Sam & Max, the farcical comedy duo, continue their satirical scrutiny of pop culture with their second television-length episode, Situation Comedy. Like the first episode, this episode lacks lengthy gameplay and mind-bending puzzles. Storytelling remains the focus, and Sam & Max deliver great one-liners.
If anything, this episode feels shorter than the last one. Instead of spending time introducing supporting characters like Sybil and Bosco, the series spends more time delivering its societal commentary. Simple trial-and-error by players solves most of the puzzles. There might be the occasional difficult puzzle, but answers are found in plain sight. All in all, the episode takes less than an hour to complete, but then players would be missing out on some great material and the true charm of the series. Most of the fun comes from clicking around the environment and getting the Sam & Max commentary, or exploring tangential talk options.
The previous episode, Culture Shock, dealt with washed-up former child actors. Situation Comedy, episode two, continues the TV theme by actually visiting a television studio. Forced against their wills, a hostage TV audience must accept stupid gifts from a very mom-ish talk show host named Myra Stump. In order to stop her Sam & Max run through various forms of broadcast entertainment. These include a hokey sitcom that in one stroke manages to poke fun of almost every situational comedy known to man, a cooking show that uses randomly assortment of toxic materials for ingredients, a game show entitled "Who's Never Going to Be a Millionaire" and a music show parody entitled "Embarrassing Idol." Unfortunately, there's no coverage of reality TV programs other than a large sign posted on the exit door that reads: "In case of fire, this door will be locked and the cameras switched on for an impromptu reality show."
This second episode feels a little TOO short, but that comes from one's inability to get enough Sam & Max. Sybil and Bosco, who were pivotal in the first episode, now play almost cameo roles. However, the developers make numerous connections to the first episode, such as the trophy made out of Brady Culture's (the villain from the first episode) huge Afro. The Soda Poppers also make an appearance, illustrating that this game shouldn't necessarily be regarded all by itself, but as part of a much bigger storyline in this six-episode season. Sam & Max never claimed subtlety, and this episode throws in a clear clue for future journeys. Audiences simply need to stay tuned for the next episode to see what zany adventures come down the line.
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