Dr. Ken – “A Dr. Ken Valentine's Day” Review. A Dishonest Mistake.

Season 2, Episode 16

Air Date: Friday, February 3, 2017, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“We’re coworkers who dated.” – Pat

Young Love

Ken (Ken Jeong) gets his wish when Allison (Suzy Nakamura) decides she doesn’t want to do anything special for Valentine’s Day. While Ken is off the hook, Dave (Albert Tsai) enlists the help of D.K. (Dana Lee) to arrange a romantic evening with his girlfriend Emily (Zooey Jeong). Will Dave’s enthusiasm rub off on Allison, like being shot with one of Cupid’s arrows, or will watching TV in sweatpants be all the romance she needs? More importantly, when a woman says she doesn’t need anything for Valentine’s Day, does she really mean it? The answer is a resounding no!

As a single curmudgeon of sorts, Valentine themed episodes tend to be more annoying than entertaining for me. Storylines often go over the top as writers try to distinguish holiday episodes from the rest of the season. What sets “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day” apart is the episode fits both the characters and the flow of the season. I really enjoyed how each couple has a very different take on the holiday. From Ken and Allison to Dave and Emily, we see each couple share the day in their own special way. Even Molly (Krista Marie Yu) and Jae (Justin Chon) get in on the action, albeit by declaring the holiday a corporate concoction. Given all the different opinions of the special day, it’s impossible not to relate to at least one of the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed Nakamura’s performance in “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day.” Nakamura is an entertaining actress but because of her TV husband’s antics, she is often left playing the straight role. Yet, over the last few episodes, the writers seem to have allowed Nakamura to explore more of her comedic side, and the results are hilarious. From Allison’s selfish coffee moment in “Ken and the Basketball Star” to her reaction to Dave playing Cupid in “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day,” Dr. Ken fans have been able to see Nakamura’s humorous side.

Speaking of humor, as much as the dialogue on Dr. Ken makes me chuckle, it’s the actors’ nonverbal reactions that make me laugh the most. Too often, writers feel the need to fill scenes with dialogue when a carefully executed facial expression would be just as funny. Jonathan Slavin, who plays Clark, is masterful when it comes to his reactions to certain moments. I also got a good laugh at Jeong’s body language each time Ken finds himself in the doghouse in “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day.”.

Meanwhile, Clark’s romantic scavenger hunt with Connor (Stephen Guarino) doesn’t go as planned. It’s amusing to watch Clark’s behavior each time he puts his heart into something he’s passionate about. I really enjoy Clark and Connor’s relationship because it’s not used as a gimmick or a way for Dr. Ken to be edgy; it’s simply a relationship. Regardless of your orientation, it’s hard not to root for the couple. I couldn’t help but laugh when their romantic plans go astray. Is it just me, or do Clark and Connor’s holidays never seem to go as intended? Remember Thanksgiving?

Clark isn’t the only one struggling in the romance department as Pat (Dave Foley) gets a second chance with Megan (Gillian Vigman). Turns out a relationship can be built on a lie after all. When their dinner doesn’t go as planned, Pat ends up crashing Damona (Tisha Campbell-Martin) and Eric’s (Jerry Minor) meal. Despite the show being called Dr. Ken, it’s great to see the secondary characters like Damona and Clark have real relationships that are given meaningful storylines.

Written by Hilary Winston and directed by Anthony Rich, “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day” is one of those fun episodes viewers will be able to find a character they can identify with. Despite being a holiday-themed episode, Winston doesn’t force the romantic theme down everyone’s throat and each character is given a special moment to shine.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “A Dr. Ken Valentine’s Day.”

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.