It’s no secret that I think The Detour is one of the most underrated shows on television. In fact, I even wrote an article citing all the reasons you should be watching the show. The season (and hopefully not series) finale was the perfect culmination of everything the show has given us over the past three years with some huge twists. Plenty of SPOILERS ahead.
The episode started off with a bang (literally) as we find the Parkers again on the lam, this time in what we find to be a recreated Wild West themed town in Alaska. Non-stop laughs here as they find themselves at gunpoint from a group of Japanese LARPers (Live Action Role Players) dressed as cowboys. Fearing for his family’s safety, Nate (Jason Jones) immediately going into “GET SOME” mode was absolutely ridiculous and perfect.
When he pushes his family out of the way, dives for a gun, and starts seriously believing he is single-handedly taking out everyone is hilarious. Robin (Natalie Zea) realizing the situation, shooting herself in the hand and calmly walking over to Nate while he is shouting, “What the hell are you doing?” was just great. They have amazing chemistry. After she explains to him what is going on and he quickly calms down, he delivered the perfect line: “Guess I killed that guy like ten times.” What an opening!
The subtle nods to Toy Story including the “cowboys” saying lines like “Reach for the sky” and “There’s a snake in my boot” are brilliant as well. If you listen closely in the bar scene, you can hear “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” being played on the piano.
I’m happy for the Parkers as they find some solace and fun in this Wild West themed town. Nate and Robin embracing the fun of the town and not being on the run for a bit was actually really nice. Amongst all the raunchy comedy, you really do get invested in these characters. Of course, the down time is quickly interrupted as Edie (Laura Benanti) and her mini misfit militia inevitably track the family down. Robin tells the family that there will be no more running and the Parkers surrender. This is where things started to get REAL.
We’re given a quick sort of flashback of all the Parkers’ interragation scenes with the USPIS, which brings us back to the present. This immediately gave viewers a sort of wrapping up feeling, as again the show has NOT yet been renewed by TBS for a fourth season. I think this immediately made viewers extremely nostalgic and gave us some of the feels. Little did we know that this was the perfect set up for two HUGE bombshells.
After all the running from the government, the Parkers are ironically set free much to the dismay of Edie. Edie complaining about how now they will never catch Robin’s father J.R. and how he “broke the government’s heart” was huge. She immediately connects with Robin as they agree how he was never there. Robin is completely clueless, as Nate puts together that Edie is Robin’s sister! That’s a huge twist I did not see coming, but it really explains a lot. Definitely a solid ending here, but WAIT! That was NOTHING compared to what happens next.
We find that “Super Dee” Delilah (Ashley Gerasimovich) is GONE. She ran away using all the tricks she learned from being on the run with her family. She is over it. As we hear “You Are My Sunshine” by Johnny Cash being played, I watched the scene completely stunned. The sequence of her changing her name, stealing her boyfriend’s car, and stealing the money Nate sent earlier this season was BRILLIANT. Mind you this is all being shown to us as we hear her goodbye being narrated through the talking Alpaca doll (in true Detour fashion). The show immediately gets super serious. The family is devastated. Robin is emotional and Nate is legit sobbing. He is heartbroken. His family is everything to him. I AM FLOORED.
To rub it in, The Detour social media pages shared a video that pretty much shows us that Delilah leaving was right under our nose the whole time. I can honestly admit I never saw it coming, and it is still in perfect continuity with the character’s arc.
What an exceptional mix of comedy and heart. This season finale was PERFECT and definitely gave fans a huge cliffhanger. If anything, fans are going to be begging for a fourth season and I for one cannot wait until I hear that The Detour Season 4 is on the way. Make it happen TBS. “GET SOME!”
Rating: 10 out of 10
–Rob Crowther IV
