S02.E06: Tempest in a Stew Pot

[Snow Apple]

Soup and sandwich places are pretty popular in the Midwest. They should add sandwiches and salads on the menu. 

What I would be worried about is the location. Malls and strip malls are better for independent casual soup places. All the better if it's close to the business district. Stand alone restaurants are struggling except for fast food and chains. I know several places that were making money out the wazoo in small take out places with maybe one or two tables. Then they expanded to beautiful full service restaurants. They all regret it.

If they can afford it and if they can let go of the sentimental, they should look into the food truck idea. They can drive to businesses, campuses, tourist spots, etc.

I don't know much about popup restaurants, but that may be a good way to test the market for stew.

I don't know why I feel so invested. lol 

[BeachDays]

32 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

Soup and sandwich places are pretty popular in the Midwest. They should add sandwiches and salads on the menu. 

What I would be worried about is the location. Malls and strip malls are better for independent casual soup places. All the better if it's close to the business district. Stand alone restaurants are struggling except for fast food and chains. I know several places that were making money out the wazoo in small take out places with maybe one or two tables. Then they expanded to beautiful full service restaurants. They all regret it.

If they can afford it and if they can let go of the sentimental, they should look into the food truck idea. They can drive to businesses, campuses, tourist spots, etc.

I don't know much about popup restaurants, but that may be a good way to test the market for stew.

I don't know why I feel so invested. lol 

Honestly I was thinking if they are so invested in making this happen they need to go out and make it happen.   So the Lunchbox is off the table for now?  Try a different location or the food truck idea.   I know it stings to not get what you want when you want it but if they are so hardcore THEY need to make it happen.  

[iMonrey]

Quote

Not only that but Becky has a new baby. If she has benefits through her waitressing job she'd be a fool to give that up.

That Mexican restaurant she works at looks like a pretty dinky hole in the wall. I doubt the waitresses are getting medical and dental benefits there.

I agree the "stew" thing is stupid, and just makes Becky and Jackie's idea even more unrealistic. 

Quote

 So the Lunchbox is off the table for now?  Try a different location or the food truck idea.   I know it stings to not get what you want when you want it but if they are so hardcore THEY need to make it happen.

I think Jackie is just fixated on the Lunchbox location because of her nostalgia for it. Even more so now finding out Bev lied to her and feeling like Darlene betrayed her. It really isn't about the business anymore.

Edited November 14, 2019 by iMonrey

[greekmom]

6 hours ago, LBS said:

Mind you I have a strong aversion to stew after growing up with my mom throwing everything in a crock pot and letting it sit for hours and calling it "stew" but I can't get behind this concept for a restaurant.  Also, Illinois summers get really hot and sticky.  No one wants to eat stew in July.  I hope they drop it but I do like the conflict it is bringing to the characters. 

We had this chain here called Zoup that sold all different kinds of soups and chili.

3 locations are now down 1.  I'm thinking because no one really wants soup or chili in the summer months.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

That Mexican restaurant she works at looks like a pretty dinky hole in the wall. I doubt the waitresses are getting medical and dental benefits there.

Fair point. I thought maybe it was a chain/franchise type deal.

[Snow Apple]

16 minutes ago, greekmom said:

We had this chain here called Zoup that sold all different kinds of soups and chili.

3 locations are now down 1.  I'm thinking because no one really wants soup or chili in the summer months.

I liked Zoup. They had sandwiches too. Their food was quite tasty. But they're not a big name and probably not a lot of people knew about it. It didn't help that the location near me was practically next door to a Panera and a Subway.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Snow Apple

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Snow Apple said:

I liked Zoup. They had sandwiches too. Their food was quite tasty. But they're not a big name and probably not a lot of people knew about it. It didn't help that the location near me was practically next door to a Panera and a Subway.

Were they there first? They should have put rotted fish in Panera's and Subway's air ducts.

[Not4Me]

I’m really struggling to connect with the writing here. Someone mentioned, I believe in a previous episode, that the writing seems very broad for the dialogue lately. I feel the characters have been so diluted to the point where they seem so caustic and over-characterized that it makes it hard for me to build empathy when they constantly repeat dysfunctional decisions.

