Family Tools: Invisibility and Mistakes

Already canceled (and many believe that it was destined to be because of its very late debut), I still think that this show had some great comedic potential. The second episode was a bit absurd, but funny, especially when taken with a grain of salt. The third only had some select moments and seemed to rely heavily on one-liners, but the characters are still being developed. Speaking of which, I found it weird that Tony didn't try to check up on Jack at all in "Now You See Me, Now You Don't," but he was back to his old ways and beyond in "Beachwood Approved," so no harm there. Still, the best line from either installment was definitely "I am a fraud and I need your assistance. How would you like a new roof?" Can you think of any better ones?

Family Tools "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" (S01E02): Jack and Darren are working at an office where the "toolbelt effect" is clear. See, in "white-collar country," guys with tool belts don't exist. Therefore, Jack and Darren mess around to see if anyone notices them. Everything changes, however, when Jack takes off his tool belt to tend to a coffee spill, as multiple people welcome him to the advertising office as a new employee. [they played it up a bit, but this was annoying.] When an old high school classmate, Wendy, chats with him, he claims to have 70 vans and be a hot-shot CEO, a charade that he keeps going for a few days.

Darren mutters an idea for a slogan that Wendy uses as her own, leading to Jack coming clean about who he is and why handymen are people, too. Well, Wendy flees and the two guys envision wrecking a pitch meeting with their power drills. [it was wholly unbelievable but still a little funny. and I was a little bummed to find out it was fake, haha!] In reality, they just tell on a bunch of office employees and take an espresso machine. [tattling? really?] 

ABC/Nicole Wilder

At home, Mason likes a goth girl, Louise, and Terry spies on them. Louise loves cockroaches so Mason makes her a collage. [omg.] Mason goes to Tony, Stitch, and Darren for relationship advice. When Darren finally goes to hold her hand, Louise jumps on him. [ha.]

Family Tools "Beachwood Approved" (S01E03): Terry harasses Tony about his health, making him run steps, go for walks, ride his bike, and check his blood pressure. [I like the little doses of reality this show has... family caregivers are totally judged by the improvement of their patients.] When the news at the doctor's office isn't great, Terry decides to use her urine sample instead of Tony's so that as least the glucose level would be good. [gross but funny.]

Mr. Jiffy-Fix gets a job in an expensive community, so Tony is paranoid that Jack will screw it up. [of course.] The owner is even leaving town for two days, which you'd think would mean the guys could take their time and get everything right. Well, Darren throws parties and Tony goes around secretly fixing Jack's mistakes. [Darren and Stitch dealing with their grandfather is annoying, not funny.] In the end, it goes well, and Jack picks up an electrical job in the community. [wow!] But, things go poorly, Darren begs Jack to call Tony for help, and Jack has no choice but to call his dad when there's an unexpected plumbing emergency as well. In the end, we learn that Tony had a job in Beachwood thirty years ago and messed it up, so his son is entitled to make his own mistakes. [not a bad ending...]