16 & Pregnant: Millina on her Own

This season doesn't seem to be covering the early parts of pregnancy at all with the teens - no discussions of how they told their families that they were expecting, no guessing about the sex before they find out, and no words-to-the-wise about morning sickness or fatigue. Of course, it's not like they've been glamorizing the situation, either, as there have been no big groups of friends hanging around, no baby showers, and no helpful fathers. This episode stood out because of how mature Millina needed to be about the situation, having few people in her life that she can trust or rely upon. It seemed that Trevor's mother was overly controlling and ultimately might have made everything worse, but perhaps there's still a bright future ahead.

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16 & Pregnant "Millina" (S05E03): Millina, 17, lives in Michigan, near Detroit. She and her younger brother live with their grandmother because both divorced parents have problems; Her mother is in jail on drug charges, and her dad is flaky and can't afford to care for the kids. [ouch. no wonder she has trust issues!] Millina dropped out of high school, and met her boyfriend, Trevor, at a rave. [no real discussion on why she dropped out.She didn't want to go on birth control because of the side effects, but plans on being safer after the baby is born.

October, 30 weeks: She talks to her mom on the phone from jail. Trevor's mom, Tina, is emotionally unstable, and has seizures and strokes, so Millina is worried about the woman handling the baby alone. She's also judgmental of Millina's mom. [totally believable.]

October, 33 weeks: Trevor plans to come over and help when the baby is born, but thinks they'd be better off at his house. [other than space, he doesn't seem to have reasons he believes that, though.] Millina attends her mother's court hearing, where it gets adjourned for another 30 days.

November, 36 weeks: Trevor is working at a fast food place, and is moving to a large basement with his mother the following week. [2,000 sq ft is an enormous basement!] Tina invites Millina and the baby to live with them as well, but Millina isn't comfortable doing more than occasionally staying the night there. Millina spends time with her dad, and Tina pushes Millina to live with them to keep the baby safe. Before a resolution can be reached, Millina goes into labor, and Kayden James Michael is born December 5th, weighing 7lb, 13 oz.

December, 4 days old: Trevor wants to bring the baby over to his mom's, but Millina isn't ready to go over there yet. [I don't get why Tina couldn't go to Millina's?]

2 weeks old: Millina is alone with Kayden most of the time, and Trevor gets upset that Millina doesn't promptly return Tina's calls. [this Trevor kid is getting weirder.] 

January, 4 weeks old: Millina's mom has another court date, so Millina brings Kayden along so they can meet from afar. She is sentenced to 200 more days in jail instead of in-patient treatment, and Kayden gets sick, presumably from going out in the cold to be in the courthouse. [I hadn't considered this being one of the reasons that babies would be in a courtroom.] Tina is upset that Millina took the baby out like that, but does finally get to see the infant when Trevor stops taking Millina's calls so she brings the baby over there. At least Millina is planning to earn her GED, though!

Bob's Burgers: A Psychic, a Pony, an Entrepreneur, and a Trickster

I recently pointed out how Bob's Burgers sometimes takes on overdone storylines while also trying out unique takes on situations. Well, in this next batch of episodes, the writers continue to play with ideas that have been seen before (hello, hit-to-the-head = psychic!) with pop culture-y, timely jokes (Equestranauts was perfect for this series! not a stretch until the tattoo part!). Plus, they bring the viewers back to life in a seaside town (where else would you find ambergris?), and simultaneously freak them out by remembering just how kooky the family can be (Gayle's sleeping arrangements had me wide-eyed and questioning why the kids even know where she lives...). There are a few episodes left this season, and I look forward to seeing what else they can cook up!

Bob's Burgers "I Get Psychic out of You" (S4E16): Linda starts predicting things correctly, and everyone except Bob believes she's psychic. [been there, seen that storyline!] The kids decide to use their mother's "abilities" to bet on a horse, using Tina's $80. They get Teddy to place the bet, and wind up losing it all. [eh. it's a lesson.] Meanwhile, Linda gets recruited to help solve a serious of crimes, but Bob ends up figuring out who the thief is, causing Linda to realize that she's not psychic. [oh, Bob!]

Bob's Burgers "The Equestranauts" (S4E17): The kids watch a My Little Pony-esque show called The Equestranauts, and the family heads to a toy pony convention. But, they soon learn that it's geared for adult men who call themselves "Equestricles." [and I had to pause and explain Bronies to my husband at this point.] Tina starts hanging out with a group anyway, and they talk Pony theories. [seriously, guys. if you've never been to a fan convention before, it is such a fulfilling and enlightening time, talking nitpicks about things you love!] But, soon, they trade Tina for her original horse and give her a new one. Louise hears the guy talking about swindling Tina, so the family plots to get the rare pony back, learning that it had a production defect. Bob dresses up and Tina teaches him about the ponies so he can infiltrate the group. But ,Tina realizes that Bob studied some fanfiction, too, and panics, just as Bob starts mentioning the zombie pony in Tina's writing and winds up being forced to get a tattoo. [how random!] The family shows up and Tina gets her horse back. [yay, status quo! I also loved how Tina started to decide that she had matured but all of the hassle made Bob encourage her to keep playing with the horses!]

Bob's Burgers "Ambergris" (S4E18): The kids find something that smells both great and terrible, and Tina finds out that it's an ambergris from whales. [gross already!]

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Because perfume is made out of it, the kids think they'll get rich from selling it on the black market. Louise convinces a criminal to help them out, but she then thinks she can cut him out, only to wind up being sabotaged by Tina, who replaces the ambergris with a cantaloupe covered in dirty socks. [ewww!]

Meanwhile, Bob and Linda are supposed to keep the landlord's brother busy, so they stick the annoying guy with the task of upgrading the restaurant's restroom, which suffers from brown hot water, among other problems. [yuck!] The end product is a very black and modern bathroom that doesn't fit the look of the rest of the restaurant. [it was very "Smash Club" from Full House, I thought.]

Bob's Burgers "The Kids Run Away" (S4E19): The kids have dental check-ups, and Louise has a bad cavity. The dentist is afraid of the little girl, and she puts up a big fight before going out the window and running away. [I loved that she had a "go bag" in the woods, LoL.] After failing at checking into a hotel, she takes a bus to visit her Aunt Gayle. Linda finds out and decides to trick Louise, so she lets Tina and Gene "run away," too. Then, Linda says that if Louise can make it the whole weekend without Gayle driving her crazy, she doesn't have to get the filling. Bob is skeptical, but Linda plans to cheat with their "inside man," Tina. [I couldn't stop laughing when Linda told Bob that she planned to cheat!]

The eldest Belcher daughter asks to hear Gayle's poetry, change out the claw covers on the cats, and play a long board game that makes no sense. [I've never seen these claw-cover things before!] Bob, Linda, and Teddy stake out the apartment, but fall asleep. [ha, Cliff of Huxtable.] In the morning, Louise has ice cream for breakfast (courtesy of Linda's tricky parenting once again), making her double-over in pain. [I've always found it weird when people don't have any pains until a doctor/dentist points them out, and then it's constantly coming to light.] Louise is still afraid, so Gayle uses her weirdness and gets the dentist to play along with a spy role-playing game. [cool ending!] 

Instant Mom: The Kids are Here to Stay

Can you believe that this show is 20 episodes in already? It was definitely time to re-visit how the premise came to be (Charlie's ex-wife, Kim, got wrapped up in caring for her mother and couldn't watch the kids full-time), and why it will continue (Kim is moving to Africa). The kids sure seem to have adjusted remarkably well to not having their mother in their lives, after primarily living with her after the divorce. In fact, not one of the three seems to have much emotional attachment (which could be a sign of the times) to her, so it would be easy to write off the idea of the kids ever having to reunite with her again, except maybe a trip or two down the line. But, now that the status quo for the show has been settled, I'm a bit less inclined to keep tuning in - there could have been a lot of drama surrounding the Stephanie-Kim power struggle, but it doesn't look that way now. 

