Ep 9. Lance Is Smart

In the ninth episode of season six of Portlandia, titled "Lance Is Smart," viewers are taken on a comedic journey through Lance's newfound intelligence.

We are introduced to Lance, who has always been a bit lackluster in the brains department, suddenly becoming a genius. He has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and every question he asks is met with concise and detailed answers. Carrie, who has always been smarter than Lance, finds herself feeling inferior and intellectually threatened by her friend's sudden transformation.

As we follow Lance on his quest for knowledge, we see him take on various projects, from learning how to build a working model of the solar system to trying to understand complex mathematical formulas. He even starts to spout off random facts, much like a Wikipedia page come to life.

Throughout the episode, Carrie becomes increasingly anxious about Lance's newfound intelligence. She is convinced that he will become too smart for their friendship and move on to bigger, more intellectually stimulating things. She even tries to dumb him down, suggesting that they watch a reality television show instead of taking part in more cerebral activities.

Despite her best efforts, Lance's intelligence only grows stronger. He becomes the toast of the town, impressing everyone with his newfound brainpower. Even the local news station takes notice, inviting Lance on to talk about his achievements.

As the episode progresses, Carrie starts to realize that her fear of losing Lance was unwarranted. Even though he has become smarter, he is still the same person underneath it all. She learns to embrace her friend's newfound intelligence and even begins to feel proud of him.

The episode culminates in a hilarious scene where Lance is asked to explain the theory of relativity. He starts off strong, but quickly devolves into a nonsensical ramble, proving that even the smartest among us can stumble and fall. The scene is a fitting end to the episode, reminding us that intelligence is only one part of the equation when it comes to being a well-rounded individual.

Overall, "Lance Is Smart" is a lighthearted and fun exploration of the power of knowledge. The episode manages to poke fun at both academic snobbery and anti-intellectualism while still maintaining a balance that never feels too heavy-handed. It's a great addition to the Portlandia canon and is sure to leave viewers laughing out loud.