IFC's "Brockmire" Goes Out With a Bang

I once called the act of watching Jim Brockmire Hank Azaria amp8220akin to driving past a fiery accident on the highwayamp8221 in a good way amp160In the same breath I also said that he was amp8220the perfect mix of charisma narcissism and selfloathingamp8221 and at the time it was the absolute truth amp160By the end of season three however the opposite had become true though he was still pretty charismaticThe first season introduced us to the garbage fire that was Jimmy Bamp8217s life while the second showed how success and a handful of debilitating addictions arenamp8217t exactly the healthiest combination amp160Season three chronicled the manamp8217s arduous road to sobriety and all the while it wasnamp8217t just Brockmireamp8217s trauma we explored it was also the emotional wreckage of those closest to him that we got to sift through as wellamp160 This voyage over the scorched earth of Jimamp8217s past teaches him to be someone whoamp8217s empathic not narcissistic amp160It taught him to be someone who practices selflove instead of selfloathing amp160As someone whoamp8217s dealt with similar issues in his past I canamp8217t even begin to explain how downtoearth relatable and unbelievably cathartic it all was to watchThereamp8217s a scene in the third seasonamp8217s finale where Jim is having a particularly rough day and during a walk he took to cool off he finds himself sitting in a bar drink in hand contemplating breaking his sobriety amp8230 at least until he sees his sponsor whoamp8217s apparently shtfaced amp160He immediately forgets about his drink and starts talking to her about how she always tried to get him to acknowledge the amp8220higher poweramp8221 in his lifeamp8220I donamp8217t think I ever truly felt itamp8217s presence until right now because in this moment Iamp8217m exactly where Iamp8217m supposed to be doing exactly what Iamp8217m supposed to be doing and all the bad stuff that happened to me today that drove me to this bar served its purpose amp8216cause I was meant to be here to help you right nowamp8221 he saysThat quote for me sums up the entire series amp160Everything that happens to Jim everything we ride through with him is not only necessary for his personal growth but for that of the audience amp160This connection to the material is what makes the underlying finality of the fourth season so palpableSpeaking of the fourth season spoiler alert thereamp8217s a bit of jumping back and forth in time that occurs just about immediately after it begins amp160Not unlike the final two episodes of Weeds Brockmire jumps a decade into the future amp160Unlike Weeds it then splits the narrative using moments from the presentnow past to provide context for the futurenew present and vice versa for the entire season amp160Itamp8217s a move that allows for some very efficient storytelling time wise amp160It also allows for some solid sociopolitical predictions that I obviously wouldnamp8217t want to see come to fruition mostly because they were as dystopic as they were entertaining amp160Weamp8217re talking water shortages wildfires roving street gangs the works amp160That said if any of them did come true I would feel like I shouldamp8217ve seen it all comingIn one scene Jim describes the amp8220currentamp8221 state of things on the east coast to a character I wonamp8217t name right now but who is wonderfully played by Reina Hardesty and with that classic Brockmire brand of colorful commentary he says amp8220New York is now just a flooded playground for the one percent of the one percent amp160The Bronx is now Brooklyn amp160Brooklyn is now Manhattan amp160Manhattan is now Dubai amp160And darling the worst part is Staten Island is still just Staten Island amp160That thing is a civic black hole that the light of gentrification and human decency canamp8217t penetrateamp8221There is so much to love about this show amp160Its depth its wit Jimamp8217s grayed look after the time jump itamp8217s all wonderful and watching the graceful landing of a series that just kept doinamp8217 the damn thing all the way until the end was definitely bittersweet but ultimately satisfying amp160The whole thing comes full circle in an edifying way amp160I usually feel like the maximum length for comedies is five to seven seasons but when they come as heavily packed a dramedy as this one a shorter run like the four seasons we got seems to be a way better fit amp160There was a reason why I named Brockmire one of my Top Ten shows of 2018 and thereamp8217s a reason why I feel like a part of me will end when the show doesamp160 Great shows always hit me but this time it was personalBefore checking back in with Brockmire read our classic Lunch at Michael39s interview with Hank AzariaBrockmire is telecast Wednesday at 10 pm on IFCClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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IFC's "Brockmire" Goes Out With a Bang

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Ainsley Andrade

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

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IFC's "Brockmire" Goes Out With a Bang

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Ainsley Andrade

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

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