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Instant Mom "Distant Mom" (S01E20): Kim took the kids on a two-week vacation to Mozambique, where she is offered a year-long position. [I would have liked to hear more about what the kids did during their time there!] She plans to move in two weeks and take the kids with her, though none want to go. [calling up the new job in Mozambique to pretend to quit made no sense!] Charlie and Stephanie were looking forward to becoming weekend parents once more, but the thought of not having the kids for an extended period distresses them greatly. [yeah!] Charlie starts recording all the little things that the kids do, and Stephanie throws herself into a new job so she won't get bored. But, the videos just make Charlie miss the kids before they've left, and when Stephanie alienates the local Philadelphia clowns, she has to dress as one herself for a party, forcing her to miss the kids' send-off. This leads to Stephanie running through the airport to catch the kids, getting thrown into a security hold... where the kids are also, because they stuffed their mother's bag with large knives. [holy cow!] The truth comes out, and Kim feels bad asking Stephanie to take the kids for another year, but everyone would prefer that scenario, so it's the new plan.

Last Man Standing: Boyd Rides a Sheep, Kristin Gets Engaged

I'm not sure who made the decision to end the season with Ryan and Kristin finally getting along well enough to seriously consider getting married, but I'm not standing behind it. In fact, I think it would be a fine place to let this series die, as morbid as that sounds. The characters are still fairly static after three seasons and a great deal of tinkering, the plotlines ignore previous stories, there was some rapid-aging that didn't help anything, and the jokes are getting fewer and farther between. If a fourth season happens (and I don't think it should), I'll see where they're going with this, but it is definitely no longer a staple. And, considering that the TGIF-reboot ABC has been trying to make happen is repeatedly failing, it might be time to just wipe the slate clean and try something different.

Last Man Standing "Mutton Busting" (S03E22) [Season Finale]: Eve and Justin get tutored by Andrew, who repeatedly asks her to Prom when Justin is out of the room.

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She turns him down to attend with her boyfriend, but she also wants to wear her JROTC uniform, and he wants her to wear a dress. [my HS didn't have JROTC, but is it common for girls to wear their uniforms to Prom?] He later tells her that he'll let her wear her uniform, but she decides to just go with Andrew, who won't tell her what to do. She even wears a dress, though, but it's her own decision. 

Mike takes off Boyd's training wheels, and he falls while riding his bike, freaking out Kristin. [c'mon. the kid is fine.] Ryan and Kristin then take Boyd to a sock-puppet Hamlet before Mike puts the lad on a mechanical sheep to see if he's got what it takes to ride a sheep in a junior rodeo. [I'm a little ashamed to say that the only reason I know what "mutton busting" is because of Josh and Mackenzie on Teen Mom 3.] Ryan tries to stop it, then sees that he needs to let Boyd try things if he'll ever get good at anything... and this is his lucky day, as the boy rides "Gary" quite a while. [Kristin still objecting was kinda dragging down the situation.]

The episode ends with Kristin and Ryan announcing their engagement to her parents.

Big Bang: Sheldon's Work-Life Crisis

Whatever happened with the video game console conundrum? I guess we'll eventually see the guys playing something and that's how we'll find out the outcome. But, Sheldon is apparently going to have an ongoing storyline for a while, which could prove pretty interesting. With String Theory starting to stress him out, he doesn't seem to know what to do with his life, and the integration of work and home may finally dawn on him. I look forward to something big happening soon, or at least a big cliffhanger at the end of the season... after all, there are now three future seasons, so there is PLENTY of time to develop all sorts of new and zany adventures!

The Big Bang Theory "The Relationship Diremption" (S07E20): The guys are excited about a scientific breakthrough, except Sheldon, who is upset that he has spent 20 years on String Theory, and he still isn't close to proving it. [people have been working on it for like 50 years, so it's probably going to be at least a lifetime before it's proven.] Kripke makes Sheldon wonder if he's wasting his life, which causes the physicist to suffer from insomnia, then decide to move on and find a new project. Of course, this is partly due to Penny's advice that it takes courage to walk away from something that's going nowhere. [I did like how Penny can get through to Sheldon when sometimes nobody else can.] Sheldon gets rid of all of his related books, tries a new hairstyle, and then begins the task of narrowing down his field of study options. Of course, after drinking some wine, he winds up in bed with a geology book, and then learns that he repeatedly drunk-dialed Stephen Hawking. [once wasn't the end of the world, but tons of times PLUS mocking was awful!] 

Raj is no longer seeing Emily and Lucy, as Lucy wasn't okay with a non-exclusive relationship. [can't really blame her, based on what we've learned about her.] Bernadette and Howard meet Emily and Raj for dinner, and it is soon revealed that Howard went on a blind date with Emily four years ago, but he had huge stomach distress because of gas station sushi, clogged the toilet, then climbed out the window and escaped. [sounded a lot like Dumb and Dumber to me.]

The Big Bang Theory "The Anything Can Happen Recurrence" (S07E21): Penny, Sheldon, and Leonard bring back Anything-Can-Happen-Thursdays, but don't know what to do. To avoid attending a LoTR LARP group, they go for a walk around the neighborhood and stumble upon Amy and Bernadette, who they thought were unavailable. [we know that both girls live driving distance from the trio, so why would they head to that side of town if they were even slightly worried about getting caught? I think the situation was a little contrived... unless we are supposed to think that parts of Bernadette and Amy wanted to be caught, which I'm not buying.] Sheldon and Penny wind up going to dinner alone because everyone else thinks they're getting annoying harping about their respective work problems. They then head to a tarot card reader, who suggests that Sheldon's relationship with Amy could make the rest of his life fall into place. [Penny bought Leonard a birthday watch with his money?? what the...?!?!]

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Raj and Howard hang out, and the former suggests they watch a horror film so he'll be more relaxed seeing it with Emily the next day. [haha, I could see myself doing something like that back in the day!] But, they can't handle how gruesome it is. Turns out, Emily only wanted to watch a slasher film because they turn her on. [not impressed.]

Fun Friday: Dawson's Creek's Promicide

If you follow along on Twitter, you know that I spend my lunch breaks and my creative blocks watching old television shows, thanks to Netflix and Amazon Prime Streaming. That's how I caught up on The Middle and Rules of Engagement, how I came to see every episode of Frasier and Cheers, and how I am now familiar with other fan favorites like Felicity, Friday Night Lights, and Everybody Loves Raymond. Well, Dawson's Creek is another show on that list, and it's a series that I struggled to enjoy, despite the fact that the characters were about my age when the series originally aired. One of my biggest problems was relating to their issues and actions, but one episode in particular really troubled me from start to finish... Season 4, Episode 20's "Promicide." And, with Prom season upon us again, I thought it would be interesting to look at in more detail.

Fred Norris/Warner Bros./The Kobal Collection

This episode is so fraught with disaster that it's hard to believe that there was a happy moment in it at all, and that's the one seen above between Dawson and Joey. It's hard to tell where to start, but I'm going to jump in with Jen and Jack, whose best-friendship I've never cared for. She tricks him into attending with Tobey, and although the two later date, it was a conniving move at the time and I was probably more upset than Jack about it. Jack's chosen revenge was to get Drue to go with Jen to Prom, with a bonus of fifty dollars if he annoys her all night. In the end, the bad boy doesn't take the bribe, but he does have his hands full with Miss Lindley all night, as she gets tanked, having brought about a dozen min-bottles. Where was she keeping them all and why wasn't anyone searched before boarding the boat? ESPECIALLY someone who got in trouble for drinking at a previous school function?? Plus, Drue's comment about going to Boston for college messes with future continuity... he's never seen in the college episodes! And neither is Gretchen, for that matter, who winds up moving to Boston just a few episodes later...

