Holly Hunter and Bobby Moynihan shine as Mr. Mayor hits The Sac – The A.V. Club

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The Sac has perhaps the strongest opening for a Mr. Mayor episode yet: Holly Hunters Arpi is hyped and ready to head to Californias capital, Sacramento (the titular Sac), in a way that only she can be hyped and ready for such things. If there were any questions left about who this character is, this opening (as quick as it was) surely answered them. As I highlighted Mikaelas Liz Lemonian nature last week in the high school never ends plot, the Tina Fey-penned The Sac opens with Arpis version of that particular character quality, from her giddiness over Sacramento (for government reasons, of course) to her song about the capital city to her self-centered behavior when it comes to the first part (shown via the Alexa reveal).

Also, if youlike methought it didnt quite track that Arpi would even have an Alexa in the first place, then the neighbor Alexa reveal really worked.

One thing that sticks out about The Sac is that Hunter plays things like shes simply starring in her own bizarre version of The West Wing, never winking at the absurdity of any of this. In her own bizarre West Wing, shes still very much at odds with Mayor Bremer, immenselyand somewhat sadlyparanoid that every move made is one hes making against her. (Bremers not really part of this version of The Mayor, so hes not aware of this.) Hunter doesnt even wink once things take a hard turn to Arpis trypophobia (fear of holes), somehow playing that even straighter.

That moment where Arpi and Jayden decide to make eye contact with each other for four minutes? Thats the kind of focus Hunter brings to this series.

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Theres definitely something to be said about Tina Fey and Robert Carlock doing their own comedy version of The West Wing long after 30 Rock already existed at the same time as Aaron Sorkins Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (as brief a time as it was)... but really, the only character who even consistently exists in that version of Mr. Mayor is Arpi. And its something that The Sac really highlights: Mr. Mayor is multiple shows rolled into one, and none are functioning on the same level. As I wrote last week, the best way I can describe Mr. Mayorfor everything I enjoy about itis as disjointed. Theres a plate-spinning feeling that comes with Mr. Mayor, but instead of coming across as impressive, so far, it comes across more like an ill-advised choice for the series and what it is, whatever that may be. It would be one thing if Mr. Mayors plate-spinning was impressive throughout, but it only somewhat achieves that status about once per episodewhen theres a brief intersectionand that never quite defines the whole series or even episode. It happened when Jayden found himself entering the high school never ends plot last week, and it happens again here with Arpi and Jaydens return from Sacramento.

While Hunter is firmly in comedic West Wing and brings whoever her scene partner is for the week along for the ride (here, its Bobby Moynihan), the rest of this episode is firmly in family sitcom territory. (Fey goes for an A and B-plot this week, with no third story.) Its an established part of Mr. Mayor, but its also one that contributes both to the series lack of edge compared to typical Fey and Carlock fare and that sense of not quite knowing what this show is trying to do or be.

As Bremers entire reason for running for Mayor boiled down to how Orly sees him, naturally, thats a big part of the series. And its not that Fey doesnt realize that focusing on the father-daughter relationship here completely removes any Mayor stuff, as Mikaelas existence in this episode boils down to making faces because neither Bremer nor Tommy are doing any work. The issue here is that this family sitcom plot about an out-of-touch single dad is just a different show entirely, with weird bits barely sprinkled in to force it into fitting the tone of a Fey and Carlock series. (The Little Women joke about Stab Massacre 2 is the height of that.) Its possible to make a family sitcom (or at least include heavy elements of a family sitcom among the rest of the comedy) in the vein of and with the full comedic sensibilities of a Fey and Carlock sitcom. But so far, the only person who has actually proven that to be doable without slowing down the comedy or the rest of the showor without making it seem like there are multiple shows in oneis actually Tracey Wigfield, both with Great News and the Saved By the Bell reimagining.

Because it is baked into this series, theres nothing inherently wrong with leaning on the family stories between Bremer and Orly. In this case, the story is amazingly simple outside of the Bremer/Tommy Finsta partsOrly wants to see a scary movie, Bremer doesnt want her to see the scary movie, because it will scare herbut it still comes from a natural part of the show. Its funny to hear Ted Danson say slang incorrectly and inappropriately, but its the kind of bit that would work better on The Good Place, because that wouldnt be all the bit is. As it is here in The Sac, it feels more like a Modern Family plot that has the occasional Fey and Carlock weirdnessand that weirdness is not even driven by Danson, who is otherwise the driving force of the plot.

The Sac does succeed in separating Hunter and Danson so they can work with and elevate the rest of the cast, especially when it comes to Arpi and Jaydens trip and all the twists and turns it takes (from strangers to lovers to friends). And while Tommy remains the character with the most question marks surrounding him, working with Danson here does give the character more to do. Mike Cabellon shines any time The Mayor has him devolve into teenager mode, which The Sac allows him to do as Tommy gets into the character of Emma. (It works better than his sarcastic mode, because it sheds the illusion that he is a better person than any of these characters.) But similar to Brentwood Trash, it almost feels like there is a beat missing in this particular story, which ultimately speaks to Mr. Mayors entire vibe right now: It never quite feels like a full or complete comedic experience, even though it is an enjoyable enough one.

That full comedic experience at least comes through in the Arpi/Jayden plot. Like the character of Jayden himselfabsolutely brilliant in this episode, from the long legs to large pancake-eatingthe trypophobia in this episode could be considered too much, especially in a story that already has a (long) leg to stand on with the Arpi/Jayden relationship. That something this out of left field solidifies their friendship is the kind of weirdness this show only sometimes leans into, but Hunter and Moynihan both fundamentally understand the specific show that theyre on and act accordingly. Which makes it even funnier when theyre dropped back into the other show with Bremerbut also highlights the contrast in the multiple shows within this one show.

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Holly Hunter and Bobby Moynihan shine as Mr. Mayor hits The Sac - The A.V. Club