The Neighbors: "Fitting In" & a Giveaway!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

"Fitting in" is something that many people struggle with for their entire lives. Some people get over it and learn to be themselves, some people decide that it stops mattering after a certain point, and some people struggle to adapt each time they enter a new environment. Like popular kids in high school realizing they're small fishes in a big pond when they get to college. Or a New Yorker moving out to the West Coast for the first time. Or a Southern girl realizing that Uggs and leggings aren't just for show in the Midwest! Well, the previous episode had Debbie and Marty trying to help their neighbors' kids "fit in" when it comes to attire, and this episode has Jackie attempting to become what she thinks a "New Jersey housewife" is while Larry decides that a group of friends can embrace multiple backgrounds. The children are largely absent from this episode (which strikes me as curious... will this show often remove the younger cast members? because I read it as more of a family show...), but Reggie Jackson does appear alongside Larry during the Guys' Night as well as display a moment of envy as he'd rather learn how Marty changes his oil than how Larry washes his spaceship. For the details (and the prize), keep reading...

The Neighbors "Things Just Got Real" (S01E03): Marty and Debbie decide that they need to spend more time with humans, so they invite over four couples for a night when the kids are away. They're struggling to come up with a good excuse to tell Larry and Jackie, because when Larry is in pain, the whole community is in pain. [Jackie mentions that she hasn't had female friends in a few centuries... how come? the neighbors won't befriend her because of who she's married? and, haha at "paint your claws while we wait for our lady parts to synchronize."] They tell the aliens that they won't fit in during their Guys' Night and Girls' Night, but Jackie thinks that watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey will teach her all she needs to know. So, let's look at the ladies first... they go to a local tapas place where Jackie quickly causes a scene by starting a fight at the table. [I thought it was hilarious that Jackie talked to a wall to mimic the "talking directly to the camera" parts of the reality show!] After Jackie leaves the table at Debbie's insistence, the other women complain that Debbie acts too motherly. Debbie goes to apologize to Jackie and the women commiserate in how the aliens have to dumb things down for Debbie and Marty and the humans get tired of explaining everything to Larry and Jackie.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Larry is a bit awkward playing poker, feeling the felt table with his face (seen below). After the cards, though, Larry makes Reggie honor him, spawning a conversation about everyone's fathers. When Reggie runs out, upset that Larry makes no attempts to "fit in," Marty tells Larry that you have to both keep your culture and adapt to fit. [I'm glad the conversation ended there... I thought it was going to get a bit "immigration-like" soon!] To show that he's trying, Larry steals a television from the Weavers and gives it to Reggie, and they watch the "no signal" screen together, though Reggie knows it's not a real program. [SEVEN televisions? four in bedrooms, one in the living room, one in the family room and where else??]  

(ABC/MICHAEL ANSELL)

So, what did you think of this episode? Tell us in a comment below to be entered to WIN a The Neighbors t-shirt, fresh from Comic-Con 2012! You can see it pictured below - it's a new, adult size large, white shirt with the words, "I'm one of the Neighbors" on the front, along with the NBC logo. The back has a large QR code and the words, "Your message from Zabvron is waiting," and you can see both below.

photo by Jonathan Bredemeyer

photo by Jonathan Bredemeyer

To Enter: You can a comment below telling us what you liked about this episode of The Neighbors. Or, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and even tweet about the giveaway yourself! BE SURE TO USE THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET BELOW TO LOG YOUR ENTRIES! You can have up to four entries in this giveaway, and if 20 or more people enter, we'll give away TWO shirts, so encourage your friends to better your odds!

You have until 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on Sunday, October 22nd. A winner will be chosen via random selection. (and we can tell if you clicked that you're a Facebook fan when you're really not, so don't bother cheating, it just disqualifies you.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS: we have another giveaway going on right now, too! Check it out if you like Spartacus OR The Walking Dead!