Gretchen was never a favorite character of mine, and I had completely forgotten about her and Dawson ever dating about three months after I finished this series. She spends the episode wavering back and forth between being beyond high school (she doesn't get her hair done for Prom), yet not being able to grow up (lamenting over always falling short when it counts). The kicker is when she decides that Dawson isn't really over Joey, at the same time that Dawson thinks he's ready to sleep with Gretchen. Relationship: over.

Pacey and Joey's drama starts in the opening scene when he accidentally rips her dress (which was really Bess's fault for leaving him to finish the alterations). Joey gets whiny that Pacey won't touch her (though, in his defense, he's probably more cautious after she feared pregnancy), then wears a PONYTAIL to the Prom. I get that the character would go for simplicity, but why not something slightly more sophisticated? Prom being on a boat is asking for trouble, as you can't even go somewhere and argue in private, so a good portion of the school hears Pacey's public declaration that he's not good enough for Joey, never will be, and is angry that she doesn't want more out of him, as that shows she knows he's not actually good enough for her. This series was always big on romanticizing the articulation abilities of the teens, as the conversation Joey has with Dawson about how they'll never love someone in the way that they loved one another is beyond awkward and totally odd for a couple of eighteen-year-olds.

And a couple of group notes... why wouldn't Grams have walked next door to take some pictures with everyone? Why didn't she encourage Jen to have her hair different for the occasion? How weird is it to have your Prom photo taken with you holding your infant sister?? I actually thought it was downright creepy. How did Pacey forget the limo?? After everyone leaves the Leery home, why do they stop at a convenience store on the way to Prom?? Who does that??

Oh, and another gripe: Andie isn't even present. I understand that she's making the most of her time in Italy and all, but not bringing her back for this was a miss.

Did I miss anything? Can you think of a series that had a worse Prom episode?

The Middle: Solving Problems

Have you guys seen the video, "It's Not About the Nail" ?? This episode of The Middle reminded me of that - Frankie just wants to tell Mike about what's bothering her, and Mike just wants to go out and solve all of his wife's problems. This is a video my husband and I reference often when venting, so the other one knows whether to come up with a solution, or just listen and nod, LoL. But, I digress. Back on The Middle, Axl needs someone to solve his problems for him - as his best ideas are still riddled with holes and require multiple strokes of luck to pan out. I mean, what if it had rained during the several days that the couch was in the woods? And that's just for starters!

The Middle "The Wind Chimes" (S05E19): It's the day after Prom, and Sue tells her family that she loves Darrin. [no surprise, really.] Frankie worries because Darrin has a friend with a one-year-old, so she gets Mike to forbid Sue to go to a party with him. Sue doesn't go, and Darrin asks Mike what the deal is. [I don't think this issue will keep popping up, do you?]

ABC/Michael Ansell

The Glossners have put up wind chimes, and they get on Frankie's nerves pretty quickly. The first night, Frankie yells out the window, which prompts. Rita Glossner to come over and yell, so Frankie apologizes. [still not a good sign, though!] Frankie then writes Rita a letter to ask if she'll take down the chimes, and drops them off with a box of chocolates. Instead, Rita throws the chocolates at the Heck's house, and calls Frankie a bully. [whoa!] Then, Rita puts up more chimes. [ha! should've seen that coming!] Mike brings home headphones to block the noise, and the family decides to sleep in the basement, but Mike winds up heading to the Glossners' to take down those chimes. However, Rita physically assaults Mike, who then retreats home to say Frankie makes him do too many things. [what?] But, she argues that he tries to be a hero all on his own. [see Nail comparison above!] Fortunately, the Glossner children end up smashing all of the chimes, so this won't be an ongoing problem!

Meanwhile, Brick calls a pretzel company to complain about the decrease in salt on their pretzels. The automated message asks if he has an idea for a product, so he leaves his name and number. But, each of Brick's ideas have already been done, or are terrible. He makes it his responsibility to come up with something - and he goes from product development to advertising to come up with a creative concept to share. [the cutest part was that he saw a ten-cent coupon as his first paycheck!]

Elsewhere, Axl and Hutch find a couch on the street and want to use it in their apartment next year, even though it is beat-up and missing a cushion. [I'm all for more Hutch on this show, but I wonder if Axl could handle living on his own without the construct of a residence hall...] They begin to carry it back, but it's heavy so Hutch winds up having to stay with it overnight while Axl goes to class, then gets a truck. [why didn't Axl just return after class to stay with Hutch and the couch?] But, Axl can't seem to borrow a truck for a few more days, so they decide to just bring the couch to some nearby woods in the meantime. [did I miss finding out where the coffee table came from?] They start hanging out there, but Hutch brings a girl over, making Axl wonder what it'll be like when they live together the next year. Fortunately, Hutch makes it up to him. [nice 80s throwback.]

Teen Mom 2: End of the Fifth Season

Some people on the internet are claiming that we're now past the age of Teen Mom 2, and thus beyond the world of Teen Mom, and the first and third versions have already been cancelled. However, although there are "official" claims, I have found no press releases or other statements from MTV or the four girls that suggests that we've seen the last of Jenelle, Chelsea, Kailyn, and Leah. That said, I'm ready for the end to be here. I've long since been over Chelsea and Jenelle, and Kailyn has her life together enough that it's not "reality show interesting" anymore. That leaves Leah, whose life and situation is unenviable and almost more of a "can't stop looking for a trainwreck" than anything else. But, of course, it's still somewhat of a guilty pleasure, so I will probably tune in again if new episodes/specials pop up, but if they don't, I won't be sad.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/entertainment/169727/teen_mom_2_is_cancelled

Teen Mom 2 "That's the Way Love Goes" (S05E13):
Jenelle: Nathan quits his job selling timeshares, leading to a fight about money that gets Jenelle arrested for disturbing the peace. [how loud did she get and for how long??!?] If she is charged with probation violation, it's 13 months in prison, but her lawyers will try to get it dropped. She wants to start going to counseling with Nathan, but he thinks they're bound to break-up, so maybe an abortion is the best situation, even if Jenelle is twelve weeks along already. [she doesn't go with the abortion, but it also doesn't seem like they are in counseling.]

Leah: Ali is starting to go downhill already, and she is diagnosed with Titin gene mutation, which is newly discovered, and affects the heart and lungs in addition to her congenital muscular dystrophy. [that sucks.] There are only about 20 confirmed cases, but Ali may live into her 50s. Unfortunately, there are no other children with it, so they don't know exactly what to expect and plan to have yearly checks with the cardiologist and pulmonary specialist. [Ali's hair was red for a second there, what was that about?!?]. 

Chelsea: She takes her board exams four hours away, but she thinks she failed. [we don't actually learn of her results for some reason.] Adam gets in a bad car accident, and had no license or insurance, though he walks away with only has a concussion. [how irresponsible!]

Kailyn: Isaac is acting out. Jo's parents are selling their house, and Jo gets a new place and is living with Vee. [too bad Jo's parents are divorcing.] Isaac starts calling Javi "Daddy," and Kailyn worries that Jo will yell at him for doing so.

Teen Mom 2 "Season 5 Unseen Moments" (Special): The group talks about troubles with social media and not being able to stop the filming.  

Jenelle: She finds a nude picture of Nathan on the internet, but he denies that it's him. Turns out, it was Channing Tatum. [I can't believe she got them confused.] She and Nathan embark on an eight-hour roadtrip, only for him to forget to get her a drink. [and they never stopped to get one? sure, I'd probably not want to stop out of spite, but eight hours is FOREVER in a hot car!] Her credit is bad, so she bails on leases every couple of months. [...what?!?]

Leah: We see the twins trying out gymnastics and Leah realizing that Ali wouldn't be able to keep up in tumbling class. Leah spanks as a punishment technique. Corey doesn't like the idea of Leah moving the girls to PA. [I can get behind that.] 