Take in point the bad restaurant idea of the stew cuisine with Jackie and Becky and the way they’re really painting Darlene to be the bad guy, ignoring reality. I suppose Becky had some ingenuity to create a business plan because it did recall that she used to be book smart. But this is all to indulge Jackie’s fanatical nostalgia of living in the past. Jackie has no plan. They’re both acting like children. 

I really hate Harris, she’s so one-dimensional and I wish they would write her out of the series. Darlene would’ve never parented such a rotten person.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Not4Me

[Lili]

Becky moving out like that reminds me of when my little sister moved out. Granted, she came back after a couple months. So, if you think about it, Dan and Darlene are the only original people left still living in the house.

[BeachDays]

Rewatched this ep-  I still love Becky and Darlene’s fight so much.   Hilarious!!! “Excuse me I’m in DJ’s room”. “At least I have someone in my bed” 😂

Regarding Harris, isn’t she a junior or senior now?  Any college plans?  When she brought up Chicago it made me think she probably could be there very soon.  

[love2lovebadtv]

On 11/12/2019 at 10:31 PM, jewel21 said:

Darlene had a point when she said Jackie and Becky should start off small with a food truck. 

I laughed out loud at the bear line between Becky and Darlene. 

And I loved Mark's turkeys! The Odessa one with the safety pin through it's nares cracked me up, heh. 

I thought it was a fabulous idea! Call it whatever, build your brand, then go bigger if it's a success.  Jackie and Becky are being unrealistic. Darlene is actually sensible here. 

Mark is a sweetheart. He looks like he had a growth spurt. Darlene and David have 2 tall kids. I guess they take after Grandpa lol. 

[HurricaneVal]

Not like I want to get all morbid or anything, but I wonder if the whole motorcycle thing with Odessa, and the constant lying, and pot smoking are foreshadowing a very bad end for Harris?  Killing her off would pile more angst onto the family, but would also pull them all closer together for a while, and also give an excuse for Johnny Galecki to come back for more episodes.

[Snow Apple]

48 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

Not like I want to get all morbid or anything, but I wonder if the whole motorcycle thing with Odessa, and the constant lying, and pot smoking are foreshadowing a very bad end for Harris?  Killing her off would pile more angst onto the family, but would also pull them all closer together for a while, and also give an excuse for Johnny Galecki to come back for more episodes.

I hope not! Maybe something will happen to Odessa which causes Harris to grow up a little. 

Despite my strong dislike for Harris, I don't want them to kill her off. I wouldn't mind if she went to visit her Uncle Jerry and then permanently stay there, but no tragedy please.

[BeachDays]

Yeah I don’t think they are killing her off-  they are already dealing with Roseanne’s death and also Mark.   She does need a reality check though. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, HurricaneVal said:

Not like I want to get all morbid or anything, but I wonder if the whole motorcycle thing with Odessa, and the constant lying, and pot smoking are foreshadowing a very bad end for Harris? 

I doubt it, since those are all things the kids did in the original series, without it ever indicating impending doom.

[izabella]

22 hours ago, BeachDays said:

Regarding Harris, isn’t she a junior or senior now?  Any college plans?  When she brought up Chicago it made me think she probably could be there very soon.

Harris does not strike me as someone who pays much attention to her education.  I doubt she has any thoughts of college.  Or anything really.  She does not seem to have an inner life.  It's all about what she can get away with, mostly partying behind her mother's back.

[Rockstar99435]

Ugh. Becky was my favorite, but this episode has ruined her for me. It's like all her entitlement from the original series on steroids. She has no right to Bev's money. Her "plan" is stupid. Like others have pointed out, what is she going to do for rent/food/baby supplies if she isn't going to make any money for a year? But the worst part was when she took Baby Bev away from Dan until he forces Darlene to give her money. People who use their kids as weapons to punish and manipulate others are the worst kind of scum. Becky is gross and I kinda hate her now.

[bamlou]

On 11/14/2019 at 6:35 PM, Not4Me said:

I’m really struggling to connect with the writing here. Someone mentioned, I believe in a previous episode, that the writing seems very broad for the dialogue lately. I feel the characters have been so diluted to the point where they seem so caustic and over-characterized that it makes it hard for me to build empathy when they constantly repeat dysfunctional decisions.

