‘Superstore’ Express Lane: The 6 Best Jokes in Season 2, Episode 14

As tensions overheat in Cloud 9 when the store’s AC breaks, ‘Superstore’ reveals the sad truth about the gender disparities in the workplace.

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Air-conditioning: The one thing everybody takes for granted until it’s gone. Superstore turns into the super hot store when Cloud 9’s corporate-controlled heating unit suddenly attempts to boil the employees and customers into steam in the dead of winter. Like in most comedy series, Superstore uses the heat wave to heighten the insanity of the store and push the characters into behaviors they wouldn’t consider under normal temperature conditions.

Amy, for one, grows more annoyed than usual when Marcus doesn’t stock a stack of melting yogurt. After a customer slips in the dairy puddle, she confronts Marcus, who calls her emotional and tells her to smile. Now, these are unwarranted critiques women receive daily, heat wave or not. For Marcus and Amy to blame their behaviors—Marcus’ chauvinism, Amy’s aggression—on the broken air-conditioner largely ignores the blinding disparity between gender and power. Still, Amy realizes progress isn’t made with hasty negativity in this week’s socially relevant Superstore.

It’s time to hit the 10 items or less lane with the six best jokes in the latest episode. Unsurprisingly, most of them were told by none other than Dina.

1. “I could steam shellfish in these khakis.”

Dina doesn’t mince words, does she? She’ll let you know just how hot the store really is with a subversive approach to cooking Rachael Ray wouldn’t recommend. Bless his heart, Glenn chats with the historically unhelpful corporate help line, but they refuse to accept responsibility for or attempt to fix the malfunctioning heater. Crawfish, anyone?

Photo Credit: Superstore/NBC, Acquired From NBCUniversal Media Village

2. “God, the heat really brings out your age, doesn’t it?”

Amy tries to keep a cool head despite the heat, but it’s hard when she’s fielding jabs from Dina. In the midst of her battle with the warehouse employees, a customer enlists Amy to help remove a pair of leather pants. Much like Ross in that one episode of Friends (you know the one), the customer didn’t know heat will leave you unable to move leather pants in any direction.

3. “It’s ‘handsy’—plural.”

When Garrett finds out Glenn’s office has air-conditioning, he convinces Glenn to leave his office and try to fix the heating unit himself. Glenn and Cheyenne head to the roof, where they unwittingly uncover that Glenn descended from slave traders, and change the language on the electronic machine rather than repair it. In his emotional breakdown, Glenn decides to travel the world with Cheyenne, but she later convinces him of his usefulness to dodge the joint Eat, Pray, Love bullet.

Photo Credit: Superstore/NBC, Acquired From NBCUniversal Media Village

4. “You know how they say people swallow on average three spiders a year while you’re asleep? I think last night I hit my trifecta.”

Dina eventually gets in on the cool air in Glenn’s office with Garrett, which resurfaces their sexual tension. When the bickering over strange body noises and clicking pens ends, they elect to call a spade a spade and have sex. Twice.

5. “That’s unclear. Probably. He seemed to think so.”

Does Amy have the authority to fire someone? She doesn’t know, and she doesn’t care. In the heat of the moment (pun not intended, but very much supported), Amy fires Marcus because of his sexist remarks. Male feminist in shining armor Jonah tries to mediate a peace hearing, but Marcus’ worst moment involves calling Amy and Jonah both bitches in fell swoop. Don’t hurt yourself on the way out, Marcus.

Next: The 6 Best Jokes in 'Superstore' Season 2, Episode 13

6. “The sound of your voice makes me want to punch myself in the throat.”

Where are Dina and Garrett while the floor staff rallies to pick up the slack in the warehouse? Vowing that their sexual relationship may continue, but they both disgust each other as people. Modern romance. Meanwhile, Amy endures a painful slip and slide that helps her come to her senses. You can’t fire everyone you disagree with, especially when they are regretful of their actions—and their job is harder than yours.

What did you think of the latest episode? Sound off in the comments with your favorite quote!

Superstore airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.