Chelsea: She hasn't made new friends in Delaware because she's worried about people's intentions. [that's sad but probably very true.] She and some friends drive down to Omaha for some fun. She didn't want the visitation papers to be on the show, but of course MTV found out. 

Kailyn: Jo tells his dad that Kailyn calls him and wants him to stay with her sometimes, etc.

Teen Mom 2 "Season 5 Finale Special: Check Up With Dr. Drew Part 1" (Special):

Leah: She continues to harp on Jeremy focusing on work over family. She still doesn't have Ali's $20,000 wheelchair, as it's tied up in insurance. She and Corey are co-parenting well. [haha at Leah's face when Jeremy talked about having another chidl!]

Kailyn: She and Javi continue to get physical when fighting. [eep!] 

Teen Mom 2 "Season 5 Finale Special: Check Up With Dr. Drew Part 2" (Special): It's super cute that Dr. Drew can interview the kids now! [where's Aleeah? acting out so in time-out?]

Jenelle: Nathan has a daughter from a previous relationship of whom he doesn't have custody because he suffered a brain injury while serving in the military. [interesting.] He also suffers from PTSD. Jenelle still isn't divorced from Courtland, as you have to be separated for a full year in North Carolina. [ooook...] She's in school now, and Barbara is single again. 

Chelsea: She slept with Adam while Taylor was pregnant. [whaaat?!?] Chelsea says Adam has been arrested 30 times, but he says it's more like 8 or 10, though he does have three DUIs. [I don't even comprehend how you don't "turn straight" in a situation like that!] He had to do six months in jail, but did have a work-release arrangement. Adam still won't give Chelsea his phone number, but it's partially so he's not tempted to reach out to her. [ummm...] He says that when Aubree is at his parents' house, he's there 60-80% of the time. Adam claims that the show only depicts his lows, and says that Chelsea's dad, Randy, has bothered him on twitter before. [I found it interesting that Adam was clearly trying to make specific points for the audience's sake.]  

19 Kids & Counting: Josiah's Future, Anna's Thanksgiving

The episode wants to bank itself on Josiah's graduation party, but it has surprisingly little coverage in comparison to Josh and Anna preparing for the rest of the family coming to visit for an early Thanksgiving. And even that was really only a lead-up for the next episode, making this installment a bit of a dragging disappointment. Josh tries to renovate a room in a day while Anna has to whip up a holiday meal for 25 people. The whole situation made me wonder if Jim Bob purposely didn't call ahead and tell his eldest the change in travel arrangements, or if the producers wanted to see what they could milk out of the scenario. Regardless, I'm interested to see how the dinner goes over, and where everyone will sit! 

19 Kids & Counting "Graduation & a Surprise!" (S08E05): Josiah celebrates his high school graduation just a few days after the family returns from Erin Bates's wedding. Josiah sent out 300 invitations, and 400 people showed up. [but we don't see any of the "expected" families.] Ben's whole family attends, as do Derick's mom and stepfather, who drop off a care package for Jill and Jim Bob to take to Nepal. In January, Josiah will be going to the ALERT Academy, just like Joseph. [semi-expected.]

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After the party, the Duggars head to Josh & Anna's, so she takes on the huge challenge of making a holiday meal... when she hasn't made a turkey before. [that also didn't look like a big enough turkey!] To make more space for everyone at the house, Anna suggests Josh clean out the downstairs bedroom and paint it... but they don't have a lot of time. [exactly where are they putting all of the stuff that was "in storage" down there?] They think they have a day and a half, so Josh has a family friend come over to assist, but it turns out that the family drove through the night to beat some bad weather, and will arrive 19 hours ahead of schedule! [when did they buy the bunk bed? Anna made a turkey, 6 casseroles, 16 ears of corn, 3 pies, and 24 rolls. scraping by in a few of those areas, no?]

FWBL: Why Bother?

This show is just terrible. Will hasn't dated in a while, but he hasn't been living under a rock! Plus, Kate as the new great-career-sex-fiend Barney isn't working - she already has a soft side! Furthermore, that couldn't have been a cheap faux-wedding to stage, so it's pretty unbelievable. The sex jokes only make matters worse, and the blatant corruption at the hospital isn't helping anything. I'm out, how about you?

Friends with Better Lives "Game Sext Match" (S01E03): Andi is helping Jules plan her wedding without Kate, as they think her single nature means she's not interested. Kate finds out, confronts the duo, and joins in the fun, only she goes from helpful to overbearing really quickly. [bridal magazine subscriber or not, she knew a lot of details specific to Malibu...] After "firing" Kate, the girls feel bad, so they make it up to her by setting up a mini-wedding which Kate would love. [on short notice, that was impressive, I guess.] 

Will is trying to get into sexting after he gets to third base on a first date. He's struggling, but when he doesn't know how to dirty-talk, he's only saved by his willingness to try kinky stuff. [oh boy!] But, before anything really happens, he's tied to the bed with Christmas lights as the girl runs out after her cat, which went out the window. [seriously??] He eventually realizes that he can hit his phone with his foot, and he uses Siri to call his friends to rescue him. [I gave this my best McKayla Maroney face.]

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Bobby gets into tennis, and he's excited about an upcoming tournament, but he's told that if he doesn't throw the match, he might end up with terrible future assignments at the hospital. He obeys until some older doctors start dissing Bobby's partner, and then they go for it, and apparently win. [was this like a filler C-story? part of me wonders if they came up with the title as a play on "sexting" and had to then work tennis into the equation for the joke...]

16 & Pregnant: Autumn Steps Up, Dustin Doesn't

Autumn gives it to the audience straight at the end: "So in my opinion, you should wait to have a baby, because your life is not what you're gonna think - you're gonna think you're gonna have a family, money in the house, and you're not. you're gonna be stuck at home with your mom or your dad for years. and most likely, I hate to break it to everybody, you're not gonna be with the person you have a baby with." Well, that's probably pretty spot-on advice, and I actually felt bad for the girl... she turned her life around and seemed to be trying pretty hard, but her babydaddy wasn't very interested in the selflessness required to be a father. I look forward to learning more about this young mother, whose child is currently five months old.

facebook.com/16andpregnant

16 & Pregnant "Autumn" (S05E02): She's a 16-year-old sophomore from Richmond, VA, who met babydaddy Dustin a year ago, and they spend all their time together. Her older sister, Misty, recently had a baby, but does not appear to live at home, and seemingly gets support from her child's father. [we don't actually see the infant.]

Before she got pregnant, Autumn was a partier, but she stopped while Dustin is still carefree. She didn't want to go on the pill for fear of gaining weight, and she announced her pregnancy to Dustin by showing him the test on FaceTime. [I've never heard of someone not believing home pregnancy tests!] She started homeschooling so she can finish in time. 

November, 30 weeks: Autumn is worried that Dustin won't stop partying, and he only says he won't do it as much when Drake is born. [omg.] They both plan to keep living at their respective homes, but have infant set-ups in both locations. [fair plan.] She's put on 40 pounds, and the couple and their moms have lunch to discuss how things will work when the baby is born. [very amicable conversation, though it weirds me out how casual both mothers were about the kids' lifestyles.] Dustin has bought a used crib, but otherwise isn't working toward getting things together. He admits that he's been smoking for five years but will stop smoking in the house and will not be high around the baby. [that's a start, but seriously??!?] But, he's not planning to stop smoking entirely, and he doesn't have plans to get a job, either. [how does he pay for his weed currently?] They go to a consignment store to look for more stuff, and Autumn's mom helps Dustin start looking for work. [he doesn't have very good phone etiquette.]

