After its lukewarm premiere last month, “House of Lies” has been on a fast, furious and funny course correction. Following the red-hot fourth season of “Shameless,” “House of Lies” is a perfectly on-brand comedy — Showtime’s smartest and best half-hour offering. Its latest episode, “Soldiers,” was a welcome return to form, promising a bright future as we hit the midseason mark.
House of Lies
A
Showtime
Sundays at 10 p.m.
Perhaps no episode of “House of Lies” showcased the strange, amiable antics of Doug (Josh Lawson, “Romantically Challenged”) better than “Soldiers.” Alongside recurring guest star Jenny Slate (“Kroll Show”), Lawson was laugh-out-loud funny, even overshadowing his formidable costars Don Cheadle (“Iron Man 3”) and Kristen Bell (“Frozen”).
“Soldiers” takes Kaan and Associates out of the office and onto the golf course, as they work to break up the moguls of a profitable clothing company. Elsewhere, Clyde (Ben Schwartz, “Parks and Recreation”) enlists the help of a former flame (Eliza Coupe, “Happy Endings”) to get back in Marty Kaan’s good graces. It’s the first episode of a major arc for Coupe, whose three seasons on ABC’s “Happy Endings” solidified her status as a top-tier sitcom actress. Clyde’s move also brings us another step closer to reuniting all four leads after their surprising, tumultuous breakup in last year’s finale.
Whereas the future of “House of Lies” seemed shaky after its so-so season opener, the comedy is back on solid footing in “Soldiers.” In fact, with its authentic drama, intelligent storytelling and frequent laughs, “House of Lies” has never been so good.