I'm feeling similarly. This storyline of re-opening the Lunch Box has a lot of promise, and I think it makes sense that Jackie would want to try to recapture that period (heck, I want them to recapture those glory days - season 5 of Roseanne is still my favourite!).

But when you compare how they started up the original restaurant over multiple episodes and gave Jackie real justification and enthusiasm for pursuing it, to this oversimplified half-baked idea of selling stew, it just pales in comparison and feels like it's from a broader sitcom, especially with how hammed up the performances and some of the dialogue was from Jackie and Becky coming up with the stew idea and then trying to convince Darlene.

And I continue to be bothered with how so much of the dialogue and line delivery comes off sorta sitcom-y (for lack of a better word) - I can often feel the beats when someone is about to tell joke, or the lines themselves are just one-liners delivered in a way so as to generate a studio audience response. It seems so counter-intuitive to how the original series was written and performed, where there weren't always obvious jokes in the lines, but it was still funny in how the line was delivered, and everyone played it so naturally that it felt more relatable and subsequently made it funnier to me. On this show I can feel the effort they're putting in to try and land the jokes.

Agreed on all points made by others about Harris. It could be an interesting story of her continuing to resent living in Landford, but the actress just doesn't have the charm or comedic timing to make us sympathize with her rebellious behaviour or make her deadpan jokes funny. And most of her scenes are just arguments with Darlene. It's getting one-note. Perhaps if they gave her some more interaction with Mark and explored that dynamic we could see some more redeeming qualities to make me care more about her.

[Keywestclubkid]

we dont want a food truck we want the lunch box... this episode is really really making me dislike Jackie and Becky ... what a bunch of selfish beyotch's 

[Not4Me]

On 11/16/2019 at 1:17 PM, bamlouie said:

But when you compare how they started up the original restaurant over multiple episodes and gave Jackie real justification and enthusiasm for pursuing it, to this oversimplified half-baked idea of selling stew, it just pales in comparison and feels like it's from a broader sitcom, especially with how hammed up the performances and some of the dialogue was from Jackie and Becky coming up with the stew idea and then trying to convince Darlene.

And I continue to be bothered with how so much of the dialogue and line delivery comes off sorta sitcom-y (for lack of a better word) - I can often feel the beats when someone is about to tell joke, or the lines themselves are just one-liners delivered in a way so as to generate a studio audience response. It seems so counter-intuitive to how the original series was written and performed, where there weren't always obvious jokes in the lines, but it was still funny in how the line was delivered, and everyone played it so naturally that it felt more relatable and subsequently made it funnier to me. On this show I can feel the effort they're putting in to try and land the jokes.

The worst for me was Becky’s baseless argument that Darlene was holding her back and didn’t want her to become successful for once. While there could have been some validity to that if the dialogue was written well and delivered well, and this reboot wasn’t giving me Trainwreck Disaster I Never Watched the Original Series Becky vs. Original Recipe Determined Becky, it was a cop out response to the audience. Becky is responsible for all the terrible decisions she made in her life, so if Darlene is cautiously not wanting to give her the lease I don’t blame her one bit.

And terrible as Bev was to Jackie as a mother, I now get why she gave Darlene power of attorney, she’s the only one left with any common sense. If Roseanne were still alive I don’t think Bev would have even appointed her.

[femmefan1946]

There was a fad a decade or more ago for stews in a bread bowl.

A small round "artisan" loaf, fairly dense, was hollowed out and filled with chili, or chicken stew. I suppose beef stew would also be a possibility.  Then the removed bread was served on the side with butter. So there's your "signature". Add a few more kinds of stew (Mulligatawney,  clam chowder, bouillabaise, meatball italiano) as a Daily Special.

Two salads- cole slaw and caesar.

Now add an all day bacon and egg breakfast - which is very cheap but does need some skill to turn out - I used to work next door to Georgie's Pizza which did all day breakfast in an industrial park. They went through 25 pounds of bacon on an average day.  At three strips per breakfast.

And a Pie of the Day.

