The League S4: E9: “Bro-lo El Cordero” Does Not Translate to Laughter
The latest episode of The League wasn’t up to snuff.
For the final three weeks of Season 4, “The League” is airing back-to-back new episodes (all of its seasons roughly correspond to a fantasy football season). The second episode on Dec. 6 was “Bro-lo El Cordero” the meaning of which I don’t understand – just know that it’s a bizarre Rafi-ism.
The episode begins with great potential – Kevin needs to get a colonoscopy for his life insurance and Pete’s grandfather (“Guppa Duke” played by Robert Wagner) going to the old age home for Alzheimer’s. Yeah, you’d think this episode was hilarious.
And, in fact the scene in which Kevin meets his doctor and nurse before the colonoscopy (they are named Pete and Jenny, making Kevin think it’s a Ruxin gag) is far and away the best of the episode. This season, as disappointing as it’s been, has showcased Kevin (played by Stephen Rannazzisi) in several very funny scenes.
After his procedure, Kevin is both loopy and farty, and Andre “trade roofies” Kevin when he arrives to drive him home. They give differing accounts of the trade in the recovery room, which was a good idea in theory. But we learn Ruxin was in the room and when he recalls the scene it goes way over the top in silliness, which has been the series’ worst tendency.
Meanwhile, Pete learns his Guppa Duke is faking Alzheimer’s to have sex with old ladies in the nursing home – a bit that would be funny if he were a widower – but elderly adultery just doesn’t work. We were disappointed in a wasted appearance by an actor of Robert Wagner’s caliber.
When the league decides Ruxin is not impartial making a ruling on the trade roofie, they turn to Rafi, who decides to settle the dispute with a seedy underground wrestling match in a between Kevn and Andre . Like many Rafi scenes, this one was uncomfortable to watch. Aside from a brief, but funny gag involving Jenny and edible underwear (and Rafi being diabetic), the wrestling scenes were like the scenes in which the guys play football – they just halt the entire episode.
(“Bro-lo El Cordero” by the way is Rafi’s wrestling character’s name, not that it translates into any laughs.)
“The League” has four remaining episodes, which air on the next two Thursdays. We know Jeff Goldblum will return for one of them, which we hope can save a struggling season. “The League” has yet to piece together two consecutive memorable episodes in Season 4.
We want more fantasy football storylines, and sorry to say, fewer Rafi scenes. We give “Bro-lo El Cordero” just two-and-a-half Shivas out of five.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Rafi is the funniest character on the show. And the fantasy football references are the worst. They’re always outrageous and make no sense.
El Cunado is by far the best thing about the show. And outside the really small fantasy football community no one whatches this show for the fantasy football.
El Cunado is by far the best thing about the show. And outside the really small fantasy football community no one whatches this show for the fantasy football. You’re like a medical doctor whining about there not being enough medical stuff in Scrubs and by that I mean that you sound silly as fuck.