GRChereck

I love that Pepper didn't end up being merely some cute prop in this episode -- he got to show he could be just as funny and weird as the rest of the family. :D And yeah, JJ's acceptance of the service dog (despite not wanting one only for himself -- he simply lets his parents and siblings use him much of the time, too) does pretty much resolve any questions we may have had about the family getting around any possible lease violations. Another thing I've thought about: As impressed as I am with the service-dog storyline so far, I wonder whether it might have been brought in as a response to any accusations that the show was trivializing or mocking the idea of service animals (particularly in these 1x17 scenes, "JJ's Joy Ride" and "JJ Saves the Day"). (Also, elsewhere I was reading a recap that complained about how the dog being a Golden Retriever was such a tired cliche -- saying something to the effect of, 'what is this, 1997?' -- but after a quick Google search, I figured the reviewer must not have been aware of the fact that Goldens are among the most common breeds used for service work...) JJ did seem to have a great time by the end, there. :) (Plus, that makes what, three kisses he's had this season now?) And while I had to wonder what if he'd wanted to eat or had to go to the bathroom without being able to tell anyone, it was just for an evening, and I recall he has spent longer in similar situations -- when he went to the Mall by himself in 1x17, and in the time-lapse-montage cold-open of 1x22 when he apparently sat at the dining room table all day doing nothing but trying to unbutton his pajama top. *** A couple observations about Taylor: 1) I found it a little puzzling at first that she would go from telling Ray "It's way too soon for that!" when he said "I love you" in 2x6, to wanting to get more physical with him just five episodes later, but then considering what happened in the closing-tag of 2x10 (Taylor was revealed to be all the more attracted to Ray because her mother didn't want her seeing him again) her change of heart is certainly understandable; and 2) the reveal that she and her pals attend an all-girl's school would likely explain a lot of their behavior in this ep (Ray: "Any boy to them is like a water fountain in the desert!"). (Also, good to know that Ray hasn't had to worry about Taylor leaving him for a male classmate, since she doesn't have any.) :)

Oddly enough, I seem to recall he has been allowed to have fun before without manipulation / trickery -- but even then, in each case he had to be surprised with it when he was in most desperate need of cheering up: In the s.1 Halloween episode, when he was heartbroken about the kids bailing on the family-costume tradition Maya let him to do things on her "dead to me" list; in the s.1 finale, Dylan treated him with a quick trip to beach after he broke down over the airport-restaurant being closed during their Miami layover; and in 2x6, after Maya found out how he's spent the past 16 years still beating himself up over "the Vegas thing," she took him on a trip back there to help him finally get over his guilt. :) So yeah, another reason I'd love to see another date-night for Jimya -- not only so Maya can cut loose for real, but also so Jimmy can be fully aware of what's going on and they can both be on the same page as to what they want. That's another thing that bugged me about that. :\ (Also, I may have missed a line somewhere, but I had to wonder why even without his power-chair he couldn't still use his board and pointer to communicate... ETA: Not to mention his push-chair...) Plus, the silence-mistaken-for-profundity gag was already done quite well not that long ago on s.1 of 'The Good Place' (with Jason/"Jianyu"). *** Meet the newest cast member, Cosmo:

The dog: Pepper, male. So I was right about him being the service dog that Dylan had requested -- the fact that he was kicked out of the training program may explain why JJ was able to get him so relatively quickly... :D The Dylan/Pepper plot was the sweetest; I guess it makes sense that, for a dog that's been trained to respond to others' needs (even if he doesn't always follow orders exactly), he's put off by Dylan at first because she so rarely expresses her own needs. Nice follow-up on Kenneth/Joyce (1x23 and 2x3) -- apparently, he'd kept setting up a date with her only to keep postponing it until he'd backed himself into a corner, so to speak (putting it off until literally the last day of the year). Her emotional neediness may have kept him from wanting to take a chance on her, but funny that it took her physically making a move on him for him to appreciate what he could've had. And nice parallel story for Ray/Taylor, with him being too nervous to make a move on her but not wanting to admit that his nervousness was his main obstacle; even with his Astronomy Club mates and all her friends there, I don't think that took too much away from the main character dynamics, and I love that this episode still made room for Ray/Kenneth interactions. For all of JJ's development this season, I was a bit disappointed that he was mostly so passive here, though I guess that couldn't be helped given his situation (and I appreciated how he said he didn't want to hold his parents back from their planned date, which seemed fairly true to his character in light of his conversation with his mom in the season premiere). As for Jimya, I thought their plot was sort of a rehash of 2x9, with Maya having to manipulate Jimmy into accepting something she knew he wanted by making him believe she wants the same thing -- except that, instead of him learning to speak up when he wants something and accept things that are just for him (a lesson that was apparently forgotten this time, though I suppose old habits are hard to break, plus he DID get pretty stupid-drunk tonight...), it was Maya who learned that it's okay to want to let yourself go sometimes. Hopefully, maybe they can try the date-night thing again sooner or later... (Also, I hope we get to see Jimmy's mother soon!)

