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<i>Dr. Ken</i> Season Finale – “Ken’s Big Audition” Review. Life Is Short.

Season 2, Episode 22

Air Date: Friday, March 31, 2017, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“I’m auditioning for a TV show.” – Ken

Is this goodbye?

Ken’s (Ken Jeong) comedic aspirations take a giant leap forward when Hollywood producer/writer Dan Harmon (as himself) asks Ken to audition for his new comedy series that is set in a community college. Is Ken ready to hang up his stethoscope and walk away from Welltopia to fulfill a dream that could last five seasons and perhaps a movie?

Over the course of Dr. Ken’s last two seasons, fans have been debating how far Jeong should be unleashed on the show. Known for his antics in films like The Hangover and the hit series Community, the medical comedy that is loosely based on Jeong’s life features what many consider a toned down Jeong. Thankfully, “Ken’s Big Audition” offers the best of both worlds as the funny doctor is cast as an unbalanced science teacher in a TV series. The end result is hysterical.

Written by Jim Brandon and Brian Singleton, and directed by Phill Lewis, “Ken’s Big Audition” is an exciting episode that features a reunion between Jeong and Community creator Harmon, and his former costar Alison Brie. Not only is the episode hilarious for Dr. Ken fans, those who love Community will appreciate the inside jokes, as well as the other familiar faces that appear in the episode. I can only imagine the range of emotions experienced by Jeong, Harmon, and Brie as they step into familiar roles.

There’s something exciting about a Hollywood backlot because you never know whom you might come across. Watching Ken run into Seth Rogen and his producing partner Evan Goldberg at a studio backlot in “Ken’s Big Audition” brought back memories of one of my favorite Diff’rent Stroke episodes, “Hooray for Hollywood” when Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Dudley (Shavar Ross) find themselves on a similar backlot and meet David Hasselhoff and KITT from Knight Rider. It’s a bit moment that adds a touch of realism to the episode.

Life imitating art or art imitating life?

Watching “Ken’s Big Audition” is a surreal experience. Jeong, a real life doctor, went on to become a Hollywood star. He now headlines his own show where he plays a doctor on the verge of becoming a star. With everything so intertwined, I keep waiting for Ken to wake up as his Leslie Chow character from The Hangover to reveal Dr. Ken was all a dream, reminiscent of what Bob Newhart did on Newhart.

My only gripe about “Ken’s Big Audition” is because of the attention given to the Community reunion, the guest star appearance by Nia Vardalos as Tiffany, Pat’s (Dave Foley) ex-wife, is brief and doesn’t go anywhere. Perhaps if there’s a third season, we will get to see more of Vardalos as Pat finds himself forced to choose between a future with Damona (Tisha Campbell) or working things out with Tiffany. Vardalos’ performance isn’t bad, there simply isn’t enough room in the episode for her to shine. Her story arc should have been given the time it deserved.

The Dr. Ken season finale reminds me of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books that became popular in the late ‘70s. Growing up, I loved these stories and couldn’t put them down. The books allowed readers to determine characters’ actions by selecting a reaction and turning to the corresponding page. Each action had a different outcome that changed the course of the story. ABC is faced with a similar decision as they must decide if Ken Jeong’s doctor adventure comes to an end with Dr. Ken Park going off to fame and fortune as a TV star. Or, it can turn to a different page that gives fans a third season of Dr. Ken. So far, ABC has been tight-lipped over the series’ future. As someone who has enjoyed watching how much Dr. Ken has grown over the last two seasons, I am hoping for a third.

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

For more information on Dr. Ken, visit the official website.

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All photos © 2017 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

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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.

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.