Ep 3. Celery

In the season 4 episode 3 of Portlandia titled "Celery," viewers are taken on a ride as the city of Portland is once again parodied on the show. This episode focuses on the various characters who inhabit this unique city and their quirky takes on the mundane things in life. The episode weaves together multiple storylines that provide a glimpse into the weird and wonderful world of Portland.

One of the main storylines in this episode revolves around the role of celery in Portland's food culture. The show takes a hilarious look at how Portland restaurants are trying to incorporate celery into their menu and how the locals are reacting to it. In one of the scenes, we see a couple at a restaurant trying out a new dish with celery as the main ingredient. The dish turns out to be horrible, but the couple tries to be polite and finish it anyway.

In another scene, a chef is getting creative with celery by creating a celery juice tasting menu. However, the customers are less than impressed with the taste and the price of the menu, which accentuates the show's commentary on the increasing trend of overpriced food trends and the people who jump on board with them.

Another one of the storylines is about a couple who are trying to quit smoking. The couple tries every form of smoking cessation except the traditional methods, as they are reluctant to do so. They go from using nicotine patches to acupuncture to hypnosis, but nothing seems to work. Along the way, we also see them getting quite irritable without the nicotine fix, which adds to the humorous portrayal of the story. Ultimately, the couple realizes one of the most straightforward methods may indeed be the best in their case, leading them to make a final decision on their smoking addiction.

In another scene, we see a group of friends discussing the latest in their "quirky" hobbies and interests. The group talks about everything from unicycling to collecting vintage dolls and how these eccentricities define who they are. However, when one of the members of the group confesses that they are into something ordinary, like reading classic literature, the other members begin dumping them, highlighting the incessant need to be different in Portland's culture.

Additionally, in one of the episodes' most memorable scenes, we see Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein portraying local news anchors. They talk about the latest news in the city, but their anchor personas are almost caricatures of themselves. It is a fascinating take on the typical local news shows and how they tend to be sensationalized.

The final scene of this episode is one to remember as it brings all of the storylines to a close. The characters come together in a significant group, discussing and musing over the so-called strange things that happened in the episode. The characters give their final thoughts and opinions on the events of the episode, concluding it perfectly.

In conclusion, season 4, episode 3 of Portlandia titled "Celery" is an excellent addition to the show. It is a perfect example of the brilliantly absurd sense of humor throughout the series. The commentary on the unique lifestyle of Portland will have viewers both laughing and contemplating life in a satirical way. The use of the various characters to portray different aspects of the town and the people who live there adds depth to the episode, not just making it another comedy but a smart critique of society. The witty and delirious episode will leave you laughing long after it’s finished.