If you need dishes, buy them at thrift stores cheaper than Dollarama. Same with cutlery, although it's worth investing in good cutlery. It makes the meal feel like real homemade food.

Utilities and taxes are the killers. And insurance.

What was the location of The Lunch Box?  Strip mall?  Standalone? Industrial park? Who was the clientele? 

[bobalina]

8 hours ago, femmefan1946 said:

There was a fad a decade or more ago for stews in a bread bowl.

A small round "artisan" loaf, fairly dense, was hollowed out and filled with chili, or chicken stew. I suppose beef stew would also be a possibility.  Then the removed bread was served on the side with butter. So there's your "signature". Add a few more kinds of stew (Mulligatawney,  clam chowder, bouillabaise, meatball italiano) as a Daily Special.

Two salads- cole slaw and caesar.

Now add an all day bacon and egg breakfast - which is very cheap but does need some skill to turn out - I used to work next door to Georgie's Pizza which did all day breakfast in an industrial park. They went through 25 pounds of bacon on an average day.  At three strips per breakfast.

And a Pie of the Day.

If you need dishes, buy them at thrift stores cheaper than Dollarama. Same with cutlery, although it's worth investing in good cutlery. It makes the meal feel like real homemade food.

Utilities and taxes are the killers. And insurance.

What was the location of The Lunch Box?  Strip mall?  Standalone? Industrial park? Who was the clientele? 

Standalone. And the idea of comfort food works well but they've got to expand.

The idea of the Lunchbox feels like the writers being lazy and not finding a new idea. Becky and Jackie in business has potential though.

[qtpye]

On 11/12/2019 at 1:20 PM, greekmom said:

Harris is really messed up and I am shocked that Darlene or Dan have not caught on yet.  Roseanne would have stopped that crap asap if it was Darlene or Becky.

I don't understand the pushing of both Becky and Jackie.  I get that they want to relive the glory days but they are forgetting that the Lunch Box wasn't all that profitable.  They don't have any start up cash and want Darlene to just allow them to use the space rent free.

I also think that Bev is selfish for not getting her own space.

On 11/12/2019 at 8:39 PM, ams1001 said:

And how are they planning to pay for all the equipment and, you know, food to get them started?

On 11/12/2019 at 8:56 PM, Snow Apple said:

Jackie and Becky needs to talk to a business consultant. They're running on emotion right now and sentimental memories don't pay the bills. Three years of rent from Dr. Chicken is a good chunk of change for the future.

I still can't stand Harris and her sneering face. I'm reserving judgement on Odessa. I have a feeling her home life will be like David's in the original. Harris just drags down the show with her same old song.

It's a shame Roseanne is nuts in real life. I miss Roseanne Conner and her snark and how she deals with people and situations.

On 11/12/2019 at 10:31 PM, jewel21 said:

Darlene had a point when she said Jackie and Becky should start off small with a food truck. 

I laughed out loud at the bear line between Becky and Darlene. 

And I loved Mark's turkeys! The Odessa one with the safety pin through it's nares cracked me up, heh. 

On 11/12/2019 at 10:32 PM, Chaos Theory said:

I think Jackie and Becky are being brats.  They want Darlene to hand over the restaurant no questions asked.   They don’t even have a business plan.   All they have is the idea of something of a time that made Jackie  happy and they are angry at Darlene for not giving it to them.   Honestly her kids are miserable in Landford and with Jackie and Becky acting like she is the enemy I wouldn’t be surprised if the finale is Darlene movie back to The city with her kids.

On 11/12/2019 at 10:45 PM, kitkat343 said:

The irony is that the original Lunch Box couldn't be opened without a cash infusion from Bev, and then never made enough money to be profitable. They opened the original  restaurant based upon copying an amazing sandwich from another restaurant with Bev's money.  Jackie and Becky don't even have someone else's sandwich to steal!  And they still need Bev's support to open, which means that (as noted above) they have no means of paying for the restaurant equipment or food.     I get they they are desperate, but don't they ever learn?  Dan gave up a good, steady job working for the city to open his motorcycle shop.  Becky was once a really good student - with dreams of doing to medical school.  Why can't she go back to school to become a teacher or a nurse or another steady job?  With the proliferation of online courses, I find it hard to believe she can't complete a college degree at a state university at  a reasonable fee.

