Dr. Ken – “Ken’s Professor” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Dr. Dummy.

Season 2, Episode 19

Air Date: Friday, March 10, 2017, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“I used to wonder how someone could know so much about the heart without having one.” – Ken

Ken (Ken Jeong) experiences a sense of déjà vu when Dr. Erwin (Jonathan Banks), his no-nonsense attending physician during his residency, makes an appointment to have an ailment checked out. Ken quickly learns despite now being a full-fledged doctor, Dr. Erwin continues to torment him just like he did 20 years earlier. Making matters worse, Erwin still refers to Ken by his old nickname. Can Ken rise above Erwin’s jabs or will he revert to his insecure resident self?

“Ken’s Professor” continues the entertaining run of Community mini-reunions. Banks joined the Community cast during the show’s fifth season playing Professor Buzz Hickey. Given Erwin’s gruff demeanor, I can’t think of another actor better suited to play Ken’s old professor. Banks’ gravelly monotone voice and deadpan humor are a perfect fit for the character, and it’s hard not to laugh as Ken takes the brunt of Erwin’s digs. Perhaps it’s because Jeong and Banks have worked together before, but the two have great chemistry on screen. Given how much of the show is drawn from Jeong’s personal life, I can’t help but wonder if there’s a Dr. Erwin out there and what he would think of his student now.

Meanwhile, Damona (Tisha Campbell) and Pat (Dave Foley) try to figure out if there’s something romantically meaningful going on between them, or if they’re simply living in the moment like a couple of teenagers. I really enjoy how the writers have handled Damona and Pat’s storyline. As erratic as their relationship can be at times, you really believe there’s something more than the occasional make-out session in the supply closet. I’d argue that, in many ways, given the mixed emotions and feelings of the right or wrong time, as well as other complications, Pat and Damona’s experience is more real than many relationships seen on other sitcoms.

Pat and Damona aren’t the only ones with workplace issues. Allison (Suzy Nakamura) discovers to be careful what she wishes for when her new medical assistant Kylie (Sarah Baker) turns out to be a chatterbox, or as Allison likes to put it, “a conversational Bermuda Triangle.” Baker has an enthusiastic personality that I enjoy watching every time I see her. Kylie’s personality clashes with Allison’s serious demeanor and it’s entertaining to see the fallout from it. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Kylie in future episodes.

As funny as Jeong is as a comedian, it’s when Ken’s in doctor mode that Jeong really shines. Episodes like “Ken and the Basketball Star” and “Dicky Wexler’s Last Show” aren’t necessarily remembered for the jokes, but for the way Ken bonds with his patients; “Ken’s Professor” is no exception. I’ve really been impressed with the way the writers have found ways to respectfully deal with serious medical issues this season while still maintaining the laughs. Dr. Ken could easily be reduced to a bunch of humorous bits involving a forgettable array of characters with an assortment of unusual conditions. Instead, Dr. Ken allows the audience to get to know these patients. The end result is characters like Dicky Wexler (George Wyner) and Erwin leave a lasting impression.

Written by Mike O’Connell and directed by Mark Cendrowski, “Ken’s Professor” is an entertaining story of the classic tale of the student becoming the master. I also enjoyed how the writers incorporate Ken’s troubles with Erwin to a similar dilemma Dave (Albert Tsai) finds himself facing.

It’s always special anytime actors reunite on a different show, as with the stars from Community. Despite all the ribbing during the episode, as well as some of Jeong’s social media videos promoting Bank’s appearance, it’s nice to see the two actors sharing a touching scene during “Ken’s Professor.”

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

Tune in to Dr. Ken Fridays at 8:30/7:30c, only on ABC.

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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.