33 weeks: Dustin gets hired at a bike shop, and he's staying clean. His mom calls the cops on him because there is weed all over from his friends, but it blows over. Still, Autumn buys an over-the-counter drug test, and although he says he's clean, he won't take it. [ooooh.... I wonder if he just doesn't want to set a precedent of taking them?] She convinces him to try it, and he passes. He helps her do a belly mold as she has some contractions, and it turns out that it's estimated that she'll deliver in 7-10 days. But, it doesn't even take that long. She is 4cm dilated by the time she got to the hospital, so the doctor broke her water and started her on pitocin. She doesn't want future babies. [she was quite adamant about that! but I hear many people in labor get that way.] She gets an epidural to deal with the pain, and has the baby before long: Drake LeSeuer is 7lb, 5oz, born December 17th.

4 Days Old: Dustin doesn't want to help at night, but he'll hold the baby and change him during the day. [something is better than nothing, I guess?]

1 Week Old: Everything is harder than Autumn imagined, and she's struggling to keep up with her schoolwork.

2 Weeks Old: Days are going by when Autumn doesn't see Dustin, and he's not spending his paychecks on diapers or other baby supplies. [uh oh...]

1 Month Old: They owe $280 for Drake's circumcision, which is money Autumn doesn't have. Her mother suggests that Autumn ask for child support, as all Dustin has done is play with the baby and stop smoking. [he hasn't contributed financially YET?!?] She decides to give him one more chance before filing for child support, but he won't even commit to give her $40/week or even just buying a pack of diapers and a box of wipes each week. [seriously??!?] She tells him that he needs to get it together, and she's giving him a month before filing.

2 Months Old: It's Valentine's Day, and she sees a lawyer about filing for child support. She also gets a job at a restaurant. [I'm glad that she's pulling everything together. I wonder how they managed to pay that hospital bill?]

ROUND-UP: Last Man Standing: Sliding Downhill

This show is going downhill again. It has had its ups and downs, and with the season finale just around the corner, I really wonder about the future of this program. The pokes at liberalism (whether the media, the government, or any other facet of life) have gotten old, they've toyed with the characters' paths, relationships, and and personalities a bit too much, and coming up with new ways to keep the aging kids around is proving difficult. Mandy working in the basement is believable for a while, but if she keeps making money like she has been, it would make complete sense for her to move out on her own to New York or LA or Milan or Paris... somewhere with a fashion scene, which Denver lacks. Kristin's only big storylines this season have been disappointing, and the coming and going of Boyd isn't helping anymore. That leaves Eve, who went from tomboy sports star to semi-boy-crazed ROTC brat, to live with a sporting goods store business manager and a geologist... cue the fun? The premise for any potential fourth season had better be good if they want to keep my attention!

Last Man Standing "Project Mandy" (S03E18): Mandy gets a B- on a fashion show project and considers quitting school because of it. She wants $5,000 to start a product line, and when Mike won't give it to her, her grandfather does. [ha!] Mike and Vanessa still fight it, but when Mandy has 80+ orders in 3 days, Mike decides to let her give it a try for a semester. Blanca comes in on the project as well. [you know, so we can be reminded of all these perimeter characters that get built up in big ways and then fall off the face of the planet again...]

facebook.com/LastManStandingABC

Last Man Standing "Hard-Ass Teacher" (S03E19): Eve has decided she wants to go to West Point, but Vanessa isn't happy about it. [I had a friend in HS who gave West Point serious consideration. She spent a good chunk of time figuring out how she could get good enough recommendations, but I don't even remember if she applied in the end.] She becomes super obsessed with her grades, so when she doesn't do too well on a geometry class, she takes Mandy's advice and tries to switch to an easier teacher. [hehe. a good half of my IB class chose Chemistry II over Visual Arts because of the easy-teacher scenario.] Mike catches on and tells her not to take the easy way out, though Vanessa supports the change, in the name of GPA. Vanessa goes to see the tough teacher to see if Eve can do something to get a higher grade, but is taken aback by the man. Mike lets Eve make the final decision on what to do. [I'm betting my mom would have let me switch if it meant a higher grade, too.]

A helicopter parent tries to get her son, Jason, a job at Outdoor Man, but the teen is focused only on his phone. [ugh!] She talk Ed into hiring the lump, and then into dating her! [so weird!]

Last Man Standing "Parenting Bud" (S03E20): Vanessa doesn't have time to make dinner, so they get some BBQ for dinner, as that's what Mike wants. She starts realizing that Mike usually gets his way, so she decides to get what she wants for dinner, and hires Chuck to re-do the security system. [that definitely sounds like something in Mike's realm, though.] Mike winds up continuing to mess with her regardless.

Kyle's grandmother escapes from the retirement home again, and he keeps helping her out, even though she doesn't appreciate it. [awww.[ The experience convinces Mike that he needs to help his father (who got mugged but doesn't want a gun), even if Bud doesn't want it, either. [I guess this was supposed to be a key moment for the family, but meh.]

Last Man Standing "April, Come She Will" (S03E21): Chuck goes to Outdoor Man, and Mike has Kyle follow him around. Later, when something is wrong with Mike's alarm system and the security company comes out to check on it, Chuck nearly lets them arrest Mike for being a "peeping Tom." [eh. I didn't really find this prank storyline funny.]

Vanessa's sister, April, visits from Boulder, and she's decided to have a baby. But, the 40-year-old needs a donor egg, which costs $6,000 she doesn't have. [let's not forget, the woman often comes to Vanessa for money, and even lived with the Baxters for a while.] She also isn't positive that she's in a committed relationship, but thinks that the baby will help her boyfriend settle down. [omg, that dumb at 40??!?] Mike and Vanessa don't feel comfortable backing this project, but Mandy will donate her own eggs. [ahhh! didn't see that coming!!] Mike and Vanessa try to stop her, but when Mandy starts doing her own research, she begins to realize that maybe April isn't ready. The woman won't even lock down a month because she isn't willing to change some future plans, which causes Mandy to tell her favorite aunt that she won't go through with it. [good for Mandy! besides, there would still be costs for the medication and procedure to harvest Mandy's eggs, which April probably couldn't afford anyway.]]

Instant Mom: Is Gabby a "Good Kid" ??

One thing that bothers me about Instant Mom is the lack of press material available. The official site only ever had photos of the first few episodes, and even the facebook page doesn't have a great selection. The image below is clearly from a rehearsal, for crying aloud!

facebook.com/InstantMom

Rant aside, this was a decently funny episode, with Stephanie remembering her own teenage years and seeing them in Gabby, despite the two not having a lot in common. I had a similar problem growing up - my mom was convinced that I (and my sister) was a bad kid who was out doing drugs and having sex, when I was going to Bible studies and playing board games at parties. On the converse, my husband is convinced that our potential future children won't be good kids like we were, and already doesn't trust them in various situations. I guess everyone has their own paranoid thoughts in one way or another... 

Instant Mom "Buy Any Jeans Necessary" (S01E19): James has started selling unopened gifts that Charlie and Stephanie received for their wedding, and enlists Aaron to help. Gabby finds out and blackmails James for $200 because Stephanie won't buy her jeans that expensive. [if Stephanie was trying to teach Gabby about bargain shopping, why were they even in a store that sells apparel that excessive?] But, the security tag is still on the pants, and Gabby destroyed the receipt so she wouldn't get into trouble. So, when she brings them back to the mall to have the tag removed, she's busted for shoplifting. [seriously? those cameras aren't real?? isn't that how DJ and Stephanie got caught on Full House?]

Charlie believes that Gabby didn't steal the jeans, but Stephanie doesn't. [who would have guessed that Stephanie was a real wild child??] When asked where she got the money, Gabby says a friend loaned it to her, so Stephanie grills the friend. [omg!] James then comes clean because he's feeling guilty, but neither Stephanie nor Charlie believe his story. [ha!] In the end, Stephanie sells the pants online, and Gabby just re-buys them! [what sort of resolution was that??]

Fun Friday: Crossbones is Coming!

