‘Perfect Harmony’: High notes from episode 4 ‘Hunting Season’

The choir takes a break from rehearsals to go hunting.

Hunting season has commenced on Perfect Harmony this week. The choir takes a break from rehearsals for the regional choir competition to go hunting. While most are hunting deer, Dwayne has his eye on truffles. Ginny, on the other hand, is seeking reconciliation between Arthur and Adams who have offended one another.

Adams is offended when Arthur deems the choir’s talents “good” instead of “great”. Thus begins a standoff of epic proportions between the two strong personalities. While Ginny always wants everyone to get along, she has another reason to try and keep the peace. Arthur has been volunteering to help Cash with his dyslexia exercises. If Arthur gives up on the choir, he will not be around to help Cash. Ginny cannot afford to pay a tutor.

Meanwhile, recently reconciled friends and roommates Wayne and Dwayne have a skirmish in the woods. Wayne is not happy when first time hunter Cash prefers looking for truffles with Dwayne over aiming a bow at a deer. Wayne has very specific ideas about this being a father and son event. He sees it as a rite of passage for Cash, one that he wants Cash to share exclusively with him.

Take a look at the “high notes” from episode 4 of Perfect Harmony.

Taking aim

It’s not just arrows flying in this episode. Arthur and Adams, especially, are firing insults as well.

Adams calls Arthur “Angry Santa”.  She also corrects Arthur when he suggests that noise will scare the deer. She reminds him that scent is more important  and suggests that a “whiff of [Arthur’s] overpowering male arrorgance” will do more to scare the deer away.

Arthur fires back by insulting Adams’ pitch when she sings to focus on her prey. Arthur’s comments throw off her concentration and she misses her target. Adams complains that Arthur has now destroyed two things she loves, singing and hunting.

Arthur retorts saying that Adams does not own the woods, but it turns out she does own the woods and the mineral rights below ground.

Making memories

Wayne is so excited about taking son Cash on his first hunting trip. He also welcomes friend Dwayne along despite his buddy’s preference for gathering truffles. In fact, Wayne tells Dwayne that he would not want to be with anyone else. Then he recalls one exception, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and proclaims, “I think that dude would be such a cool hang.”

Wayne, Cash and Dwayne are enjoying their day until Cash chooses Uncle Dwayne’s concept of gathering over aiming at an innocent deer. Wayne’s confidence as a father is shaken. He could not be the husband Ginny wanted. Now he fears not being the father that Cash wants.

Wayne’s insecurities get the best of him and he challenges Dwayne to a fist fight. Just as Wayne hurls himself at his much larger friend, the ever peaceful Dwayne uses Aikido to dodge Wayne’s assault. Finally, Dwayne reminds Wayne that there is more than one way to express one’s masculinity. He reminds Wayne that he was the one who accepted Dwayne when Dwayne’s own father dismissed him for not hunting and playing football.

The two friends make amends and Wayne even helps gather mushrooms after the failed deer hunt. Of course, the mushrooms are not truffles, nor are they edible. Hey, at least Wayne tried something new.

Lost and found

Arthur gets lost on his way back to the car. When Ginny discovers that Arthur has not reached his vehicle, she tells Adams that they need to look for the gruff choir director. Ginny calls loudly for Arthur. Adams barely makes a peep.

Meanwhile, Cash wanders off while Wayne and Dwayne are bickering. Cash stumbles upon Arthur and they ponder their situations. When Arthur tells Cash that he had been fighting with Adams, Cash says he “can guess who won that one”. Arthur thinks he’s countering by saying it was actually Adams who won. In a very funny turn of events, Cash confirms that Adams is the one he was thinking of.

Arthur is feeling defeated and considers moving back to New Your. Just then Cash uncovers a woodland creature, a skunk. Arthur shrieks and the rest of the gang comes running. Adams takes aim at Arthur saying, “Look who’s the soprano now.” Dwayne attempts to comfort Arthur by saying the spray is just “an oily compound they spray from their anal glands” when Arthur gets some in his eye.

Back at the church, stinky Arthur soaks in a bath of tomato juice. Adams brings him some celery to make a “bloody Arthur”. She also extends a metaphorical olive branch by telling Arthur that he is “good for Cash”. For this reason, she will “allow” him to keep directing the choir.

Side “notes”

Perfect Harmony is chock-full of clever dialogue and attention to detail. It would be a disservice to leave out these hilarious lines and moments.

• When Arthur tries to schedule rehearsal on the opening day of hunting season, Wayne says “No can do, Artie-poo.” Arthur swiftly tells him to never use the moniker again.
• Arthur is not tutoring Cash without some compensation. Ginny tells Reverend Jax, “I pay him in day old biscuits.”
• #ScarfWatch – Arthur dons his signature scarf for a fourth consecutive episode, but I do not recall at UK basketball reference this week. Hmm . . .
• Arthur gives a “snort of derision” when Ginny suggests that Arthur show Adams some respect.
• The image of towering Dwayne playing a tiny piccolo is yet another contrasting pairing for the actor of such large stature.
• Cash asks Wayne, “Did you get many likes?”, when the father pulls out a photo of Wayne on his first hunting trip with his own day. Cash also wonders how Wayne got the photo off of his phone.
• Cash tells Arthur that “these dimples buy a lot of good will” when he offers to help him make amends with Adams.