Ep 3. Cool Wedding

In Portlandia season 2 episode 3, entitled "Cool Wedding," the hilarious duo of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein return as their quirky characters in the fictionalized and surreal version of Portland, Oregon. The episode focuses on a wedding, as the title suggests, and the absurdity that comes with trying to plan and attend one in the hipster-filled town.

The episode starts with Fred and Carrie's characters inviting a couple to the cool wedding they are planning. They explain that the wedding will be so cool it will be like "going to a concert." The couple seems wary but agrees to attend. From there, the viewer is taken on a hilarious journey through the planning and execution of the so-called "cool" wedding.

One of the standout moments of the episode is when Fred and Carrie's characters decide to take a trip to a "cool" wedding planning store. The store is filled with items like vintage typewriters, taxidermy, and old cameras. The characters browse through the items in the store, trying to find the perfect decorations for the wedding. They end up purchasing a vintage globe to use as a centerpiece at the wedding reception. This scene exemplifies the unique humor of Portlandia by satirizing the hipster and bohemian culture that has become associated with Portland.

The episode also explores the drama and stress that can come with planning a wedding. The bride and groom are constantly fighting about the details of the ceremony and reception, and the guests are subjected to various mishaps throughout the day. One of the guests, played by comedian Kyle MacLachlan, shows up to the wedding in a kilt and ends up accidentally flashing the bride's grandmother. Another guest, played by Portland-based musician James Mercer of The Shins, performs at the reception but quickly realizes that he is not as popular as he thought he was when none of the guests seem to recognize him.

Throughout the episode, there are also various subplots that add to the overall absurdity of the wedding. For example, Fred and Carrie's characters encounter a man in a kilt (played by actor and comedian Matt Lucas) who claims to be a member of the Scottish royal family and tries to get them to help him win back his family's fortune. The characters also attend a food-tasting event where they are served unusual dishes like "frozen corn on a stick" and "bacon-wrapped dates."

Overall, the "Cool Wedding" episode of Portlandia is a hilarious and satirical take on the wedding industry and the culture surrounding it. The episode pokes fun at the obsession with being "cool" in Portland, while also highlighting the emotional stress and chaos that can come with planning a wedding. Through its unique humor and quirky characters, Portlandia continues to provide a fresh and hilarious perspective on life in America's weirdest city.