Depending on any given episode, Abbi and Ilana have a different kind of relationship. To be clear, they are always friends first and foremost but their friendship realistically changes from week-to-week, sometimes with Abbi as the straight(wo)man to Ilana’s antics, sometimes as the two on equally crazy sides, or sometimes one being just a bit more adult than the other. In “Wisdom Teeth,” Ilana takes on the role of Abbi’s protector, her nurse, and her mother. Things quickly go awry and, in the deadpan words of Lincoln, “I should’ve seen this coming a mile away.”
This week, Abbi is getting her wisdom teeth out (by Lincoln) and it’s up to Ilana to take care of Abbi while she recovers in her drooling, drugged-out state. The surgery itself goes smoothly (Ilana hangs out the entire time as Lincoln recaps the entire series of Felicity, it seems) and Abbi morphs into one of those “After The Dentist” videos, doing her best Drew Barrymore impression (“I love Jimmy Fallon. I have my own makeup line”) and then bleeding profusely from the mouth all while Ilana sits next to her in the cab and conducts the smoothest drug deal I’ve ever seen with a bicycling dealer out the window.
Ilana has strict orders to make sure Abbi takes two Vicodin pills every four hours but screws up this plan immediately as Jaime unknowingly gives Abbi two pills, too, effectively doubling Abbi’s dose. And when Ilana mistakes Abbi’s discomfort with the double-dose as the pills not working, rather than exactly doing their job, she decides to make Abbi a weed-laced smoothie. It’s a masterfully done sequence in terms of directing, Ilana’s acting, and also — let’s be honest — a thorough step-by-step guide to making your own weed smoothie. It’s very “Kids, do try this at home!” and I love it. Meanwhile, Abbi has called her neighbor crush Jeremy and basically confesses her feelings for him. One thing I really love about Abbi is her inability to interact with someone she has a crush on (maybe because it’s super familiar?). And it’s not just when she’s druggy but it’s even more so when she’s stone sober, like earlier in the episode when she blurts out that getting her wisdom teeth out means “it will make more room in my mouth.” Abbi Jacobson is such a gifted comedic actor, able to spin gold out of interactions like “Where ya heading?” “Not much!”
After Ilana takes away Abbi’s phone and has her drink the smoothie, she detours to have a little vidchat with Lincoln in which they gleefully flash each other. I love how comfortable these two are together, and how they complement each others total weirdness. But as this happens, Abbi — who is stoned out of her mind and dressed like something of a baby chola with braids in her hair and a disturbing makeup job — sneaks out of the apartment on an epic quest accompanied by a huge version of her favorite stuffed toy Bingo Bronson.
Bingo Bronson takes Abbi to Whole Foods in Gowanus where she goes crazy shopping, knocking over cereal displays and eventually spending close to $1500 on increasingly odd food products in order to prepare for the apocalypse or whatever craziness Bingo Bronson is spewing at her. Meanwhile Ilana gets an alert that Abbi has made unusual charges on her second credit card and bikes over to save her. The episode ends pretty abruptly, but in a good way, with Abbi, Ilana, and Lincoln all in bed together.
There were some other wonderful bits in “Wisdom Teeth” such as that great cold open gag where Ilana becomes the nude model for Abbi’s art class. She twists herself in such crazy positions that even a previously-annoyed Abbi can’t help but laugh at the sight. There is also Jaime, Ilana’s roommate, who helps Ilana out with taking care of Abbi. The two wear Halloween costume nurses outfits, fully prepared for the role of Abbi’s caretaker, but they never speak of it which makes the gag even funnier. Jaime is used perfectly sparingly in this episode so it’s much better than last week’s Bevers-heavy episode, though a lot of this is because Jaime is just a better character. He is tasked with finding a yogurt that captures Abbi’s essence but becomes so overwhelmed by the choices at the yogurt shop that he breaks down, remains in the store after hours, and even throws up from the stress. It’s so quick, but so funny.