Ep 2. Goofy Ball

In the second episode of NewsRadio season 2, called "Goofy Ball," the team at WNYX is dealing with a new corporate mandate that insists they start playing an hour of classical music instead of their regular programming. The staff is not thrilled with this idea and seeks any way possible to avoid this new policy.

This episode starts with Dave discovering that Jimmy is going to make some big changes at the station. When Jimmy brings in some consultants to help implement the new classical music policy, the team is skeptical of these outsiders. In addition, Beth tries to brighten up the dreary office space with some wacky motivational posters.

The crux of the episode is the staff's attempts to sabotage the classical music hour. First, Matthew tries to play a millennial piece of classical music, but it doesn't go over well. Beth takes matters into her own hands and, in a hilarious scene, sneaks into the station's mainframe computer to play some rock music over the classical music hour.

Meanwhile, Dave is trying to deal with a guilt-inducing childhood memory where he hit a baseball and it ended up knocking down his strange neighbor's prized garden gnome. Dave decides to buy a new gnome as a gift but runs into a lot of trouble trying to find the right one. Eventually, he succeeds, but an unforeseen accident leads to an awkward and embarrassing situation with the new gnome.

As expected, the staff's attempts to undermine the classical music hour ultimately fail, and it all comes to a head when the management team confronts them about their antics. They are forced to apologize and behave better in the future.

Throughout "Goofy Ball," the hilarious dynamics between the various characters drive the episode. There's Jimmy's stubbornness and desire to tinker with the station's programming, Matthew's awkwardness and eagerness to please, and Beth's quirky personality and irreverence toward authority. Dave plays the straight man here, trying his best to keep everyone in line but often getting caught up in their shenanigans.

This episode is an excellent example of the show's strengths. The writing is sharp and witty, and the characters are compelling and entertaining to watch. The plotline is engaging and amusing, but there are also some touching moments, such as when Dave tries to make amends with his neighbor and relives an important childhood moment. Overall, "Goofy Ball" is a fun and engaging episode that provides some laughs and heartwarming moments.