(Love their choice of opening clip! :) )

Though JJ knew it wouldn't be enough ("That's stupid. I want to be U-N--understood. That will never work"), I think the fact that Dylan was willing to try anyway puts her head-and-shoulders above anything Ray would do in a situation like this. (I guess I could sort of see how Ray might not have learned anything from 1x12, "H-E-R--Hero" -- though his burst of honesty during his essay reading earned him JJ's respect in that moment, he lost the contest, and it was still the other boy's "inspiration porn" essay that moved the insurance agent enough to give JJ a better power-chair -- but I'm a bit bugged that we still haven't had any follow-up on the charity from 2x3, "J-J's D-R--Dream.") After a second viewing of this ep, I thought it was possible that JJ could've ultimately accepted the service dog that Dylan had requested behind his back, only to turn around and give it to his siblings and parents for them to treat as a regular house pet (in which case, who knows how that might affect the dog's training?). Hopefully, the next episode -- "N-E--New Y--Year's E--Eve" (2x11), airing Jan. 3 -- will clear things up, as one of the subplots is supposed to have Dylan trying to bond with the dog and win its affections. :)

Guess ABC saved the best clip for last. :) Merry Christmas, everyone!

"I don't care if you're tired!" xD A couple things I picked up on when I rewatched it this afternoon: -- When JJ was in Film class running lines with his classmate (Kyle) who was having trouble, Mr. Powers suggested Kyle take a job behind the scenes instead ("You know what? You're going to hold the clapper thingy"), so JJ definitely re-cast the voice-over part; plus, the full cast/crew list on IMDb has been updated (Andy Pessoa is credited as "Voiceover"): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt7620222/fullcredits -- As far as the dog goes, since it was apparently wearing a collar with a "clicker" like the kind Maya had described ("that when you click, he comes from the next room like it was magic"), I'm guessing that was the service dog that Dylan (pretending to be JJ) had written for -- in which case, JJ must have decided to accept it anyway and just give it to his family on Christmas morning. (As to how he was able to pick it up himself or have it delivered to him without them knowing, maybe Mr. Powers might have helped him out?) -- Also, I rewatched "We're Back" earlier this week; at the part where Dylan throws a roll of money out the van window and says, "Goodbye, summer earnings!" I got the impression that didn't look like all of it, so she could've had a bit left to buy a small camera; but even if it was all of it, the family appeared to be either still in their neighborhood or just outside it at the time, so it's possible she could've found the roll the next day while she was out playing hooky (or else Jimmy found it while he was out running around, getting sweaty and dirty... :)

"The H-U-S--Hustle" (2x12, Jan. 10) -- I guess because of Christmas being Monday, ABC decided to put up the next press release / promo pix a little early. (Lookin' good, Jimmy!) :) Minnie and 8,000+ others were sworn in as US citizens in L.A. yesterday (Dec. 21)! https://mynewsla.com/life/2017/12/21/eight-thousand-new-americans-include-oscar-nominee-minnie-driver/ Kinda makes me wonder if the show will address Maya's citizenship status in some way at some point (as FOTB did with Jessica in its 3rd season last year)... *** "D-I--DiMeo A-C--Academy" (2x13, Jan. 17) -- another Monday holiday (New Year's Day), another early press release. Aside from a plot involving Kenneth and one of his ex-wives, I'm not sure this synopsis sounds so promising (Maya opting to home-school the kids after "a dustup with Lafayette High"...) :\ Also, 'Speechless' made another year-end best list: THR: Daniel Fienberg's "Second" 10 Best Shows of 2017 (#17) -- includes nice shout-outs to the cast members. :D

"N-E--New Y--Year's E--Eve" (2x11, Jan.3) -- press releases / promo pix for 'Middle,' FOTB, 'Blackish,' 'Goldbergs' and AH have all been out since Monday; but for some reason, ABC has been really dragging their feet on this show and MF (and I guess 'Mayor' isn't airing that week) JIMMY & MAYA DATE NIGHT?!? :D Also, poor JJ, but looking forward to what's in store for him; and looks like Dylan will try bonding with the new dog. :) *** Not directly show-related, but seems like a positive development for disability representation in the arts: Deadline: Casting Society Issues Open Call to Performers With Disabilities Locations and times available here (keep checking for updates): https://www.facebook.com/CSAInclusionAndDiversity/

Press releases for the two January episodes: "Karl" (4x9 -- Jan. 7, 2018) (includes promo pix) "Nizzle Pizzy in a Dizzle Stizzy" (4x10, Jan. 14) -- can't wait to find out what this Tandyese means in proper English... xD Jasper isn't listed as a guest on either, so presumably he's still missing for the time being.

