Murray Takes It to the Next Level

At a band meeting, Murray (Rhys Darby) invites Jemaine (Jemaine Clement) and Bret (Bret McKenzie) to take it to the "next level" on his friendship graph — to go beyond their current status of "work mates" and surpass the status of "colleagues" (such as Greg (Frank Wood)) to become "friends." Murray also alludes to his "best friend" Jim many times. After attempting activities together such as watching a movie, making a fort and "having a sleep," Bret and Jemaine rise up the graph to attain the status of friends. Murray deems it time they meet Jim, and invites the three to a barbecue, where the inquisitive Jim (Jim Gaffigan) meets Bret and Jemaine, and questions them extensively.

Telephoning Bret and Jemaine later to ask if they want to hang out, Jim takes offense when Bret relays Jemaine's statement that Jim is a "dick." A series of further mishaps, such as turning Murray's desk into a table tennis table, sees Bret and Jemaine relegated down the graph, ending up below their original status of "work mates," as "strangers." Murray says he will see them at the next band meeting, although they will "not know each other." He then introduces himself and departs with Jim (whose inquisitive nature suits Murray fine).

Meanwhile, Mel (Kristen Schaal) finds Bret and Jemaine and thanks Bret for an unspecified thing he did in her dream last night. Later, however, she reproaches Bret for something else (unheard by the viewer, but which disgusts and horrifies Jemaine) that he did in her next dream. Mel demands that Bret apologizes for his dream behavior, but it continues, and at Murray's martial arts club, Bret and Jemaine receive minor injuries from the furious Mel and Jim, respectively.

Despite Jim being Murray's best friend, he is not seen or mentioned again for the rest of the series.

The following songs appear in this episode:

The scene where Mel meets Bret and Jemaine on their bicycles and she sings "Dreams" was filmed on the corner of South 6th Street and Berry Street near the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn.

Portions of the song "Friends" were filmed at a bowling alley called The Gutter Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Murray offers to show them the film The World's Fastest Indian (2005), a movie about the life of New Zealand motorcycle builder and racer Burt Munro.