“Bunheads” is a new American television series on ABC Family. It was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, whom we’re obsessed with for her work on “Gimore Girls”. Why are we flapping our gums about something called “Bunheads” you ask? The latest episode of starts with a scene lampooning specialty coffee.
The lead, clearly doing a bad Lorelai Gimore impression, is shown waiting semi-patiently in a long, slow-moving line. Bash (short for Sebastian), the only barista on duty, is introduced handing off a “Fair Trade Single Origin Nicaragua Machiatto With Notes of Fig and Hard Candy.” We’re told by overheard narration that Bash was recenlty “away at a coffee competition in Europe”, and an eerily realistic Reg Barber-esque barista trophy is on display:
The thing that bothers us about this is that if you’re going to parody, why not go all the way? Sherman-Palladino is completely obsessed with coffee consumption – it’s a regular plot point in “Gilmore Girls” – but she’s apparently not so obsessed with doing some entry-level research. Bash would not be serving a sixteen ounce machiatto. He would call it a latte, because he believes in the truth. Fair Trade single origin Nicaragua? Yes, but which cooperative? Was it a microlot from a single finca? Details matter if you really want these jokes to resonate. His flavor note of “hard candy” is so broad… is it a Werther’s Original? Is it a Watermelon Jolly Rancher? Or is it a Starlight Mint? Where does it fall on the Coffee Tasters’ Flavor Wheel? Bash, the competition barista, should know these things.
And on the topic of the WBC bit, he boasts that he beat Italy and France, and that’s important because they have their own roasts. That’s a pretty funny joke, but everyone knows Guatemala and Mexico are the countries to watch out for, while it’s been years since Italy or France made the WBC finals. “Bunheads” could have blown some minds there, but instead they went for the easy, less satisfying decision…kind of like having Rory Gilmore wind up with that boy band lookin’ rich kid Yale philanderer spend the last 2 years of the show dating that rich Yale twerp, who we still totally hate.
Should ABC Family cancel Bunheads and reboot Gilmore Girls? We obviously think so, but you should sound off in the comments below!