On 11/12/2019 at 11:30 PM, Bastet said:

"Yeah, and if you apply yourself, you can be [a millionaire] too."
"Really?"
"No, those days are over."

Perfect.

This was typical Dan, wanting his family to pull together (I love "families always come together for the holidays so they can fight in person"), frustrated by his inability to dissuade his kids away from bad decisions, and expecting someone else to fix it.  It's really poignant, even as I am completely in tune with Darlene's frustration with everyone.

Jackie and Becky having a plan that is clearly done by people who don't have any business knowledge or experience takes me right back to the original Lunchbox plan.  So does trying to come up with a name.  The original series did a better job with the conflict between wanting to play it safe and wanting to take a chance on something that might finally give you some autonomy and a chance, when playing it safe gets you out of the hole for just a short time, but taking a chance doesn't have any better odds.  But this is getting at it, at least.  And the fight between Becky and Darlene was old school, with the combination of going for the jugular and speaking the truths they were always the ones to point out to the other.

And, yeah, Harris and Odessa taking out Dan's bike is like Becky and Mark doing the same.  Only Mark actually knew how to ride (even if he did mess with the carburetor).  And Harris saying she won't hang out with Odessa anymore is like Becky lying that, no, she won't see Mark when Roseanne and Dan ordered her not to.

Mark's turkey place settings made me laugh (especially at Darlene and Harris both wanting their turkey to be the executioner).  As did this exchange between Dan and Becky:

"Bev will live here until she dies, and I'm too old to carry her lifeless body up the stairs."
"Cut her up and make trips."
"See, you can't leave; you're the only one who'll make that joke with me."

On 11/12/2019 at 11:38 PM, SpiritSong said:

Dan is too nice. It's his house and I think he should tell Bev she's worn out her welcome. It's not like she'd be homeless; we now know she has money. Becky is being a total brat to her father after he also gave her a place to live and bring her baby. Someone needs to knock Jackie and Becky's heads together. Darlene has screwed up plenty, but they're just being petty.

I did laugh at the argument between Becky and Darlene.

On 11/13/2019 at 7:32 AM, Snow Apple said:

How much to start a food truck business? Can you rent? A simple Google says between $30-100k but that's probably owning.

Anyway, as Jackie spit out, she doesn't want a food truck. She wants the memory of the Lunchbox. It's a nice thought but if it happens, it'll be bittersweet and not what she dreams of because the old gang won't be there. 

On 11/13/2019 at 7:37 AM, Chaos Theory said:

My big issue isn’t that Jackie and Becky need Bev’s infusion of money it’s that they don’t have any idea what to do with the restaurant.   Yes The Lunch Box copied someone else’s sandwich but it was actually a clever idea by Roseanne and the Restaurant did make enough money to keep everyone afloat in large part because Roseanne knew how to stretch a dollar and had no issue with “borrowing” from other restaurants like napkins and ketchup packs.   

if Darlene is going to give what seems like family inheritance money they at bare minimum need a plan.  And it would be nice if they included her.

In other news I actually really thought Odessa and Harris were funny.  Yes Harris is still being rude and was waaaay out of line even touching Dan’s bike but at least the jokes are funny.   

On 11/13/2019 at 9:41 AM, tribeca said:

Why does it feel like Darlene has good points but enjoys saying no to Becky. Imho Darlene feels superior to Becky but she is in the same place as Becky.   They are both living in their parents house with their children.  I feel Becky was in to something when she said she does not want Becky to succeed.  

On 11/13/2019 at 10:09 AM, kitkat343 said:

I’d agree with the fact that Darlene doesn’t want Becky to be more successful than she is. This is complicated by the fact that reopening the lunchbox is not a good idea.  It would be more of a conflict if Darlene were sabatoging a good idea by Becky to make her life better.  But it is a realistic fight since Becky and Jackie won’t admit they were wrong unless they actually fail.  Otherwise they’ll just blame Darlene for the fact that they couldn’t make it financially. 

On 11/13/2019 at 11:14 AM, chitowngirl said:

With Jackie being SUCH a screw about money that is not even hers, Bev should just go on a world cruise and never look back.

