These days, originality goes a long way to establishing a TV show's credibility. Cliche can be the death of a series, while a fresh take on old themes can elevate it. "The Case of the Lonely White Dove" has a few moments of genuine innovation. For that and other reasons, I think it's the best episode of Bored To Death so far.

The episode opens as it should, with Jonathan in his tan trench coat and slicked-back hair. He's on a boardwalk for an intentionally stilted rendezvous with a new client. He's a shifty Russian who's fresh out of prison and wants to track down his mysterious, lost love. She's a singer at a club in Brighton Beach who goes by the moniker "The Lonely White Dove". Because these things never go smoothly in stories, we know that Jonathan's going to run into some speedbumps along the way. It's simply a matter of what kind of speedbumps.

Before getting into the many unexpected turns in this episode, let's get the predictable stuff out of the way. Jonathan once again attempts to win back Suzanne, his ex-girlfriend, and he naturally screws it up royally thanks to his detective work. While I genuinely want Jonathan and Suzanne to get back together, I'm willing to let things be a bit sitcom-y for that happen. On the plus side, Suzanne's reaction actually serves to comment on the premise of the show in a meaningful way. Jonathan's detective work is immature and self-indulgent. This series hasn't let us forget that, which is admirable. I do think, however, that there's some potentially rich material in the possibility of Jonathan having to balance a real relationship and his new career. It would at least transform Suzanne from the disapproving heartbreaker that she currently is into something a little more interesting.

This episode is a great example of why Bored To Death works, at least when it actually does work. The Russian convict client isn't just some big-talking nobody, he actually is connected to Old World gangsters who legitimize Jonathan's detective spiel. The femme fatale isn't a postmodern version, either. She really is a backstabbing beauty. This combined with the seaside motif of the episode gave the show a real Raymond Chandler kind of tone.

It was also pretty funny, especially the moment when Jonathan contemplates jumping into a fray with some brass knuckles, only to ultimately decide to throw the knucks at one of the assailants instead (a surprisingly effective move, at that). I was impressed with where the episode went with George's plot, too. When he started talking about getting in touch with his feminine side, I dreaded the awfulness I was sure would ensue, double that when he talked about experimenting with bisexuality. But when the male escort shows up, there was nary a gay joke to be found. Instead, the two men connect on intellectual topics and bond on a believably friendly level, also managing to shoehorn a very 21st century message about gender into the equation.

Best Moment: The fight scene. It was everything good about Bored To Death all at once.

Notes: The Ray and Leah plot tonight was nothing new, but it served its purpose. I do like how Ray's raunchy drawings have caught the attention of an editor at Esquire.

Episode Rating: 4.5/5- I think this episode proves that Bored To Death has legs. I don't image it's a coincidence that one of the best episodes of the series had an additional writer on board, either. Jonathan Ames isn't a bad writer by a long shot, but his tendency to self-indulge needs to be tempered by someone who isn't so close to the project.