Crossbones may be the most anticipated NBC series of the year, partly because it has been in development for a very long time (it was announced in May 2012 and our first post about the period drama was in June 2012!). Other major draws include John Malkovich playing Blackbeard, the success of pirate franchises in recent years, and the promise of unique costumes and jargon in a mainstream network series. The setting of 1715 Bahamas

Well, the long-awaited series will debut on Friday, May 30th, at 9pm, with ten episodes scheduled. To tide you over until then, check out these new photos of the characters (all credited to Sandro/NBC) just released!

John Malkovich as Blackbeard

Yasmine Al Massri as Selima El Sharad

Tracy Ifeachor as Nenna

David Hoflin as Charles Vane

Chris Perfetti as Fletch

Richard Coyle as Tom Lowe

Claire Foy as Kate

group shot

what do you think? will Crossbones live up to the hype? or has the hype been forgotten at this point?

RETURNING: 16 & Pregnant: Consequences of Impulse

You want to make decisions on a whim? Spur-of-the-moment your thing? Acting on impulse makes you feel alive? Well, that sort of action is what landed Maddy in the position of being a teenage mother. There wasn't much to her story that made her an original on this returning series, as she basically just combined elements of previous mothers, from having to find alternative living arrangements to having an uninterested/unhelpful babydaddy, and having the child as a result of a one-night-stand. After the birth, she only mentions the future of her school career once, but it also appears that she doesn't have a car and isn't working, either. The reactions of the babydaddy's parents when Maddy decides not to bring the baby to live with them also seemed muted, and I'm willing to bet that they were way more disappointed that she changed her mind after such drastic renovations to their home. I don't know that I'd want her to be picked up in a Teen Mom 4 way, but the end-of-season follow-up should be interesting.

http://remotecontrol.mtv.com

16 and Pregnant "Maddy" (S05E01): Maddy, 16 from Tinley Park, IL, lives with her mom, brother, sister, and three-month-old half-sister. [no sign of a stepdad or the like.] Divorced dad lives an hour away. An athlete, Maddy got dumped part-way through her sophomore year of high school so she hooked up with a random guy she found on facebook as revenge. No condom = pregnant! [did Cody seriously try to blame it on his lack of attention during health class?]

August, 32 weeks: Her brother isn't interested in meeting Cody, and Maddy still hardly knows him herself. Her mom tells her that her life is kinda ruined, but Maddy doesn't want to accept that. [of course.] Maddy can only stay in the house a month after she has the baby, as there isn't room. She weighs the options of moving in with her dad or with Cody, and decides to opt for the latter, though it'll be awkward because they're not "together." [her reasoning was half-right - living with the babydaddy would theoretically get her some help, but turning down her dad's place simply because it's so far from her friends isn't the greatest logic.] Cody's parents come over to talk to Maddy and her mom about the living arrangements.

September, 36 weeks: school is starting, and Maddy goes on a date with Cody to get to know him, though they wind up arguing about the baby's surname, as Maddy doesn't think it should have his last name.

October, 38 weeks: Maddy is still fighting with Cody about the baby's name, but his parents show her the planned renovations to make the dining room a nursery. [I didn't necessarily follow with how the recessed shelving would be the best use of the space, but okay. also, why don't they get 2 twin beds if they're both single? 2 queen beds makes no sense!] Maddy soon goes into labor, and has to make it 6.5 hours until she can get an epidural.

Aubrey Lynn is born 8lbs 3oz on October 20th.

One day old: Cody slept through Aubrey's crying all night, and the fight over the baby's surname happens again, though Maddy prevails.

Two days old: they're discharged and head home, where Cody and his parents see the newborn.

November, 2 weeks old: Cody hasn't been by to see Aubrey.

3 weeks old: Maddy wants to do online school, and there has still been no sign of Cody, though he does call to check on the baby. [yep, that's it!]

4 weeks old: She brings the baby to meet her dad, and he still offers her to move in there. She texts Cody and tells him that she doesn't want to live with him, and moves to her father's a week later.

7 weeks old: Cody comes to see Aubrey. [I thought that this was a rather odd place to end it, but whatever. maybe it's a new thing this season to leave things more unraveled?]

RETURNING: 19 Kids & Counting: Courtships & A Wedding

The Duggars are back - and they have a lot to catch up on! Erin Bates got married last fall, then Zach Bates in December, and with Jill Duggar already engaged (but has not yet even met Derick on the series), it'll be a busy season! Over in Washington, D.C., Anna is homeschooling four-year-old Mackynzie, and it looks like the rest of the Duggars will be heading East for another visit - perhaps even Thanksgiving or Christmas! Still, each family member takes life at his or her own speed, and there are bound to be little moments that are just as important as graduations and weddings!

TLC

19 Kids and Counting "A Duggar Says Yes" (S08E01): Ben started going to the Duggars' church back in the spring, and five months later, began courting Jessa. Ben is 18, the oldest of seven kids, and lives in another part of Arkansas where he is a freshman at a community college and is also doing auto glass windshield repairs. [I love how Michelle stared at Jim Bob as Ben leads up to asking to court Jessa. but was Jim Bob seriously videotaping it?? it does sound like other young men have come along!] Jessa is 20 and has been strong-willed since childhood. She's opinionated, not overly emotional, and loyal, so the couple thinks their personalities complement each other. Ben helps out with family projects, and Jessa's brothers have a chance to interrogate the young man. Jessa takes up a larger interest in cooking, so she helps with more dinner. [does she really strike up an interest? or is she told to have that interest?]

Michelle and Jessa go to check out Ben's family for the weekend, and in preparing, the older girls (plus Joy for once!) talk about what will be changing in the household. John-David flies them down there, and the 200-mile flight takes them 40 minutes. [John-David really does try so many different things!] Jessa and Ben go on a double-date with his parents while Michelle watches the other kids. [normally, you'd think it woudl be awkward to watch a bunch of strangers' kids, no?] The Seewald extended family comes over for a potluck meal as well. [it was very cute that Jessa thought Ben genuinely wanted to discuss theology at first.] Meanwhile, JimBob takes the kids out for a pizza buffet.

19 Kids and Counting "Double Dating Duggars" (S08E02): JimBob and Michelle take Ben and Jessa to play mini-golf and talk to them about the expectations of their courtship.[purposely being sensual around your child and hoping they don't have the same type of desires is ridiculous.]

Jill and her group (JoyAnna, James, and Jennifer) make pickles.

Anna puts together a playhouse for the kids, and has started homeschooling Mackenzie.

19 Kids and Counting "Another Courtship?" (S08E3): Jill talks to Derick online, who is in Nepal. She asks JimBob if the two of them can go to Nepal to meet him, and he's open to the idea, having been the young man's prayer partner for some time. Michelle plays chess with Jeremiah, but struggles. [we've looked at Jeremiah's hobby before, so it's nice to see he's sticking with an interest.]

Anna demonstrates worksheets with Mackenzie.

The Duggar kids decide to put on a dinner theatre night for JimBob and Michelle, so Joy-Anna puts together a song with the little kids, and other groups have performances planned, too. [guess this will be the ongoing project this season!]

The four oldest girls work on the book they've been authoring for the past two years, and
Jinger suggests Jessa write about her own relationship, but she doesn't want to. [that answers that!]

19 Kids and Counting "Wedding Bells?" (S08E04): Ben and his mother join the Duggars on a road trip to Tennessee for Erin Bates' wedding. [is "Chad" normally a nickname for "Charles" ?] Because Erin isn't the greatest cook, the older Duggar girls (sans Jessa) decide to put together a gag gift about the woman's poor skills in the kitchen. [the fire extinguisher was a funny touch!] Jinger starts taking over the packing, which Jessa used to help with, but at least the number of kids is a little smaller - Joy Anna has started packing for herself now.

