On Central Park, Owen has been pushing his I Heart the Park campaign to bring more awareness and appreciation for one of New York’s popular locations. In the season finale, we see the results of all his hard work.
Owen is on edge because many aspects of his campaign haven’t turned out as successful as he would have hoped. The I Heart the Park festival is the crowning achievement so he needs everything to go smoothly. Adding even more stakes is an unexpected visit from his boss. The series cleverly contrasts the park manager with his coworker, Elwood. The subordinate has a care-free attitude that his boss is hoping to acquire. We’re treated to a number from Garfunkel and Oates’ Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci that is an illuminating and humorous dive into Elwood’s psyche and philosophy.
The episode title refers to a labor dispute at the Brandenham Hotel. Bitsy is cartoonishly stubborn in her approach and more insufferable than usual. It’s no wonder why she seems so isolated in negotiations and the biggest demand is something money can’t buy. What’s more interesting is the level of manipulating Helen does behind the scene being devious and working for good. She’s not solely focused on her boss’ wealth and it’s fitting she can walk with a little swagger. Though the power is fueling her ego and we’ll still have to see if it will go to her head later in Central Park.
Speaking of character development, Abby has a nice little arc. This entire season has been about whether the big city would be too much for an idyllic small town midwestern girl. We’ve seen her tendencies to turn the other cheek and put up with antagonistic behavior, particularly from Bitsy. Here, there are just one too many stresses to deal with pushing her to the edge. It’s a crappy situation, but she finally grows a backbone and is willing to stand up for herself. There’s a relief that she can finally remove that monkey on her shoulder, and she has what it takes to survive NYC.
The music also complements the Central Park season three finale. The emotionally charged “What Do We Want” and “Enough Is Enough” capture the anger and frustration from the people singing them. However, they also serve as a good rallying cry to get behind a cause. The concluding “Love Come Back Around” is a soulful, upbeat number that helps bring together all the characters from this season and before into one place. We also jump into the future to see how well everyone is doing.
“The Brandenpire Strikes Back” is a fun season finale with significant character development and a soundtrack that sets the tone for the big scenes.
Watch all episodes of Central Park on Apple TV+.
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