Thanks for sharing that! Minnie is right on, and I especially like how Alyssa Milano put it: “There are different stages of cancer. Some more treatable than others. But it’s still cancer.”

Some further observations, based on this gif -- https://showcaseshirley17.tumblr.com/post/168603273842/speechless-2x10-mayas-dead-to-me-wall : -- In the s.1 Halloween episode, I seem to recall Jimmy was the one who wrote down the list from memory, so I guess it would make sense that he'd forget "Melanie Hertzal" (and yet write "male baths" twice, as I assume he must especially like them); -- "Saying 'Awkward' in a sing-song voice" was later added at the bottom right after "cracking knuckles"; -- To make room for Melanie, for some reason Maya apparently painted over "audio books" (rather than the second "male baths" that wasn't crossed out -- I guess she still wanted that on there, or else her stance on audiobooks has softened -- or using some of the space after "nostalgia" at the bottom left) :D For comparison's sake, here's a good, clear pic of the original wall (from a blog post about a Nov. 2016 set visit): https://dirtyfloordiaries.com/speechless-set-visit-cast-visit/

Another good point. :) For all her rule-bending and -breaking, and as over-the-top as her behavior has sometimes been when it comes to fighting for JJ, it's nice to know there are some lines Maya won't cross when dealing with her fellow special-needs parents. (Even in the infamous Oscar-party episode, though she clashed with a mom whom she saw as too unbelievably perfect, it had to do with Maya feeling insecure about her own household-running abilities, rather than the two of them competing over resources for their children.)

Very good point about the Maya/Melanie conflict; though they didn't seem to actually patch things over (as JJ and Dylan did with their own rift), at least Ray stood up for his mom for once (he's come a long way from ratting her out at the supermarket), he got a rare "I'm sorry" out of her, and his and Taylor's bond was further strengthened (even if their moms still won't get along / will be avoiding each other). :) Also, I wonder if a family-dog storyline might build towards JJ warming up to the idea of wanting a service dog (as long as it's his own choice and not something forced on him) -- and/or possibly Maya trying to train it to do service-type things herself... That's pretty much the only thing they can do. :D Granted, I would think the owner might try to look into the situation just to make sure, but I could see where Maya's fighting-for-JJ tactics would come in handy. (Though now I do kinda wonder how JJ was able to get the dog in the first place AND keep it a secret from the rest of his family until just the right moment... plus, I wonder if the added expense of this pet will inspire Maya to seek at least part-time work outside the home -- which I think would be a neat follow-up to her and Jimmy's argument in 2x8, when they were considering how to pay for college for JJ...) I think the Dylan "vow of silence" plot showed some awareness of this -- the temporary-disability experience never could've made her fully grasp what JJ's life has been like, and she admits that, but she does figure out what specifically upset him about what she did, and she makes it up to him by proving that she had heard him earlier about what he really wanted. :)

In the scene where JJ was in his film class, he had a classmate reading some lines -- I'm guessing that's who was doing the V/O. As for "Old Pregnant," that was a callback to 2x3 when Jimmy was calling his co-workers different nicknames -- that was one of them, along with "Too Handsome" (the smiling black guy), "Undercover Boss," "Long Hair Bald," etc.

Also, I guess it'll be interesting to see how they'll get around violating their lease...

