It’s always sad to say good-bye to a favorite TV show when it goes on hiatus, but Portlandia’s seasons are so short that we especially dread waiting upwards of 40 weeks between the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. So it’s especially exciting to learn that Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen’s hipster-skewering sketch series will be back this month, if only for a single hour. Portlandia: The Brunch Special, a behind-the-scenes look at the finale’s epic, city-spanning brunch line, will air July 20th on IFC. In addition to the on-set shenanigans, the special will include a detour into director Jonathan Krisel’s “quest to find the world’s most perfect marionberry pancakes” — a culinary tale hosted by Kyle MacLachlan and featuring appearances by none other than brunch expert Bobby Flay and Portlandia/SNL producer Lorne Michaels.
But that’s not even all the good news. Preceding the 11pm premiere of The Brunch Special, IFC will air Portlandia Mixtape Marathon an eight-episode block of fan favorites, which you can vote on at the show’s Facebook page. Hey, it may not be enough Toni and Candace to hold us over until January’s Season 3 premiere, but it’s a start.