Ep 5 “Next of Shin” tackles weightier emotional material than its comic framing can always comfortably support. The episode is strongest when contrasting Hank and Peggy’s quiet frustration with Cotton’s loud, self-absorbed response to responsibility, using that imbalance for both humour and character insight.
Some jokes land cleanly, particularly those rooted in Cotton’s blunt worldview, but others feel overstretched or tonally awkward. The structure is also slightly uneven, with momentum flagging toward the end rather than resolving sharply.
Still, the episode earns credit for engaging directly with Hank’s unresolved feelings about legacy and masculinity, even if it doesn’t fully reconcile those themes with its comedic beats. It’s thoughtful in intent, mixed in execution, and more interesting than it is consistently funny.