Review: FX's The League Season Finale, Shiva Meets "The Shiva"

The League has got to be the best new show of 2009.  These guys are some of the best improv actors I have ever seen next to Curb you Enthusiasm.

The first season ended with the end of the leagues season, and a new winner was declared in Andre, but that's not all that happened.

The show began with Andre in bed with Shiva talking about the guys from high school and how Shiva wanted to see them.  Andre, of course, was not for this idea, knowing the other guys would make him look bad in front if his new girl.  "Pete is in and out of jail I'm pretty sure" was one excuse Andre used to avoid the topic.

The men then convened in their usual watering hole and made inappropriate remarks towards the beloved Shiva trophy, aptly named after their high school valedictorian, and Andre's new girlfriend. 

The guys even made offerings to the trophy in the form of a gym class climbing rope, and a dirty song by Taco, who later finds out that he has no chance of winning since he never made the playoffs.

As the night progresses Ruxin decides he has had too much to drink, so rather than leave his car at the bar and grab a cab, he calls his roadside service and has it towed with his 200 free miles of towing.  The fact that he was still holding a drink made the scene even funnier.

The crew later convene at Kevin's house, where Taco spent the night in Kevin's underwear and pajama pants.  As time goes on we see that Andre is in no mood for the dirty Shiva jokes anymore and decides to spend the day with his good luck charm, the real Shiva.

After a discussion about home made deodorant and horse orgasm ringtones, the gang heads over to Shiva's house.  Pete having stolen the address from Andre's phone.  Shiva is excited to see them, but Andre is less than pleased. 

Meanwhile, Taco takes his knowledge of "VW Jetta's = hot girls" philosophy into a VW dealership where he promptly gets a janitors job.  Once the whole crew is in Shiva's apartment, the antics begin.

Ruxin makes a dash for the laundry room to get a good luck charm from Shiva, and Kevin can't control his urge to do a "Shiva Blast".  Which is basically screaming Shiva's entire, very long, name at the top of his lungs.  This was possibly the funniest moment in the show.

After the guys leave we see that Taco is pretending to be a car salesman instead of a janitor in order to get a hot chick he sees on the sales floor.

Pete and Andre meet up for lunch as a gentlemanly gesture, until Pete announces that Dr. Shiva has an appointment to check out his balls later that day.  Andre is of course upset, knowing this is just a ploy to get Shiva to fondle his balls. 

Andre busts into the exam, but can't tell Shiva why he doesn't believe Pete, otherwise she would find out about the trophy.  As Shiva inspects Pete's balls, Andre watches as Pete mouths trash talk to him.  Eventually Andre goes overboard and jumps on Pete and begins to choke him.

The ball fondling did not work as Andre was declared the winner at the end of the day.  Ruxin takes as much credit as Andre because he helped him with his line up one time.  Ruxin's car breaks down, and guess who stops to help?  Shiva. 

She sees the trophy and questions Ruxin who simply replies "I can explain, but it won't make you feel better".

As Andre comes running down his stairs to greet his new trophy, he is instead greeted with a shot to the gut with the trophy by Shiva herself, who then breaks up with him.  Andre's heartbreak is subdued by seeing his name on the trophy.

At the end of the show the whole group is sitting at Andre's place singing the Shiva song, which now I can't get out of my head.  Imagine Hava Nagila with the words "Shiva Comini" being substituted.  The dance Ruxin does to close the show was great.

Overall, I would rate this the best episode of the season.  I can hardly wait til the show's second season starts up again next year.  Hopefully they get done quick and we get to see it within six months or so.