Kelly Bates isn't sure how many people are coming to the wedding, so they plan for 1,000 people. [do they not require RSVPs?] Erin ordered bridesmaid dresses online, but they didn't fit the girls right so they bought fabric and Michaela went to work making them! Erin bought a dress from a store and had it altered to be more modest. [sounds like money was no object for this ceremony, eh?] With Zach engaged to Whitney, the Bates family is very busy with upcoming nuptials. Erin shows Jessa and Ben her new home, which has a pink master bedroom. [I agree that it's a bit odd. I understand that Erin never got the dream room of a six-year-old as a kid, but as an adult it's a bit much.]

JohnDavid is in charge of trashing the getaway car, which is actually a rented vehicle. [why? also, haha at Michelle taking paint of the walls at the church with tape! and where were Josh and Anna?]

FWBL: Not Looking Good

This show is not getting any better. The pilot didn't live up to the hype, in my opinion, and this episode, while a nice fit for CBS, focused too much on sex to interest me. I'm going to need more if they want me to stick around. It would be nice if the relationships built in the first episode came out more in this one, and if the jokes were a little more mature. Most importantly, however, it would have been great to know WHY 4+ months have passed in the show's timeline since the previous episode! That seemed absolutely ridiculous and unexplained, bothering me to my core. What are you thinking at this point?

Friends with Better Lives "Window Pain" (S01E02): Will is back on the market, and because he hasn't dated since 1998, Kate helps him get back out there. At first, he tries to do it without her, but quickly learns in a grocery store that "being a doctor" isn't the great selling point he thought it would be. He doesn't know what to say to women... at all... so he tries to play a "man of few words." But, the only woman into him wants a threesome, and because he just wants to move on and experience sex with someone besides his ex-wife, he keeps that fact from Kate. The friends wind up competing for the woman's attention, which comes back to bite them.

Michael Yarish/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back at home, Andi is pregnant again, and goes from the high-powered sense of smell stage to the deeply passionate stage, and beyond. Also, Jules is struggling with being a vegetarian around Lowell. 

Trophy Wife: Trying Too Hard

I've been a bit of a waffler over Trophy Wife, and I've been trying to pinpoint the actual problem... and I think I've found it. I think that the writers act a bit desperate, especially for a first-season show. Comedy is a tough market right now, and most rookies don't make it past the pilot season, but that's still no excuse to pull out as many stops as I think Trophy Wife might be. Guest stars are fun, wondering what xyz would be like is nice, changing the scenery up a bit is refreshing, and having a character take a brush with death is enticing... but all in a row?

ABC/Michael Ansell

I get that it shows versatility for the future and only just tugs at what the universe of the show could hold, but I look at it like it's trying too hard and that'll probably be part of the reason the show won't make it. 

Trophy Wife "The Wedding: Part 1" (S01E16): Kate decides to clean out the garage, and stumbles upon Pete's old wedding videos, bringing out the green monster in her who regrets eloping. [Pete kept the wedding videos in both divorces?] She tells Pete, and they decide to go for the full craziness of a wedding, with "You Make Me Happy" a la The Muppets as the inspiration for the event. [Pete and Diane got married while OJ Simpson was on the run.] Meg and Hillary both want to be Maid of Honor, but have to work together, a challenge for both. Meanwhile, Pete plans for the guys in the wedding to wear kilts, but it turns out that they're Flemish, not Scottish! [what a terrible time to dig up your family tree, LoL!] Things only get worse, however, when it turns out that Kate isn't technically a citizen and will have to go through an INS interview. [haha, the shirt at the beginning of the episode was just to remind the audience that Kate is Canadian.] It doesn't go well, until the family barges in and it becomes apparent that it is NOT a marriage of convenience. Kate's mom, Cricket (played by Megan Mullally), then arrives, which really only gets the crazy started. 

Also, Diane and Russ decide to make their relationship public, but they quickly learn that they have a lot of differing opinions, now that they can do things together. And, Jackie is seeing Steve but lies to Bert about who he is.

Trophy Wife "The Wedding: Part 2" (S01E17): Cricket kisses Pete's parents on the lips, and soon freaks out that Kate resents her eclectic upbringing. [but seriously, who hires strippers for a rehearsal dinner??] This is in stark contrast to Pete's parents, who constantly lie to one another. Pete's dad pretends to golf but really works, Pete's mother sold the house and bought a condo in Florida, and they refuse to talk about their issues. [yeah, a whole different kind of crazy!] Kate winds up locking them in a room together to talk about their issues, but they don't care about much of anything until Great Aunt Margaret dies at 108, and the funeral is the same day as the wedding. [which, by the way, Hillary is trying to run without Meg's help, so Diane and Jackie wind up pitching in.] So, everyone takes off for Portland, and Jackie winds up officiating a wedding on the plane! [how surprising!]

Trophy Wife "Couples Therapy" (S01E18): Pete tells Diane that he and Kate are in couples counseling so that she'll think he has grown as a person and take over some of his volunteer duties. [this frontier fair was a lot of work for a single episode!] It all starts when Kate makes chili for Pete but he throws it out and makes his own anyway. [haha.] Diane tells Jackie about the therapy, so Kate and Pete also milk her for more childcare to spend more time together. Unfortunately, Diane figures out that they're lying, and it's not long before the jig is up.

In a flat B-story, Hillary writes her extended adolescence psychology paper on Meg.

Trophy Wife "The Minutes" (S01E19): Kate is late to a PTA meeting because she was watching Scandal. Diane begins to choke on some granola, but Kate administers an abdominal thrust and saves her. However, the doctor is far from grateful, and Kate decides to take over the PTA as a result. [kinda strange revenge?] She has a great time gaining popularity, until she learns that the meetings are transcribed for the school community. When she's not willing to fund a squash team to get her insults struck from the record, Kate asks Diane for help. They dig up some dirt and wind up blackmailing the secretary to delete the records of the minutes. [I feel like this could have been so much more.]

The high school semiformal brings its own complications as well - Hillary wants to go with a boy whose parents are enemies of Pete and Jackie. They plan to forbid her, but the boy's parents forbid him first, and Hillary begs Pete to make peace. Being a good father, he is prepared to swallow his pride, but it turns out that the boy's parents knew nothing about it, and the lad made it up because he didn't want to hurt Hillary's feelings by turning her down. [ouch!] Warren, on the other hand, decides to get a celebrity to go with him to the dance, and Bert helps him made a video to ask Vanessa Hudgens. She agrees, but Hillary demands that he email the woman's manager and explain that he's not dying. [how did Warren not catch on to Bert's agenda there??] 

RETURNING: Instant Mom: A Concert, Cleaning, and a Pet

Well, let's start by saying that my age is showing... I have never heard of Cody Simpson before, and was completely lost as to how badly anyone would want to go to his concert. In fact, the last time I was that lost about a musician on television, I think it was Stephanie fawning over Tommy Page on Full House! On another note, a great way to have a pet-friendly episode and not have to continue writing in rabbits, snakes, and mice is to have them all die and run away at the same time... interesting way to go! I did like that they weren't the standard cats, dogs, and hamsters, though, as I had the weirdo pets growing up, too - it was turtles, birds, and lizards for my family! Lastly, I feel like a lot of shows tried to do the kids-on-strike storyline in the late 80s/early 90s (when family shows were all the rage), but it's been a while, so it was interesting to see how it would play out now. Except, really, the additions of modern technology and changing priorities didn't really factor in, and I kinda liked that. Which of the latest three episodes of Instant Mom did you enjoy most?

