RESERVATION DOGS -- Pictured (l-r) Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack, Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear, Lane Factor as Cheese, Elva Guerra as Jackie. CR: Shane Brown/FX. Copyright 2023, FX Networks. All rights reserved. | Courtesy of FX Networks

This review was made possible by screeners for Reservation Dogs. This episode of Reservation Dogs (Season 3) is now available via FX on Hulu, with new episodes airing every Wednesday. This review will have spoilers.

Important Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Reservation Dogs is back in a humorous episode full of awkward moments, earlier-season nostalgia, and of course, plenty of good fun! When punishments are doled out to the Rez Dogs at Indian Health Services for running away to LA, Native director Tazbah Rose Chavez (Bishop Paiute Tribe, Nüümü, Diné and Apache) brings out a brand of dry and awkward humor reminiscent of The Office, giving viewers a welcome breath of fresh air after an intense episode prior. Echoing the vibes of Season 1’s “NDN Clinic”, “Friday” is a great and iconic addition to the show’s last season!

A RETURN TO THE IHS CLINIC

“Friday” opens with Clinton (Warren Queton) running a game of Bingo inside the IHS clinic waiting room while outside, Old Man Fixico (Richard Ray Whitman) inaccurately tells lighthorseman Big Hill (Zahn McClarnon) that a storm is coming. Cutting then to the Rez Dogs, the group is subsequently tasked by their guardians to help clean up the clinic as punishment for sneaking off to LA in Season 2. At IHS, Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) talks to Fixico and forces Cheese (Lane Factor) to clean graffiti for her while Elora Danan (Devery Jacobs) talks about visiting LA for Daniel with Leon (Jon Proudstar). Meanwhile, Bev (Jana Schmeiding) walks in on a pantless Big waiting for his doctor, then teases Rita (Sarah Podemski) about how she thinks Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) and Jackie (Elva Guerra) could be an item.

Credit: @FXNetworks on YouTube (Reservation Dogs)

While Elora talks to Leon about going to college instead of working for IHS, Cheese goes to finally pick up his new glasses, following up on his eye test in “NDN Clinic”. After Elora tries not to hear Big and Bev’s pretty explicit flirting, she asks Bev for her health records and finds her birthfather’s name. Learning that Fixico thinks it may be his time to be “going soon, to that happy hunting ground”, Willie Jack asks him to teach her real medicine. Finally finished with their chores at IHS and complementing Cheese on his new glasses, the Rez Dogs head to Sonic to celebrate.

“DISHES THE NAVAJO POLICE!”

Overall I really enjoyed this episode of Reservation Dogs, especially after a couple of watch-throughs! While it tonally felt very different than the last three Bear-centric episodes, “Friday” felt like a nice little break from the seriousness of the show. Though Dr. Kang (Bobby Lee) was glaringly missing from his usual workplace (potentially due to the controversy surrounding the actor earlier this year?), the episode still felt incredibly nostalgic, harkening back to the zany fun of Season 1. I especially thought that the flirting between Bev and Big was hilarious (as well as their outtakes during the credits), and I adored Bear’s earnest honesty when saying that the nurse helping him was beautiful once he put his glasses on!

Credit: @FXNetworks on YouTube (Reservation Dogs)

As a Native viewer, I also really liked the elements of Indigenous culture that helped to aid the episode’s comedy. Set at an Indian Health Services clinic (a government agency that provides healthcare to members of federally-recognized tribes), it was funny to see Bingo in the waiting room, especially with Clinton’s cheesy Native jokes! Additionally, I loved hearing Fixico’s methods when approaching tribal medicine, handing out random herbs at times simply because he didn’t know what to do!

FRIDAY: Final Thoughts

Credit: @FXNetworks on YouTube (Reservation Dogs)

Overall, I immensely enjoyed this lighthearted and comedic episode of Reservation Dogs! Though the very dry humor of the episode may require the right mood to be in when watching, the homages to Season 1’s “NDN Clinic” left me grinning from ear to ear, with much laughter at the new jokes! Though a departure from the more serious episodes this season, “Friday” by no means ignored any character growth or plot lines. Instead, those elements were expertly woven throughout the episode, from the follow-up on the spontaneous LA trip, to more discoveries about Elora’s father. With the only big question still looming in the story regards Elora’s new familial finding, I can’t wait to see what else in store for this last Rez Dogs season!

Check out the trailer for Reservation Dogs Season 3 below:

Check out our review of the previous episode of Reservation Dogs here!

TL;DR

After a long trip back from LA, the Rez Dogs are punished by having to clean IHS in this hilarious episode! Though very dry in humour, I especially loved all the nods to Season 1's "NDN Clinic".

PROS

Super witty - for fans of The Office!
A refreshing tonal shift
Great little moments for the other Rez Dog members that haven't been focussed on yet this season 🙂

Review Breakdown

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‘Reservation Dogs’ Season 3: “Friday” (Review)