On 11/13/2019 at 11:59 AM, izabella said:

I confess, I don't see Jackie and Becky's side of this at all because it makes no sense whatsoever.  They have no money to get a restaurant going, they won't be able to pay rent for a year (at the very least!), wtf do they know about making delicious stew, don't know if anyone but some people in a parking lot would go to a just-stew restaurant, and Becky would be giving up a job that actually pays money.  What are Becky and Jackie going to live on the first year if they aren't making profit?  They have no plan!  It's just an idea and an unworkable one.  Mark has a far better chance of becoming the next Martha Stewart than Jackie and Becky have of running a successful restaurant.  On top of that, giving up 3 years of contracted rent is foolish.  There is no "both sides" when one "side" does not take reality into account.

On 11/14/2019 at 3:22 PM, iMonrey said:

That Mexican restaurant she works at looks like a pretty dinky hole in the wall. I doubt the waitresses are getting medical and dental benefits there.

I agree the "stew" thing is stupid, and just makes Becky and Jackie's idea even more unrealistic. 

I think Jackie is just fixated on the Lunchbox location because of her nostalgia for it. Even more so now finding out Bev lied to her and feeling like Darlene betrayed her. It really isn't about the business anymore.

On 11/16/2019 at 12:46 PM, Rockstar99435 said:

Ugh. Becky was my favorite, but this episode has ruined her for me. It's like all her entitlement from the original series on steroids. She has no right to Bev's money. Her "plan" is stupid. Like others have pointed out, what is she going to do for rent/food/baby supplies if she isn't going to make any money for a year? But the worst part was when she took Baby Bev away from Dan until he forces Darlene to give her money. People who use their kids as weapons to punish and manipulate others are the worst kind of scum. Becky is gross and I kinda hate her now.

14 hours ago, Not4Me said:

The worst for me was Becky’s baseless argument that Darlene was holding her back and didn’t want her to become successful for once. While there could have been some validity to that if the dialogue was written well and delivered well, and this reboot wasn’t giving me Trainwreck Disaster I Never Watched the Original Series Becky vs. Original Recipe Determined Becky, it was a cop out response to the audience. Becky is responsible for all the terrible decisions she made in her life, so if Darlene is cautiously not wanting to give her the lease I don’t blame her one bit.

And terrible as Bev was to Jackie as a mother, I now get why she gave Darlene power of attorney, she’s the only one left with any common sense. If Roseanne were still alive I don’t think Bev would have even appointed her.

So many great comments...so little time...darn having to work for a living.

First, Becky's job does not have benefits. She gave Darlene the Riverboat casino waitress job that Krystal gave up because it had benefits and at that time only Darlene had kids.

That being said, reopening the lunch box and being mad at Darlene for saying no to their idiot plans was the right thing to do.

Jackie obviously is looking for meaning in her life now that her lifeline, which was her sister, is dead.

When I was younger I loved the relationship between Jackie and Roseanne. I wished I had a sister that could grow up to be my best friend.

Now I realize that Jackie really did not accomplish much on her own because she really was tethered to Roseanne in a very unhealthy way. She is now in her sunset years and the most we have seen her do is be a sugar mama to over the hill Ferris Bueller.

Becky is desperate to give her daughter something. However, she has not shown any inclination that she can handle running a restaurant and taking care of a new born.

Some tiny petty part of Darlene probably is a little smug that Becky is not doing well. Becky was the blonde sister that was a good student and most people assumed was headed for a bright future.

Darlene was the snarky troublemaker who did have some writing talent.

However, Darlene can not act too smug, she has not done any better than Becky in her life and her writing talent has just lead her back to the town she supposedly despised as a teenager.

Also, I do not think That Darlene is trying to sabotage Becky in this instance. Jackie and Becky are not being rational in any sense and their idea is half baked. The Connors never seem to want to put in the hard work needed for real success. They just throw stuff up against a wall and hope it sticks.

Also, Dan really needs to put his foot down. Both of his daughters would essentially be homeless if not for him. Darlene needs to control Harris better and Becky needs to stop making ultimatums about moving out with her baby when she literally has not even a pot to piss in.