Recap / Corner Gas S 6 E 08 Reader Pride

A Plot: While watching a Roughriders game at the bar, Hank makes Brent and Lacey pledge to paint their face green in support. However, Brent doesn't go through with it, leading to the ire of everyone in town. When he tries to redeem his reputation with an entire "Saska-Man" costume, Hank and Lacey take it as an insult.

B Plot: Fitzy's grandma convinces Karen and Emma to volunteer at a seniors center. Unfortunately, Karen's main duty there is reading a book that turns out to be somewhat smutty, and her struggle only increases when Emma tells Oscar, who wants to see her die of embarrassment. While Karen does grow genuinely interested in the story, the content makes Oscar be more affectionate at home, which Emma is uncomfortable with.

C Plot: Davis considers himself a master of mixtapes, and makes one for Wanda, who couldn't care less. When asked for one in return, Wanda simply randomizes a song list with her computer, and is praised for her good taste.

Tropes referenced:

• Bait-and-Switch:
  • When a couple of Roughrider players come to town and offer "Saska-Guy" Brent tickets to their next game, he remarks that there is a pair of people he'd like to take with him...and brings his parents instead of Lacey and Hank.
  • Brent gets blamed for a Riders loss because of his lack of team spirit:
    Farmer: Nice going, Brent. Now I have to tell my wife I lost the farm.
    Brent: You bet the farm on the game?
    Farmer: Well, no... I'm just bad at business. But if we won I'd have something good to tell her.
• Call-Back: The Dog River library still has Scary Librarian Alice, last seen all the way back in "Oh, Baby!".
• Description Cut:
  • Wanda brings Davis a mix CD rather quickly:
    Wanda: Oh, I've been studying you a long time. This CD is years in the making.
    [Cut to Wanda at her laptop, simply shuffling and burning random songs.]
  • Then later:
    Davis: My CDs are garbage compared to yours.
    Wanda: No, yours aren't garbage!
    [Cut to Wanda cleaning her toilet, where she promptly throws Davis's CD in the waste basket.]
• Distracted from Death: In The Tag, Karen finishes reading the book to Mrs. Carmichael and declares it's a pretty good book. But Mrs. Carmichael doesn't respond...
• Embarrassment Plot: Karen is not happy that Emma and Oscar keep hanging around to hear her read the smutty romance novel to Mrs. Carmichael.
• Gender-Blender Name: Confused by the nickname, Oscar apparently thinks former Riders receiver Sylvester "Molly" McGee was a woman.
• Guilty Pleasures: At first, Karen is pretty uncomfortable with reading the romance novel, but by the end she really gets into what's happening to the characters.
• Hypocritical Humor: Oscar marks his disdain for the seniors' home, saying it's just a bunch of old people sitting around doing nothing and watching TV. This, of course, is an accurate description of Oscar himself most of the time.
• Innocently Insensitive: When Fitzy hears of Wanda's musical tastes and asks for a mixtape from her, he randomly gets songs with titles that insult his intelligence, such as "Stupid Boy" and "Thick as a Brick".
• Instant Turn-Off: Oscar, who has been turned on by Karen reading the smut book all episode, is suddenly grossed out when Emma reads it, due to her constantly coughing and clearing her throat.
• Malaproper: Lacey is pretty uninformed about football:
  Lacey: So how's it going on the old griddle?
  Brent: Gridiron.
  Lacey: Right.
  • Later, Brent reveals that Lacey thought the huddle was called a "cuddle".
    Lacey: They can cuddle when they huddle.
• Mills and Boon Prose: The romance novel Karen reads.
• Mistaken Confession:
  Karen: Hello Mrs. Carmichael. It's Officer Karen Pelly.
  Mrs. Carmichael: I didn't know the watch was his. I can't see well.
  Karen: No, I'm here to read to you.
• Nostalgia Filter: Oscar claims the Riders haven't been any good since the old days.
• Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Two Riders players have entered the Ruby:
  Hank: Hey, guys. Riders are gonna win tonight!
  Lacey: Oh, are you guys fans?
  Hank: They play for the Riders.
  Lacey: [eyes going wide] Oh! Right. That is what I was sayin'. That's just a little fan humor, 'cause that's what we do, as fans.
• Right Behind Me: Brent berates Lacey and Hank to Davis, arguing that just wearing green clothes and makeup doesn't make them real fans. Then he turns to see the two of them standing at the door of the Ruby, looking upset.
• Rule #1: Davis has a few unwritten rules about mixtape etiquette, such as how one should always make someone a mixtape if they are given one. Rule #1 is "Thou shalt not shuffle".
• Serious Business: Davis take making mix CDs very seriously.
• Shout-Out:
  • Brent makes a couple when mentioning the various misinterpretations of his Saska-Man costume:
    Brent: I'm not Sasquatch-Man. Or Alaska Man. Or Marvin the Martian. Or Fat Kermit.
  • And earlier he is referred to as the Jolly Green Giant and the Green Goblin.
  • There is a debate over whether or not the guy who played Fish from Barney Miller was dead or not. ^note  The actor was Abe Vigoda, who was alive at the time this episode originally aired, but passed away several years later
• Verbal Backspace: Brent walks in to the Ruby, trying to explain why he hasn't followed the pact:
  Brent: Now before you say a word-
  Hank: Unbelievable!
  Brent: Okay, after you say a word...