Superior Doughnuts was one of the best sitcoms ever made, but the key word here is 'was'. Superior Doughnuts used to be a really good show. Full to the brim with polished jokes, friendly flawed characters, and diplomatic social commentary. I loved every episode of the first season. I loved the conversational wit, I loved the sarcasm, and I adored the feeling it brought forth that we are all in this together. I used to love Superior Doughnuts, but not anymore.
There is nothing superior about the latest episode of Superior Doughnuts. Gone is the witty dialogue, for the nuanced conversation between the characters is almost completely nonexistent. Gone are two characters James and Maya. Two characters just up and disappeared. Two characters that are relatable that allowed the average viewer a way into that space, into the world of Chicago. Gone are the jokes, the sarcasm, and the making fun in a good-natured way. Gone are the quirky situations, the situations in which the character tries to solve a problem but does so the wrong way.
Now that the best parts of the show have disappeared, enter the superficial conflict between Arthur and the new character, the Columbian organic food truck breakfast maker. She steals all of Arthur's customers but no one seems to care. In season one, all the characters would have sat around and discussed the situation with biting sarcasm, come up with an unusual solution that wouldn't work, and put their egos aside to work together to finally solve the problem. Disappointingly, none of this occurred in the first episode. Instead, Arthur stood around in a panic as every other character was uncharacteristically self-involved. What the heck? Eventually, Franco solves the problem, but without the first failed attempt, the solving of the conflict was anti-climactic.
I hope future episodes improve, but if this first episode of the second season is any indicator, I doubt it will, and I doubt I will be watching into the future. Despondently, I am afraid to say that a good show has gone bad. All the elements that I enjoyed are gone; the comradery, the quips, the eccentricities, and the relatable imperfect characters aren't relatable anymore. What I missed from this episode the most was the friendships, unusual in a large city with such different people.
I guess nothing good lasts.