This season, all of Bret and Jemaine’s songs were written before the show began. I’m sure it was tempting to tailor all of the songs to the events in the show, rather than doing what they did in the first season - clumsily, awkwardly working in musical numbers at random points throughout. But they didn’t. The awkwardness is here to stay. That might not sound like a positive thing, but when it comes to Flight of the Conchords, awkwardness is the main source of comedy.

In “Prime Minister” we open on the New Zealand consulate. Once again, Murray has been failing spectacularly in his task as band manager, signing the boys up for a karaoke night and calling it a “gig.” But he’s found an actual paying job for them now…the only catch is that they have to dress up as Simon & Garfunkel and play Simon & Garfunkel songs. At first they are reluctant, but the prospect of $50 each is just too sweet to pass up.

“Prime Minister” is one of the most star-studded FotC episodes yet, featuring Lost’s Brian Sergent as the titular character, 24’s Mary Lynn Rajskub as a crazy Art Garfunkel fan, and - of course - a surprise guest at the end. Rajskub’s delightfully demented performance as Karen isn’t much of a departure from her usual stuff, but it’s still just as good.

Episode Trivia #1

What is the surprise revelation about Karen, the crazy Art Garfunkel fan, in “Prime Minister?”

a. She is actually into Jemaine
b. She secretly loves Bret
c. She actually dated Art Garfunkel
d. She was jilted by Paul Simon

And here’s where the real-life band’s ingenuity kicks in. Rather than write a song with lyrics about a girl who’s in love with Art Garfunkel and forces Jemaine to dress as him in the bedroom, the confused singer performs “Demon Woman,” an homage to that genre of ’70s rock that insisted there was such a thing as a truly evil woman whose soul belonged to the devil. (See: “Lucretia MacEvil,” “Evil Woman,” etc.) It’s hilariously unexpected, and maybe a sort of subtle commentary on how men rationalize a woman’s behavior.

Episode Trivia #2

What Simon & Garfunkel classic are Bret and Jemaine shown performing in “Prime Minister?”

a. Bridge Over Troubled Water
b. Mrs. Robinson
c. The Boxer
d. Scarborough Fair (Canticle)

The Prime Minister’s visit, while amusing, necessarily takes a backseat to the sheer weirdness of Jemaine’s brief affair with Karen. Still it’s refreshing to see Sergent with his native accent for once - the Kiwi actor usually plays American.

All in all, “Prime Minister” offers the same brand of laughs as most FotC episodes this season, but the song “Demon Woman” is a standout.

Highlight below for trivia answers.

#1 - C
#2 - D

Come back next week for a look back at “New Zealand Town.”

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