Ep 1. Renoir

In the first episode of the comedy-drama television series Baskets, we are introduced to Chip Baskets who has been studying to become a professional clown in France for many years. However, upon returning home to California, he finds that he is unable to secure any job as a clown and ends up taking up a job as a rodeo clown.

The episode begins with Chip (played by Zach Galifianakis) returning to his hometown of Bakersfield, California to realize his dream of becoming a world-renowned clown. However, his dreams are shattered when he fails the French clown school for the second time and is forced to return to California with no job prospects.

Chip lands a job at a local rodeo where he is hired as a clown to entertain the crowd and distract the bulls from attacking injured cowboys. Despite being inexperienced in the rodeo world, Chip puts on a hilarious performance that captures the heart of the crowd. However, his boss, Eddie (played by Ernest Adams) is not amused by Chip's performance and demands that he learn the basic rodeo clown skills.

To make matters worse for Chip, his long-distance wife Penelope (played by Sabina Sciubba) has now started dating his French pen pal, and he is now having to cope with the dispiriting reality of living in his mother's basement.

The episode is interspersed with a number of flashbacks that take us back to Chip's time at the French clown school and his encounters with his tough, no-nonsense clown teacher, Renoir (played by Kaye Ballard). These flashbacks help to provide much-needed context to the viewers and offer insight into Chip's deep-seated desire to become a successful clown.

The episode also introduces us to Dale (played by Zach Galifianakis in a dual role) who is Chip's identical twin brother. Dale is the complete opposite of Chip and is a successful businessman who owns a chain of casino gift shops. However, Dale's success masks his unhappiness, and he is unable to find true fulfillment in life.

Overall, the first episode of Baskets sets the stage for a series that promises to be both hilarious and heartwarming. With a brilliant cast and an intriguing storyline, this series is one that is sure to keep viewers hooked from start to finish. It's a show that explores the struggles of pursuing one's dreams, the difficulties of letting go of one's past, and the joys and sorrows that come with family.