Summary
“Avocado Barter Adventure” weaves Honeybee’s backstory into a ridiculous quest for the perfect anniversary gift.
The advantage of a sitcom having such an unusual setting and setup is that every episode has a spark of originality almost by definition. “Avocado Barter Adventure” is, mostly, just backstory for the character of Honeybee, but it also manages to crack a window into the culture of Lone Moose and be very funny at the same time, all while feeling like absolutely nothing else on TV right now.
The catalyst for all this is Wolf and Honeybee’s upcoming six-month anniversary. He wants to make a grand romantic gesture that involves Shrek, which is, for reasons that’ll be explained, somewhat integral to their relationship, and also guacamole, which she has been having recurring dreams about. The problem is that avocados are difficult to find in Lone Moose at this time of year, but Wolf is determined, so he and Moon set out on an expedition to find some.
In the meantime, Beef and Ham busy themselves with the decorations, despite knowing nothing about Shrek, while Judy interviews Honeybee for the school paper, which is how we get a capsule summary of her entire life in Fresno prior to coming to Alaska, including what is essentially an arranged relationship with a breathtaking nonentity and Fresno die-hard named Calvin.
This takes up a good chunk of The Great North season 1, episode 3. The rest of the episode is devoted to Wolf and Moon’s hilarious attempts to acquire avocados, beginning with swapping a couples’ massage gift certificate with a local hustler and ending with a trip to Anchorage on a seaplane piloted by Wolf’s ex, Lara Silverblatt (Chelsea Peretti). She’s the one who first floats the idea that maybe Wolf’s eagerness to make grandiose romantic gestures is more a reflection of him than his interest in his partner, but the real entertainment is Moon leading Wolf through Lone Moose’s lawless barter economy. A montage detailing how one goes from a box of pears to a Suzuki motorcycle seat is a particular highlight.
“Avocado Barter Adventure” ultimately builds to a sweet payoff after Wolf confesses to Honeybee that the avocados he has spent all day acquiring are all rotten. Luckily, they contain pits that they can use to grow their own avocados, and the sheer effort he went to is romantic enough for her. Shame about the decorations, though.
