At least until the writers hit their stride in the second episode. So many things happen in this episode that set in motion events that will lead us straight into Season Two (announced in April). The first is one of my favorite storytelling devices in recent memory. Kenny likes to listen to the book-on-tape of the book he wrote during his playing days, "I'm F---ing In, You're F---ing Out". This device serves to show how shallow and self-absorbed Kenny is but it also serves as a kind of narration for the episodes. The viewer can contrast the "old Kenny" against the "new Kenny".
The first two episodes continue to build up the foul-mouthed and self-centered personality. The Kenny Powers of the first episode and a half borders on unlikable. But then something starts to turn. Kenny is still in love with his high-school sweetheart April. His character being completely adolescent makes this seem even more like a teenage crush. And somehow it's endearing. Kenny is oblivious to the fact that she's engaged to his boss, the principal. But there's one thing that can always redeem a jerk. A bigger jerk. And that jerk is played by Will Ferrell as Ashley Schaefer, the owner of Schaefer Motors (the biggest car lot in town). Ferrell is made for this role because it requires overacting to the hilt. Ashley treats Kenny as a commodity and Kenny doesn't understand this either. In the second episode, Kenny refuses to throw a fastball at Schaefer Motors for Ashley. This self-doubt at his abilities and his comeback makes him vulnerable too.
The third episode marks what should be the second act of the film and it really feels like the story is taking over. Kenny has found the beginning of an unlikely friendship with Stevie and Kenny has started his training for his "comeback". Unfortunately the training involves a poorly edited video by Stevie and a healthy dose of steroids for Kenny. The fourth episode branches the story out just a bit further. We see more of the supporting cast here, including a good deal of April and her fiance, Terrance (the principal). They are having a BBQ that Kenny finds a way to get himself invited to. The BBQ ends up being the fulcrum of the series. All the relationships change in the course of this episode. Stevie becomes more and more like Kenny. Kenny and April have a "premature" start to their relationship. And Terrance and April will split partially because of this. But once again, despite his arrogance and terrible treatment of others, Kenny can get his feelings hurt so easily over April. These vulnerable moments are climaxed with Kenny out of gas in the middle of a lake on his jet ski. The episode ends with the end of his book-on-tape representing Kenny's total loss of confidence - the one thing he never seemed to lack.
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