The intro song “Feel it all Around,” by band Washed Out isn’t the only
catchy aspect of this 20-minute sketch comedy show. Four episodes into its second season, “Portlandia” is back with even more confidence and memorable one-liners. The single-camera sketch show that began airing this time last year is showing that although it is working within a narrow field of satirizing hipsters, it still has quite a few tricks up its sleeve.
The television show stars Fred Armisen of “Saturday Night Live” and Carrie Brownstein, formerly of the band Sleater-Kinney and now of the band Wild Flag. Produced by the IFC and Lorne Michaels, the show is an extension of the videos that Armisen and Brownstein would post on YouTube under the name Thunder Ant starting back in 2005.
The show uses a sketch-show premise to satirize some of the rising trends in “hipster” Portland and throughout the United States Although the show shuffles through quite a few characters, a sense of continuity exists with the recurring characters being portrayed in different situations. The main story arc centers on Armisen and Brownstein, 
as Fred and Carrie, who move to Portland in the first episode of season one when Armisen tells Brownstein “the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland.”
Vegan diets, alternative weddings, cell phone companies, music festivals: very few things escape Armisen’s and Brownstein’s comedic touch. Although Armisen and Brownstein make fun of stereotypes, they do so in a way that doesn’t come off as completely cynical. Rather, there is a lightheartedness about the show that allows the viewers to sympathize with the different characters or at least think, “I know someone like that!”
Despite occasional moments of relatability, there are rarely any “normal” characters. For comedic value, most of the characters are extreme representations and are usually obsessed with one thing. This includes feminist bookstore owners (“Every time you point I see a penis”), a couple determined to pickle anything they can (“We can pickle anything”), and even the participants of the allergy parade (“For some people a Thai food restaurant is a death trap”).
Three episodes into the new season, Fred and Carrie have already tracked down a bartender, guest star Andy Samberg, who moves to Southern California, and have been unhealthily obsessed with “Battlestar Galactica.”
Admittedly, not every sketch works. Some jokes lack enough substance to fully develop into sketches, while other jokes are stretched too thin in too much time. Nonetheless, in this season it seems like Armisen and Brownstein have a better sense of what works and what doesn’t.
During the first season, repetition was a constant tool used to create jokes. Although the technique worked with sketches like “put a bird on it” and this season’s “we can pickle that,” it didn’t work as well with some of the other sketches.
Armisen has a great ability to do improv comedy as well as create kooky characters. 
Brownstein, who comes from a musical background, doesn’t fall far behind either. In addition to being able to produce funny characters and sketches both provide funny and insightful social commentary into their work.
Boasting a large number of guest stars including Adam Samberg, Joanna Newsom and Kristen Wiig, and a larger season, 10 episodes instead of six, this season of “Portlandia” shows that it’s still as amusing as ever.
