‘Central Park’ season 3 episode 11 review: Fista-Puffs final days as a superhero?

This week’s Central Park sees Molly wrestling with her hair.

November 4, 2022

Molly is quite the artist and she uses her comics to escape from the real world. At times, Central Park follows the adventures of her alter ego Fista-Puffs, which serves as a way to cope with whatever is bothering her. In “The Puffs Go Poof,” the superhero might be ready to hang up the tights.

The episode effectively captures Molly’s turmoil with regards to her hair. It’s an enlightening story revealing how time consuming its maintenance can be and how that affects other aspects of life. Something like swimming at the neighborhood pool with friends can be a tricky situation to the point where it’s easier to stay in rather than hang out. It’s very clear how she can be so self-conscious.

Central Park turns the storyline into a positive message of being comfortable in your own skin. Molly’s hair is part of her personality and she doesn’t need to change it for others. It also stresses how sometimes the easiest solution is an open dialog because friends are very understanding. It’s nice the series is addressing issues that Cole and Molly experience as young African Americans more this season. This one might not have the same weight that “Lunar Palaver” has, but the fact it’s normalizing the subject matter can make it easier for others to relate to.

The other subplots help lighten the mood while also addressing the theme of being yourself. Bitsy wants to improve her online presence and hires a content creation team to help curate a more constructive appearance. There is an amusing generational dynamic seeing the mature magnate take part in the artificial influencer lifestyle. It’s pretty ridiculous some of the staged pictures she takes. Though she does come to her senses and realizes she doesn’t care what others think of her. This does seem a little recycled material compared to Bitsy’s attempts to increase her likeability in season one.

Elsewhere on Central Park, the rest of the Tillerman-Hunters go through their old clothes for their annual “Chat and Chuck” to reduce clutter. It is silly to look back at the family’s old fashions and the event gives them quality time together. Their inability to part with any of the wardrobe plays with the idea of being who they are. It doesn’t have the same impact as Molly’s narrative because of how shallow it feels, but it’s fine for a side story.

“The Puffs Go Poof” turns insecurity into a positive message of being comfortable in your own skin.