S11.E03: The Gang Hits The Slopes

[Lantern7]

Dennis and Frank square off against Dee and Mac for control of the mountain, while Charlie learns that the slopes have their own set of rules.

 

 

[redlaces]

Charlie got it innn! That was... unexpected. Wow. 

[Lantern7]

I grew up in the Eighties, but I must have missed out on ski movies in my adolescence. I'm willing to bet that a lot went over my head. The only think I can compare this episode to is "Asspen" from South Park.

 

I will say it sucks that the only winner was Frank. Charlie got to have explicit sex, but she was a hooker. He'll need to get checked out. The big loser was Dennis, who wasn't in on Frank's plan, and he broke his ankles hotdogging it.

[Christina]

The episode was based on the movie Better Off Dead with John Cusack. It is a good movie and you should check it out sometime. I recognized it immediately, but it was missing a paperboy on a bicycle chasing them around.

 

I was completely surprised by the Charlie scenes. Eleven years and the show still surprises me. Dennis telling Tatiana to get clean for him had me in stitches. He's such a serial killer. 

[Amarsir]

Better Off Dead and Hot Dog seemed to be the movies that set the genre, but there were a lot of B-level knockoffs and ski scenes seemed to work their way into completely unrelated movies. And even if you've never seen those, Porkies, Animal House and Revenge of the Nerds are classics that certainly set the tone for goofy rivalry and sexual harassment-as-prank.

 

And of course South Park did nail the concept in their own satire. Which really is the only negative I had about Sunny going there - as a parody it's been done.

 

Overall a good episode. I wasn't overly psyched about another "road trip" story. The best was "The Gang Hits the Road" where they never really went anywhere. "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore" was just OK and focused too much on trashing Jersey over character-internal comedy. "The Gang Gets Stranded in the Woods" I barely remember.  So just them skiing probably wouldn't have worked for me.

 

But satirizing 80s movies as an excuse to break the gang into rivalries - including the less-common Mac & Dee pairing - that really worked. 

[luna1122]

Dean Cameron---the party dude in the hat and fake hair---was in many 80s party flicks, including 'ski school' and 'ski school 2'. He did indeed used to sport that look, but back then the hair was real.

I feel I should be more disturbed by Charlie's graphic sex scenes, but I weirdly was not. Wonder what the waitress thought of that.

[Ubiquitous]

This show ruined "Vacation" for me and now it's ruined "Jesse's Girl". :-D

I immediately recognized the genre from the 1980's and wondered what the twist at the ending would be, especially since Charlie, of all people, seemed aware of what the viewer was. I laughed my arse off at him banging the Slovakian and him asking out loud how sticking your dick thru a women's shower gloryhole would get even with Frank and questioning the guy providing exposition on the p.a. system. I love when this show takes iconic movies and "makes them real", like "Frank's Pretty Woman". Yeah, in the real world, those guys at "party house" would be collecting beer cans for rent and get arrested for indecent exposure.

[DrSpaceman73]

I have never seen Ski school, but I do recall Better of Dead and the more apt comparison is Hot Dog The Movie. And of course the South Park episode.

Even if you haven' t seen them it's a pretty easy to recognize formula. And just 80s party films in general as well, the same cheesy music and gags and feel to it.

Pretty enjoyable episode. Not the best, but still funny.

[callie lee 29]

Damn, this show is firing on all cylinders. Watch any cheesy underdog movie from the 80's and you recognized this episode. And I loved that Charlie finally was the only rational, coherent person around (that sentence doesn't seem right). And he had hot sex with a hot girl Good for him!

[ganesh]

I don't know if you haven't seen the 80s movies whether this would be that funny. I was dying and I totally lost it with the cut to Charlie playing the sax. 

 

I thought it was a good choice for Charlie to play it straight since the 80s movies themselves are so absurd. No, "He's skiing on ONE SKI!" either.

 

"Mountain rules" is totally a thing. It's like going away to camp. Everyone lets loose because they know they're going to leave in a few days. 

 

Even if she was a hooker, Charlie still got some wild sex. 

 

The music was awesome though. 

Edited January 22, 2016 by ganesh

[King of Birds]

 I was dying and I totally lost it with the cut to Charlie playing the sax.

The entire Charlie sex scene had me on the floor.

 

And, Dennis breaking both ankles too. And the Swiss ski guys.... well let me just stop- ALL of Dennis' scenes as the 80s asshole was SPOT ON.

[Joimiaroxeu]

That sex scene with Charlie was almost Team America-esque.

[ganesh]

I've been in Charlie's position, where a way too hot woman is having with sex me, and I've nearly had that face on.

[kittykat]

 

I grew up in the Eighties, but I must have missed out on ski movies in my adolescence. I'm willing to bet that a lot went over my head. The only think I can compare this episode to is "Asspen" from South Park.

 

I never saw the ski movies either so South Park was my point of reference as well.  I checked imdb for Dean Cameron and he was a vet of those.  

 

Pretty funny episode with Charlie doing his own thing and still having sex with the hot chick (of course she was hired by Frank).  The MVP however was Dennis.  His sociopathic ski villain was a thing of beauty.

 

I always love the gang's mindset of going out and doing something new with lots of enthusiasm only to want to return to the bar half a day later.

[halkatla]

Courtney Gaines the 80´s legend was in it. That really made it a classic.

[redlaces]

OUTLANDER!! Did you cum in my burrito?