BWW Recap: THE LEAGUE Takes a Trip to 'Manland'

By: Oct. 23, 2014
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

Tonight on THE LEAGUE the guys take a trip to "Manland" with Kevin's father-in-law! What could go wrong, right? Ah, just wait and see! Also tonight marks the return of Ruxin! So keep reading to read my recap of this week's episode, but beware of bears and SPOILERS!

Andre tells the group he had to send M'Lady away for a spa weekend in order to forget about the tramautic prank that was played on her and Andre. However, Pete says the best prank of the week was Jenny's and that's why he changed his team name to "The s Heads." Kevin says he won't allow Pete to use a name that a "cross-section of The League finds offensive," and they point out how they have a Redskins situation on their hand.

Ruxin oh so nicely asks Kevin why he's extra sensitive, and Kevin says it's because his father-in-law, "Bruce Banger, the man's man," is in town. At the bar, Russell and Andre get kicked out after making fun of the bartender's lack of wine knowledge. They then decide to open a wine bar together.

Bruce emasculates Kevin in front of Jenny and makes him say, "I'm a ninny." Kevin heads into his living room to continue the midseason hypothetical redraft The League is holding. While they are drafting, Andre asks Jenny to help him and Russell find place to open their wine bar. Immediately after Andre asks Jenny, Russell sends The League a poll that says which will happen first? "Andre gets laid" or "Andre wins the Shiva." This obviously hurts Andre, who is confused why his partner would be mean to him. Kevin, tired of Bruce making fun of him, stands up for himself and says he's equal to Bruce. Bruce tells him to prove it by going hunting at "Manland" with him, and Kevin agrees and makes the guys come with him.

Kevin, Ruxin, Taco, Pete, and Bruce arrive at Manland and start their walk to the campsite. On the way Kevin jumps at the sound of rustling in the bushes, and Bruce is ready to shoot what he thinks is a wild boar, but when the creature jumps up it's actual Rafi! (YAY RAFI IS BACK). Rafi tells them he's been out there for days "tracking" Kevin.

They get to the campsite, and Kevin complains that there isn't any service, but he needs to set his line-up for the game tomorrow. The guys agree, so Bruce tells them that at night he'll take them to a bar nearby, but after they have to start acting like men.

They get to the bar, and as they are setting their line-ups, Pete comments that Kevin not having a problem saying "Redskins" is wrong when he has a problem with "The s Heads." Kevin says they aren't the same, but Pete says, "there is no difference between a Redskin and a s Head," which is not a good thing to say in a bar full of American-Indians, which they are in. One of the Native Americans speaks up and is angry with them for what they said, but Pete clarifies that it's just for fantasy football, which the Native-American man calls "the white man's plague." Things started to get heated, and the Native-American pulls his knife, so the guys and Bruce run out of the bar and in to the woods to get away.

Jenny gets stuck talking to Andre after she shows Russell and him the place for their wine bar, and Andre tells Jenny how he's worried about his partnership with Russell. He tells her that in real life he and Russell are close, but that Russell keeps being mean on the Fantasy message boards. Jenny tells him that that's just how you act in The League, and that it doesn't mean anything in real life. That makes Andre feel a little bit better, and when Russell offers him a trade, he accepts it.

Kevin gets upset that Bruce keeps looking down on him. Rafi tells Kevin to unleash his "inner Brian, because that guy is crazy." Kevin is still upset and declares that he is going to take a walk and he leaves. The next morning no one has seen Kevin. Taco points out that there is a bear, and the guys and Bruce start freaking out. They tell Taco to use the gun, but of course Taco turned it into a "forest bong" so it's no use to them. Kevin shows up and goes crazy and yells at the bear and gets it to go away, which Rafi points out was him releasing his "inner Brian."

They follow Taco's change trail back to the highway and flag down a car, and the people in the car end up with the Native Americans from the bar. They say they'll give them a ride if they drop all of the Redskins players from their line-up.

Andre and Russell are signing the papers for their partnership, and right as they are about to sign, Andre gets an alert that lets him see that Russell screwed him over with the trade.

But, because Kevin, Pete, and Ruxin had to drop all the Redskins players from their line-up, Andre has a great team because he was first on the waiver wire and could pick up all of their players. Tefl-Andre strikes again, and while he is marveling over how great his line-up is, Russell signs the papers and their partnership is finalized.

Kevin and Bruce return home, and Bruce tells Jenny that Kevin isn't a ninny, but a man, and he can hunt with him any time. Kevin kisses Jenny, and picks her up to take her upstairs. Jenny asks him who is this, since it's so unlike him, and Kevin responds with "I'm Brian."

Kevin finally showed his manly side and he stood up for himself! Go Kevin! It's nice to see him taking a stand since he always receives so many jokes that question his masculinity. And watching him stand-up to and out crazy a bear was quite a sight.

As always, Rafi commands my attention and is my favorite part of the show. From eating food out of ANIMAL droppings, to tracking the bear, to still calling Kevin "Brian," Rafi's insanity never ceases to let me down. I also love how they give him moments of humanity, like when he was sad no one wanted to cuddle with him, and when he gave Kevin a pep-talk, albeit an unconventional one, but still a motivating talk. I am so glad they didn't really kill him off, because he's my favorite character.

It was also nice to finally have Ruxin back with The League instead of "in Korea." I know Nick Kroll has scheduling conflicts now that he has The Kroll Show, amongst other enterprises, but he is such a vital part of THE LEAGUE and it just doesn't feel right without him.

I liked how the show commented on the Redskins controversey in their own way. Using Kevin's situation and relating it to the NFL team was a nice way to put their imput on the issue without making it too serious or preachy.

Favorite moments of the episode:

  • Rafi: "I'm going to track this bear. I'm gonna to kill it. I'm gonna to eat its heart, I'm going to gain its wisdom, and then when you guys come back, I'm going to have this bear meat grilling on the fire."
  • Russell and Andre essentially naming their wine bar "The 5-Way"
  • Taco: "Our trophy is actually a little Indian girl and if you win you get to do whatever you want with her for a full year."
  • Ruxin being a former Boy-Scout, and using his skills to tie Pete up when he's sleeping.
  • Rafi when no one wants to cuddle for warmth with him: "Oh. Yeah, okay cool. I'm hot, too, so I'm just going to cuddle with myself I think."
  • Taco throwing away all of his change because "they're probably going to get rid of the penny so the rest of the coins are probably not far behind. I don't want to be the last person on my block carrying that garbage." Also, him calling the New York Times, the "Nye Times"
  • Andre to Kevin: "You got a broke dick, your wife's a champion, and she literally s on your face."

Leave your comments on tonight's episode below, or tweet me at @k8linmilligan! Come back next week as I recap another episode of THE LEAGUE! Until next time, remember always be a Shiva and never be a Sacko!



Videos