Molten Lava Cakes

S1 E10: The Last Supper

In Broad City’s The Last Supper, the season one finale, Ilana Wexler proves once again that she is the self-styled agent of her own destruction—and, somehow, of everyone else’s salvation.

While the premise kicks off as a celebration of Abbi’s birthday at a bougie Manhattan restaurant that boasts a tasting menu and a whiff of terror, Ilana spends the evening grappling with a more pressing issue: her escalating shellfish allergy, which she dismisses as “a joke” because, in Ilana’s world, every medical emergency is just a setup for an impeccable punchline.

Ilana, played with chaotic brilliance by Ilana Glazer, is not one for boundaries, whether they’re culinary, physical, or emotional. Her insistence on eating shellfish, despite knowing full well it will cause her to balloon up like an allergic marshmallow, becomes the episode’s central ticking time bomb. It’s not just recklessness; it’s a testament to her philosophy of YOLO-meets-hyper-denial. Ilana is nothing if not consistent in her conviction that consequences are for people who don’t have the nerve to barrel through life on vibes alone.

The sheer hubris of Ilana’s behavior is both horrifying and hilarious. While Abbi is dealing with her own existential unraveling over a shattered romantic fantasy, Ilana’s escalating hives turn her into a swollen, wheezing visual gag. Director Lucia Aniello manages to wring every ounce of comedic horror out of the situation, with Glazer’s progressively unhinged physical comedy reaching peak absurdity when Ilana refuses to leave the restaurant, opting instead to keep the party rolling. After all, what’s a little anaphylaxis when there’s expensive dessert involved?

The genius of Ilana’s storyline lies in its layers: yes, it’s ridiculous, but it’s also emblematic of her larger character arc. Ilana’s refusal to acknowledge her allergy isn’t just stubbornness; it’s a mirror to her broader inability to confront her own vulnerabilities. She’s the friend who will literally die before she admits she has limits. And yet, this chaos is precisely what makes her the perfect foil for Abbi’s more cautious neuroses. Ilana’s recklessness is both a liability and a gift—it forces Abbi to loosen up and embrace the absurd.

In true Broad City fashion, Ilana’s storyline ends not with a resolution but with an escalation. Her allergic reaction peaks just as the restaurant’s absurdity reaches its zenith, creating a perfect storm of comedy and catastrophe. It’s a fitting end to the season and a reminder of what makes Ilana such an iconic character: she is the embodiment of chaos, but she’s also the glue that holds this ridiculous, wonderful friendship together.

Make it! Molten Lava Cakes by Food & Wine.