Guys with Kids: Three Gary-Centric Episodes

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I'm really curious as to why this show isn't doing better, LoL! It's not ten kinds of awesome, but I really like it so far! The numbers are really weak... we're talking the pilot only had 6.25 and the subsequent three episodes are in the 4s. The lead-in is Animal Practice, which is ridiculous, and it's up against Survivor, The X-Factor, and the new The Neighbors and Arrow. Many are already calling it a lost cause, but I have hopes that it could pull out... though I know that I shouldn't bet on it! So, consider this my personal plea to check out the show... if you missed my recap of the pilot, the show is essentially about three adult guy friends who live in the same NYC apartment building. Each has children and the show is about how they deal with raising them while living life. In the three episodes outlined below, we see the four-child family debate over having another child in hopes that it's a girl, the single dad work on his dating life, and how the parents react with a misbehaving child. If you've been watching the show, tell us which episode you've liked best so far. If you haven't seen it, which episode sounds the most intriguing?

Guys with Kids "Chris' New Girlfriend" (S01E02): First, the random storyline. Chris is dating a new girl and told Gary before Nick, because Nick always finds faults in women. [haha! we all have that friend!] Emily asks Chris about the new girl, Jennifer, and it seems that Nick has already dated her... but she doesn't remember him! So, he becomes obsessed with trying to get her to remember him... and he succeeds, except for the fact that their first date was the same first date that he had with Emily. [oooh. rough! we also learn that Nick and Emily have been married less than 8 years, given that he dates Jennifer in Summer 2004. This means things must have happened quickly, as Violet is in first grade.]

Then, the best storyline. Gary forgot his wedding anniversary, but it seems that Marny did, too! [how early on a Sunday were they at the bar??] He decides to go all out on music and gifts, and wears a suit to toast her with champagne when she gets home from work. She feels really bad that she forgot, but he hams it up, talking about how he bought her sapphire earrings three months earlier from a little boutique. [yeah... you know that's going to come back to bite him!] She massages him, lets him go to the movies, changes the kids' diapers, and even gets a big-screen television! ["omg, box!" was weak.] The credit card company calls to find out why there are so many recent charges, and Marny discovers that everything Gary bought was the afternoon of their anniversary. [which, likely, works out, because the Sundays in 2012 were the same dates as Saturdays in 2000.] 

And, a few other bits... Chris's ex-wife, Sheila, comes and goes in his apartment as she pleases, as she has multiple keys. While there, she finds the need to look through his stuff, including reading his email!

Guys with Kids "Marny Wants a Girl" (S01E03): Marny and Gary play Chutes & Ladders to decide who has to take the kids to a birthday party... which is how they solve all of their conundrums, apparently. [but why was everyone else there in the middle of the day?] Violet compliments Marny so she decides that having a little girl would be great. Gary doesn't want more children but he's afraid that he won't be able to resist his wife when she woos him while wearing his dress shirts. [the tv is still broken? or the new one is broken??]

(Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBC)

Sheila convinces everyone to sign-up for a CPR class, where it gets back to Marny that Gary leaked her baby desires. She's upset that the group is "in" on making personal decisions, but they play Chutes & Ladders to settle the matter anyway. When Marny points out that, if they had four girls, Gary would still want a boy, he gives in and decides to try for a girl. When they take a pregnancy test and it's negative, Marny is actually glad, as the twins are too young for them to have another child at the moment.[hahahahaha!]

Also, Violet starts stealing, which freaks out Emily (to the point where she thinks that her daughter is destined for the slammer).

Guys with Kids "The Standoff" (S01E04): Gary is upset because he can't figure out how to discipline Yoda. [when's the last time you heard "give a hoot, don't pollute" ?? seriously!] The guys think he should let Marny handle it, but he wants to be respected. [understandable.] Gary tries to break Yoda by threatening to throw away his favorite toys, but Gary picks things that are either broken or not Yoda's. [hahahahaha!] He then plans to force Yoda to sit at the table until he finishes his dinner, but Marny will only let him enforce that for an hour before putting the kid to bed - after all, it's a school night. So, while Marny is up in Chris' apartment trying to sleep-train Ernie, Gary packs up the kids and brings them down to Nick's, so he can get advice. [you're kidding me!?!?] When Yoda also talks back to Nick, the guys all go back to Gary's to try to get Yoda to cooperate by saying he can join in on the fun when he finishes his dinner. The eat peeps, suck helium, play basketball, dance, and build a slip-n-slide in the living room. [all within an hour? Idon'tthinkso!] Gary even wakes up Clark to have fun without Yoda, but Clark starts talking back, too. [hahahaha! that was the best part!] Then, Gary throws a football and it breaks Clark's replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, a school project which is due the following day. [oh, and while all of this is going on, Nick is upstairs building a bridge for Violet at the last minute. I gotta ask... who spraypaints on the coffee table??] The guys realize that Gary just isn't intimidating, Gary apologizes to Marny, who promptly yells at the kids. Clark listens right away, but Gary talks to Yoda a bit more before sending him off to bed.