Now THIS is more like it! Massive improvement over s.1's Christmas episode. -- The "Dead to Maya" wall is still going strong, and apparently she's added to it since we last got a good look at it. xD -- I was kinda hoping Maya's rivalry with Melanie (Taylor and Logan's mom) would give some sort of clue as to the JJ/Logan feud, but it seems unlikely, considering it went back ten years (when the boys would've been about 6 or 7) to a specific incident involving one open spot in a special school that both mothers wanted. Still, I thought their plot tied nicely with... -- JJ/Dylan: Empathy and forgiveness are touched upon here, too, as well as the extra challenges JJ faces as a nonverbal person. Though Dylan knew what JJ really wanted (and she eventually got him the camera), she still tried to use him for her own gain first -- not unlike Ray in "H-E-R--Hero" (1x12) and "J-J's D-R--Dream" (2x3), but her going the extra mile (a vow of silence) to try to understand JJ's experience seems like whatever she learned will have a better chance of sticking. -- JJ has already signed up for a film class! They really are following through on the filmmaking thing (from 2x8); his use of voice-over narration to express his thoughts was a brilliant touch. I wonder if he and his dad will find something to bond over in their both being kinds of visual artists (JJ with his films, Jimmy with his architecture background and wheelchair-costume designs)... -- Jimmy/Kenneth: As with "S-U-R--Surprise" (1x17), my two faves both annoyed and learned about each other. While their barbecue feud and trash-talk bonding were played for pure laughs, though, I found this plot as sweet as it was funny. Nice to see Jimmy has been figuring out what sort of boss he wants to be (his own dad had worked for a boss that would give his employees a turkey at Christmas), and Kenneth finally got a chance to be an "office Santa." :) -- Not sure yet how I feel about the family having a dog -- I keep going back to the argument in the Prom episode... (Kenneth: "The fact that Maya would not be able to keep a dog alive is not a reason she shouldn't get one. The court rules Maya can get a dog." Maya: "Yesss. I'm going to have a dog for a little bit.") :D

Yay! Still love both shows so much... :) ETA: Also, NPR's TV critics picked their favorite shows of the year -- Linda Holmes picked 'Speechless,' and all three critics picked 'The Good Place': https://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2017/12/14/569893288/nprs-favorite-tv-shows-of-2017 *** A couple previews of tonight's Christmas episode: FanFest: "S-I--Silent N-I--Night" Makes Joyful Noise (I knew the supermarket from "D-I--Ding" would figure into it... :D ) Entertainment Weekly: Preview clip of Sarah Chalke as Taylor and Logan's mom Also, The Futon Critic has leaked titles for the next three scheduled eps: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/speechless/listings/ 2/7/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC TBA (*) 1/31/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC TBA (*) 1/24/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC TBA (*) 1/17/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC (#213) D-I-- DIMEO A-C-- ACADEMY (*) 1/10/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC (#212) THE H-U-S-- HUSTLE (*) 1/3/18 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC (#211) N-E-- NEW Y-- YEAR'S E-- EVE (*) 12/27/17 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC (#202) F-I-- FIRST S-E-- SECOND F-- FIRST DAY (R) 12/20/17 (We.) 8:30 PM ABC (#201) W-E-- WE'RE B-A-- BACK! (R) (Doesn't sound like they're doing another "spontaneous road trip" ep for s.2, though I guess they already sort of did one with "We're Back"...)

According to a couple set pix that have been released, it looks like it might turn up again in next week's Christmas episode: That was a cute little scene! :D I thought the Kevin Smith bit was kinda sweet, too.

Having looked at the transcript posted at SpringfieldSpringfield.co.uk now, I guess I did miss that JJ's restroom confession could be tied back to an earlier exchange between him and Ray -- when JJ said he wanted to head out early to the premiere (4 p.m.), and Ray said that wouldn't work for him because he had plans after school that day (JJ: "Let me guess -- with Taylor?"). :)

More about one of last night's music cues: The Flashcubes, "Damaged Beyond Repair" (2:26) According to this blog post, back in late October when this ep was filmed, music writer and radio host Carl Cafarelli heard about his favorite band being mentioned on the set, and he gave the members a heads-up: https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/2017/12/hey-hey-its-flashcubes-bright-lights-on.html?spref=fb The band themselves were so tickled by this news, they posted an announcement on their official Facebook before the ep aired, and then a clip afterwards: "Network TV premiere!" (This particular song was new to me, but the 'Cubes had another song I like called "Christi Girl" (1978).) :) *** ETA: The other music cues, according to Tunefind -- Joe Swift's Internationals, "Boo-Ga-Loo Party" (1966) Tomorrow's Tulips, "Wake Up" (2013) (these folks seem kinda new for an old punk/new-wave fan like Jimmy to be into; but they hail from Costa Mesa, Orange County, and their sound has been described as "D.I.Y garage-grunge")

Yup. xD It may not be a very big part of the budget, but it would suck if it ran out in the middle of serving kids at lunch. (Also, unless it's the fat-free kind, I imagine eating as much as Kenneth does kinda negates his gym workout!)