Tales From Dog River 05.03.08: Corner Gas - Episode Eleven
Posted by Randy Harrison on 05.03.2008
Lacey and Brent have a battle of wits that has the whole town interested, while Karen and Hank go on a fishing trip that neither of them will ever forget. It's time for another trip to rural Saskatchewn for more Tales From Dog River.
Welcome to another edition of Tales From Dog River, and this week finds me feeling especially saucy after the Red Wings straight up murdered the Avalanche, taking four straight and sweeping their way to the conference finals with an 8-2 mollywhomping last night. I've got a decent handle on everything else in the other zones, and it's starting to turn into summer, which is always fun. My good mood will hopefully be buoyed by an excellent episode of Corner Gas to review. On tap today is episode eleven, Hook, Line and Sinker, as we near the end of the first season of the show. Hank and Karen head out on a fishing trip with some rather unexpected results, while Lacey and Brent have a war of words and wits...with SLOGANS!! To the plugs and then we're off to Dog River!
And for those of you who may be new fans of the show, new fans of the review, or might just need a refresher course on all things Dog River, be sure to check out the debut edition of Tales From Dog River to learn everything you need to know about the town and all of the quirky folk that call it home.
Episode Eleven: Hook, Line and Sinker (Originally aired on March 31, 2004)
Brent rushes into the station saying that he just saw the sign, and Wanda and Lacey make fun of him a little bit before he tells them that it's the sign they ordered to put on the side of the highway. Brent says that he thought of a slogan and that it's going to push the Ruby AND the station, calling himself a genius. Lacey says that it's fine as long as he didn't do something stupid like "Eat at the Ruby and get Gas", which is exactly what he did. He heads out to tell the guy doing the letters that it's time for a re-write and the opening credits roll.
After the credits Karen is in the station angry that Davis is going to send her there without backup. It turns out she's meaning a fishing trip with Hank and she thought it was going to be a cop bonding thing with Davis too, but Davis backed out for an aromatherapy appointment. Hank seems excited but Karen is REALLLLY not looking forward to it, wanting Davis' gun. Davis assures her that it'll be fine and that Hank is different when he's fishing. In the station Emma asks Brent where the canned pasta is before Oscar yells "ALPHA-GHETTI" because that's what he wants. Oscar is all cranky that she brought home Dino-Ghetti instead, saying that Emma's mind is going, and they end up arguing over why he's so adamant about Alpha-Ghetti. Oscar pays for it while claiming he's sharp as a whip and then ends up leaving the can on the counter.
Brent's got a new slogan up on the sign "Come for the oil change, stay for the grease" and he asks Lacey what she thinks. She tells him she's changing it and he says that he was careful that he chose a slogan where the letters couldn't be jumbled into something dirty. Wanda asks what the slogan is and turns it into "Choose Glen Frey for a menage a trois" before mentioning that it wasn't at all spooky. In the truck an argument between Hank and Karen breaks out because Hank wants to know what would happen if Star Trek fought Star Wars, and Karen doesn't care. Brent is checking whether Wanda was right and she was and fires off another one, with Brent mocking her for her "ability". She wonders whether Brent has one and he says singing, so we cut to Brent on Canadian Idol, absolutely BUTCHERING a song about squeegeeing the sky. The judges of course LOVE it.
Hank and Karen get to the lake and Hank begins to wax philosophic about the beauty of the land and the lake. Karen doesn't really know what to make of it but she knows what Davis meant by different now. Oscar shows up at the station looking for his can of Alpha-Ghetti and Brent and Wanda decide to torture him, saying he was in twenty minutes ago to pick it up. Poor Oscar is turning purple and they get him another can of Alpha-Ghetti before continuing to torment him. Back at the lake Karen notices how Hank likes fishing, and he gets all poetic again with Karen getting a goofy look on her face. Hank goes for a drink and ends up squeezing water all over himself to cool off, while Karen suddenly gets a wanton look in her eyes. She catches herself though and stops, but does it again when Hank is dousing himself with bug spray.
In town, Lacey's at the sign and her slogan is up, saying "While waiting for the slow service at Corner Gas, enjoy a meal at the Ruby". Brent takes exception and says that it makes him look bad saying that his service is slow. Brent thinks that it's mean-spirited while Lacey thinks that it's pithy, but he wants her to change it, either way. Over at the lake, Hank is still going and Karen looks like she's in a trance. He says it's time to pack up but Karen throws him on the ground and starts kissing him. Ew.
Back at the sign again, Lacey's not pleased with Brent's new slogan "The food at the Ruby sucks", while in the station Karen is looking for fishing magazines. Wanda asks if she's ok and Karen immediately proclaims that she didn't sleep with Hank. They made out and it was amazing but she didn't sleep with him! Wanda thinks it's a seizure and Hank comes in, asking if there's any expired milk that he can take home. Karen decides she needs a shower. At the Ruby, all three Leroys are having lunch, while talking about Oscar's fading memory. Oscar is NOT happy about that at all, claiming he's sharper than he ever was. Lacey brings Oscar his lunch, and oh my god, he SNAPS, yelling that he's still on the handle and still on the ball and that his memory isn't slipping at ALL!! Lacey also thanks Brent for being so cool about the new slogan. Brent asks what it is and we cut to the sign saying "Brent is an ass". Heh, now THAT'S pithy.
Over at the police station, Karen asks why Davis didn't go on the fishing trip and Davis says that it was just an excuse because last time he went fishing with Hank he had strange, tingly feelings. Karen says she didn't sleep with him and freaks out and she tells the whole story from the trip in the truck, with Davis geting hung up on the Star Wars/Star Trek thing. Brent notices how busy it's been at the station and he's got the letters out for a new slogan, saying that he wanted to go with "Lacey is a cow", but he can't find a W. Lacey wants to call a truce because business has been picking up and she doesn't want to ruin it with the signs, but Wanda says that it's because of the signs that business is getting better. People come by just to see what they put up next and they decide to work together on them. Hank comes barreling into the station, following Karen and demanding to know why she's saying they slept together. He says that people are going to think that he's easy and that she needs to stop bragging. Brent figures this is a sign of the Apocalypse.
