'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens' Season 1 Episode 2 is back with twisted adventures but wavers in humor
The funnies are here, albeit in bits and pieces. Comedy Central's 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens' returns with its second episode continuing with the twisted adventures of Nora Lum, a twenty-something wanderer trying to figure out the confusing journey of life, without much luck.
In the first shot of the episode, Nora is all set to spend a relaxing day like any other millennial. She needs a good TV show and apparently an even better vibrator. Unfortunately, her wild grandmother (Lori Tan Chinn), who has just chopped off her hair in the hope she looks like rapper Eminem, bombs her plans. She wants Nora to accompany her to Atlantic City. Nora is reluctant, but after some severe emotional blackmail, she decides to go to Atlantic City.
Usually in sitcoms, Atlantic City means a wild ride. Well, granny has a crazy time. Nora, not so much. Nora's grandmother gets busy watching some Korean soap operas with her friends and then gets into a physical fight. Honestly, the grandmother deserves her own show because she just owns every scene she is in. Nora runs into an old school friend who is running odd jobs in the city, and convinces her to come back home. And surprisingly, she does.
Awkwafina is naturally hilarious and struggles hard to work with the script, even where there isn't much to do. The episode had a good premise (seriously, you can do so much with Atlantic City), but seemed to feel rather staid at several points, especially in the scenes which did not include Chin. The whole arc of a person being easily convinced to return home after living a life on the edge seemed a little far-fetched. Her reasoning is that if Nora can make it work, so can anyone.
The episode does feel a bit disappointing as if you were promised a chocolate cake but received a fruitcake in return. It's not bad, just that you expected a little more.
'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens' airs on Comedy Central at 10.30 pm on Wednesdays.