Cuckoo has a dream for Connie but it’s a nightmare for Ken!
Music may be the food of love, but for Ken he just wants it to stop so he can get some rest.
This sitcom just seems to go from strength to strength and after a few unsavoury but funny episodes, this episode had the perfect blend of comedy and realistic drama. Personally if I had to live with Cuckoo I would have had a lock put on my bedroom door to stop unwanted intrusions and invested in a pair of earplugs to block out his bongos, loud sex and this week his singing lessons with Connie. Andy Samberg portrays the starry eyed, spaced out Cuckoo with panache and I’m surprised he could read out some of the lines given to him without laughing heartily.
This week Cuckoo was on a mission to prove to family friend Connie that she could make it in the music world. After a botched anniversary dinner where Lorna accidentally invited Connie and Steve, Connie admitted that she had always wanted to be a singer after attempting to make light of Cuckoo’s beliefs. His support was intense and he demanded a song right there and then at the dinner table, which Connie obliged. While at least in tune, her singing voice was perhaps not for everyone but Cuckoo convinced her to be a star, much to the distress and disgust of her husband Steve. Believing Steve’s lack of faith in her was holding her back from a glittering singing career, Connie unceremoniously dumped Steve and at Cuckoo’s insistence she moved into Ken and Lorna’s home – to their surprise.
Under Cuckoo’s tutelage, Connie believed that she was flourishing and as much as the rest of the family were tiring of the constant singing, bongo playing and chanting while holding sparklers, Connie was offered a singing job in a restaurant. Ken hatched a plan to reunite Connie and Steve but found that things weren’t going to be as simple as he thought. In the meantime, Lorna was having trouble remembering good times with Ken and kept mistaking events in her past with other boyfriends for times with her husband. Also, Ken found out that Steve had a particular envy of him ranging from the boardroom to the bedroom which left him feeling a little shocked.
Overall the episode was funny without being over the top and this is where it was a winner for me this week. This episode had a great plot, the whole cast were drawn into it and it seemed that equal comedy was shared without overshadowing anyone. Plus nothing completely awful happened to Greg Davies which actually made a nice change, sure he was irritated at Cuckoo’s antics and insulted by his son in law several times but at least he didn’t end up naked or injured or humiliated so it was a good week for him. Connie’s singing was actually bearable although I think that perhaps X Factor may be out of the question, still at least she was singing in tune which was another way that the storyline emerged naturally – if she had been completely tone deaf it would have tipped the balance and been unrealistic but there was a natural progression to the plot which I very much enjoyed. Will Ken grow to love his mystical son-in-law or will Rachel grow up and part from her beloved? And will Dylan ever manage to get the girlfriend he so desperately wants? An amusing tale of chaos in suburbia and well worth watching.
