
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