The sign has a new slogan, "If you think our bathrooms are dirty, you should see the kitchen". I think that they've missed the point completely now. Both places are deader than dead, and Brent can't figure out why it's not working anymore, when Davis comes in to tell them that their new sign sucks. I guess there's the answer. Brent and Lacey agree that they need better slogans. Wanda catches Karen on the street and decides it's time for an intervention, asking if she has a substance abuse problem after the whole Hank thing. Karen explains about how different Hank is when he goes fishing and Wanda wants to check her pupils. Karen says that he was like Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It, or The Horse Whisperer. Wanda still thinks she's crazy.
Brent and Lacey are at the Ruby, starting to feel the pressure of a new slogan and they can't come up with anything. Wanda comes in and says that Karen was downtown talking to Karen and Brent wonders who was watching the store. Hank corners Karen in the squad car and says that he forgives her for going around bragging. Karen thinks that he should be apologizing to her. Hank wonders if she's nuts and then Hank starts talking the same way as he did at the lake. Karen tells him to stop and he says he will if she stops bragging about what happened. He doesn't want what happened to ruin a perfectly good non-friendship and Karen agrees with him. Karen starts talking about shooting and Hank starts to get all worked up for a second but then Karen ends up ruining it.
Oscar comes into the station and Brent and Wanda ask if he remembers what day it is. Emma tells him to wait outside for a minute because she has to buy some "female things" and he goes running. Emma tells Brent no more tricks because Oscar is really starting to lose it and go mad with all the torturing and Brent agrees with her, sending everyone who was in the station for Oscar's "surprise birthday party" home. Emma thinks Brent should apologize for making him paranoid and Brent says that he's already pretty paranoid. Brent heads over to the Ruby and apologizes to him, explaining that they've all been working together in town to make him think his memory is going. He brings up everything that happened and Oscar doesn't remember any of it, asking what he's trying to pull. Oscar claims that he's not going to fall for any of Brent's shenanigans. Emma takes him home for some Alpha-Ghetti and Oscar says he wants the kind with dinosaurs, which is right where we came in.
Back at the Ruby and people are lined up outside the door, with Brent saying that he's busy over at the station too. Davis comes in and says that the new sign is two thumbs up. Over at the sign, it now says "Karen slept with Hank" and Hank is over there with her, calling her a bragger as the closing credits begin to end another episode of Corner Gas!
Dog River Speaks
Who ever comes to Corner Gas anyways...
Wanda: I just saw Karen downtown, we were talking about Hank.
Brent: Wait a minute, you were just downtown? Who was watching the store?
Wanda: I dunno.
Brent: Well, what if someone comes in?
Wanda: So you leave money on the counter. It's not like anyone important's coming in.
cut to inside the gas station
Pamela Wallin: Hello? I'm Pamela Wallin. I'm the Consul General to New York. I used to be on TV. I have a platinum card. Is anyone here?
Wallin stands around disgusted for another moment before swiping a candy bar off the counter and leaving.
Davis and Karen discuss a certain solution to a certain problem..
Karen: I can't believe you're sending me in without back-up.
Davis: It's just a fishing trip, Karen.
Karen: But it's with Hank. Twelve hours. Killing fish.
Davis: If it gets to you, you don't have to kill 'em, you can just throw 'em in the lake.
Karen: I wasn't worried about the fish.
Davis: I wasn't talking about the fish.
Still married after all these years...
Oscar: Her memory's going.
Emma: I remember. You want Alpha-getti.
Oscar: If you remember, why did you bring home Dino-ghetti ?
Emma: What difference does it make ?
Oscar: You can't spell with dinosaurs!
Emma: I don't know why you insist on Alpha-getti. You won't even eat the E's.
Oscar: Oh, everybody knows you don't eat the E's!
Emma: Then why are they in there?
Oscar: Because they're in the alphabet! You'd know this, if your memory wasn't going.
Emma: I wish my memory was going. Then it would be like this conversation never happened.
Most Valuable Gasser
Dual winners of the MVG this week, as both Karen and Hank deserve the honor for their efforts. A great storyline that was funny and original and they both played their parts to perfection. This was funny stuff from beginning to end and it wouldn't have been half as good an episode if this story had fallen flat. They really played up the chemistry they had while at the lake and the disdain they had for each other everywhere else. A great job by both Tara Spencer-Nairn and Fred Ewanuick for their parts in this episode and that's why Karen and Hank are sharing this week's Most Valuable Gasser award.
That does it for this week's Tales From Dog River, folks. Be sure to come back next week when I'll be looking at the penultimate episode from season one, Face Off. It's hockey season in Dog River and Brent is ready to star in goal again. The problem is that the rest of the team is terrible so he ends up getting an offer from a rival team to play for them. Will he take the offer? Will Oscar and Emma ever get free from their car to get into the arena for the game? And who ends up coaching the team to their best result ever? All these answers, a new Dog River Speaks, and a new Most Valuable Gasser award are all coming up in seven short days. Until then remember, that Dog River might be 40 kilometers from nowhere and way beyond normal, but the people of Dog River, and fans like me, sure seem to like it that way.
The 411: After a rare off week, the show returns to fine form, bringing funny lines and great writing from beginning to end. Running jokes abound through the entire episode and both the story of Karen and Hank, as well as the story of Oscar's memory loss really scored big. An episode that I haven't actually seen very often, but still a great and somewhat underrated episode.