Instant Mom "A Kid's Choice" (S01E16): The kids all make music videos to win tickets to a Cody Simpson concert, and it's Aaron who winds up winning! [but we don't see his video! :(] Stephanie thought that James and Gabby's videos were terrible, so she had already talked Charlie into letting whoever wins choose their company - adult or not. Aaron is game to take whichever sibling knows him better, but neither of them (nor Stephanie and Charlie) manages to get a single question correct. [loved that Garfield question!] Aaron doesn't know what he should do, but when Cody hears about it, he brings extra tickets for the whole family! [oh. like when the Beach Boys helped out Stephanie in the same dilemma on Full House.] BUT, when Cody delivers them, he accidentally falls for one of James' pranks on Gabby, and he helps the kids cover it up so they'll still be allowed to go to the concert. So, despite being glued to a chair, Cody manages to keep Charlie and Stephanie from knowing what's going on, even if it means that he gets carried out of the house! [the stolen chair kinda gave something away, though!] 

Instant Mom "Chore Money, Chore Problems" (S01E17): The kids take advantage of their weekly cleaning service, so Stephanie fires the maid and tries to get the kids to help out some more. [haha, I remember the first time my parents tried to crack down and get us to help clean the house. it failed because we were smart asses. we only had to "clean on the commercials," so we watched nothing but PBS. :-P] The kids decide to revolt unless they get paid, but Stephanie and Charlie decide to re-hire the cleaning service anyway. But, when the kids start talking back, the ante gets upped, and Charlie re-cancels the cleaning service, and the kids wind up sleeping in the backyard. [we couldn't do that - coyotes and all.] Furthermore, Charlie insists the kids can't wear clothes that he purchased, so the kids have to wear grandparents' gifts to school... and the humiliation breaks Gabby. TMNT breaks Aaron, but James maintains his stance, even after Charlie hires another kid to play James. It's Stephanie hiring a clown that brings James and Charlie back together. [Maggie was strangely absent.]  

facebook.com/InstantMom

Instant Mom "Requiem for Mr. Floppity" (S01E18): Aaron watches his class rabbit for the weekend, but it dies when it pops a balloon. [why would Stephanie have it playing with a balloon anyway?] The teacher just replaces it, but Stephanie takes the opportunity to explain death to Aaron, so he's freaked out on Monday at school when the rabbit "returns because it missed the class." [wow that's a rough situation! and the "zombie rabbit" theory wasn't any better!] But, Stephanie insists on a funeral, even though they can't find the original rabbit's body and she has to stuff a plush rabbit with rocks. Of course, the room of eight-year-olds catches her, confusing them even more.

Even having the rabbit around for a few minutes reignites Gabby's desire for a pet, and Charlie lets her get a mouse. Of course, James decides to trade a friend a comic book for a snake, which spells out nothing but trouble for both the rabbit and the mouse!  

ROUND-UP: The Goldbergs: Ups and Downs

It's been a while, partly because the latest episodes have seemed a little off-the-mark. "Lame Gretzky" has a weak Adam/Barry/Murray storyline, but the Beverly/Erica/Pops plot plays well, even if all it really does is continue to drive home the point that Bev will do anything for her children. "For Your Own Good" is a mom-and-dad arguing episode, and it works because it's completely believable, but it's just not memorable. It does feature hyper-color t-shirts, though, which was a fun bonus. Then, it's back to Bev doing whatever it takes for Adam in "The President's Fitness Test" while Barry tries to hit on Erica's foreign friend. I warmed up to this episode the more I thought about it, because pen pals, foreign exchange students, and the President's Fitness Test were all things that were part of my youth that don't seem to be popular anymore. "You're Not Invited," though, really brings this series back to my good side, though. While I never went to a birthday party at the movies, basements, indoor play places like Chuck E. Cheese, and the roller skating rink made up a large part of popular party locales for me, too. So, back in my good graces The Goldbergs go! Do you think the end of the season will stay that way?

ABC/Tony Rivetti

The Goldbergs "Lame Gretzky" (S01E17): It's February 25th, 1980something, so the heart of hockey season! Adam's not the biggest fan, but Barry and Murray love it, so Adam plays along. When he finally scores his first goal, it goes in the wrong net, upsetting Murray. [awww. just like Michelle playing soccer on Full House.] Pops suggests that Murray get into Adam's hobbies, like making sci-fi movies, but when he tries, Adam ruins one of Murray's shirts and upsets him. [hahaha!] Barry then teaches Adam how to fight in hockey, but that doesn't help anyone, and Murray agrees to let Adam stop playing hockey... and even helps with the alien movie again. [awww.]

Erica is studying for the SAT, and when the tutor is too patient, Beverly fires her and takes over. [her helicopter parenting is intense!] Erica's score goes up, but now she wants to apply to Stanford, upsetting Beverly because of how far away the university is. [haha, double-edged sword!] So, The Smother makes up some fake vocabulary words and tries to sabotage Erica... but the teen is savvy and throws it back in Beverly's face by using those words in an admissions essay! [LOVED it!] They have it out, but Beverly eventually agrees to work on supporting her daughter, who winds up scoring a 1300. [Pops' small but random part fit well.]

The Goldbergs "For Your Own Good" (S01E18): March 7th, 1980something. Bev buys Murray a new living room chair, but he doesn't like change, so he retaliates by buying her a microwave. [her anti-microwave attitude was amusing. we had one by 1987, as did my grandmother and everyone I can think of.] Bev then gets him boxers instead of briefs, so he takes her hairspray, and she replaces the TV with an aquarium. [changing her hairstyle was such a big deal! I wonder how the average prep time for a woman to get ready has changed!] Murray winds up making his wife admit that she dumped the old chair for aesthetics, not for health and safety. [this is the kind of trick my husband could get me to fall into!] She asks Goodwil where the chair ended up, tracks it down to a fraternity house, and cleans the place up in exchange for the recliner.

Adam is being bullied, so he pretends that Barry is clinically insane. [ha! I once tried to claim my brother was my bodyguard, but he was two years younger than me so it didn't work very well.] Adam then gets Barry to ride the bus with him to bully the bully, but Barry just starts bullying everyone. [unexpected side effect!] Adam leads a coup, and everything is back to the status quo once again. [nice pop-up of hypercolor shirts!]

The Goldbergs "The President's Fitness Test" (S01E19): April 8th, 1980something. Adam has a rough time in gym class, and it only gets worse when he'll need to do pull-ups as part of the fitness challenge. [I remember those!] Bev offers to write him a note, which Murray fights. It gets worse, however, when the coach is willing to put off the test until Adam "feels better." [hahaha!] The Goldberg parents have to come down to the school and agree that the only thing that can get Adam out of that test is a note from President Reagan. [seriously? I bet it would be easier to get kids out of that now if the test was still around.] Beverly sets off to make it happen, and though the letter isn't written by someone who directly works with the President, it does have the Presidential seal! [I'll take it!] Still, Murray tries to encourage Adam to try anyway, and the lad manages a single pull-up. [I liked how the difference was noted that girls have to do the flexed arm hang.]

Erica's French pen pal, fanny, comes to visit, and when Barry asks Erica to help him translate flirtatious lines, she messes with him. [duh. why didn't he find a friend who was taking French and ask him to translate??] Pops puts a stop to it, and Erica even makes up a note from Fanny to make her brother feel better. [pretty generous for Erica.] Of course, he takes it as a love note and promptly takes off for the airport to tell her that it won't work between them, but they'll always have poptarts. [so ridiculous that I couldn't wait for the end of the episode. ::eye roll::]

The Goldbergs "You're Not Invited" (S01E20): Adam is angling for his first kiss on his birthday, so Barry tells him to throw a make-out party rather than a laser tag bash. He goes for it, upsetting Beverly in the process. Murray forgets it's his son's birthday, and Pops encourages him to get Adam a good gift... so he buys him a laser tag set. [that must've been hella expensive at that time!!] But, when Spin the Bottle doesn't work out, they try Seven Minutes in Heaven, only for Bev to ruin Adam's turn with Dana. [Spin the Bottle has got to be the most 80s teen game EVER.] They all wind up playing laser tag, and Adam does get his kiss, after jumping in front of Dana (see above image). [Adam sending Beverly on an errand to make a Bert & Ernie cake was awesome.]