With Karen, Avenue 5 transforms a villainous internet meme into the show's best character

Slate

Rebecca Front plays Karen Kelly, who initially seems like another example of the "Karen" stereotype. "Karen’s first few appearances on Avenue 5 all involve her making some complaint about the service aboard the cruise ship, whether it’s the view from her room or receiving the wrong breakfast order," says Violet Kim. "Discovering that Karen is on this trip for free—in place of her sister, who actually purchased the tickets—only emphasizes even more how demanding she is. Karen is fully aware that she is interfering and pedantic, and she makes no apologies for those qualities. When a series of accidents befalls the spaceship, including one that knocks the ship off its original course, extending the length of the trip, incompetence abounds, providing opportunities for competent upstarts like Karen to shine."