Ep 7. The Temp

In season 3, episode 7 of Portlandia, titled "The Temp," Fred and Carrie hire a temporary worker to help out at the feminist bookstore. As usual, chaos ensues.

The episode opens with Fred and Carrie struggling to keep their bookstore afloat. They decide to hire a temp to lighten the load. They place an ad on Craigslist and find a woman named Heather who seems perfect for the job.

Heather arrives at the bookstore dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase. She is a no-nonsense type who immediately sets to work organizing the store. She starts by alphabetizing the sections and color-coding the books. At first, Fred and Carrie are impressed with Heather's efficiency, but things quickly take a turn for the worse.

Heather begins rearranging the store without consulting Fred and Carrie. She moves the cash register to an inconvenient location and puts all the books on high shelves, making it difficult for customers to reach them. She also starts enforcing strict rules, such as no sitting and no browsing without making a purchase. This upsets the regular customers, who are used to a more laid-back atmosphere.

Fred and Carrie try to talk to Heather about these issues, but she is unyielding. She insists that she knows best and that she will not compromise her methods. This puts Fred and Carrie in a difficult position. They don't want to fire Heather because they need help, but they also don't want to compromise the spirit of their store.

Meanwhile, another storyline unfolds involving the mayor of Portland. He hires a temp to take over his duties so that he can take a vacation. The temp quickly proves to be incompetent, causing all sorts of problems for the city government. The mayor frantically tries to fix everything before returning to work.

The two storylines intersect when Heather meets the temp mayor. They bond over their love of organization and efficiency. The mayor offers Heather a job working for the city, which she accepts. This leaves Fred and Carrie without a temp worker and no better off than they were before.

Overall, "The Temp" is a hilarious and relatable episode about the struggles of running a small business. It also satirizes the culture of corporate efficiency and the potential dangers of hiring the wrong person for a job. As always, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein deliver memorable performances, and the guest appearances from Kyle MacLachlan and Roseanne Barr add to the fun.