Ep 1. The Storytellers

In the season 7 premiere of Portlandia, titled "The Storytellers," viewers are welcomed back to the titular city for more absurdity and comedy. This episode centers around the idea of storytelling and the various forms it can take, from traditional oral storytelling to modern social media.

The episode opens with series regulars Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen sitting around a campfire, taking turns telling spooky stories. Their competitive spirits push them to continuously one-up each other with increasingly bizarre and ridiculous tales.

Next, we are taken to a coffee shop where an aspiring writer seeks advice from Armisen's character, who claims to be a successful and acclaimed author. However, as their conversation progresses, it becomes clear that Armisen's character may not be entirely truthful about his credentials.

Another storyline follows a woman attempting to create a viral video by enlisting the help of her social media-savvy friends. Their attempts to capture the perfect footage leads to some hilarious mishaps and commentary on the superficiality of internet fame.

Meanwhile, Brownstein's character attends a storytelling event where she is tasked with sharing a personal anecdote. However, her attempts to make the story more interesting by exaggerating the truth lead to unintended consequences.

Throughout the episode, there are also various recurring sketches, such as a couple Instagramming their every move and a group of friends constantly interrupting each other's conversations with unrelated stories.

As with previous seasons, "The Storytellers" is chock-full of celebrity guest appearances, including comedian Patton Oswalt, musical duo Tegan and Sara, and actress Natasha Lyonne.

Overall, this episode is a strong start to the seventh season of Portlandia, staying true to the show's signature style of quirky humor and social commentary. Fans will not be disappointed.