S06.E04: The Funky Walnut

[OtterMommy]

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Robert and Sol grapple with a health scare, while Grace's bad knee sparks a new business idea.  Coyote connects with Bud's ex-girlfriend.

Drop Date: 01/15/2020

[screengem]

No spoiler alert here.

The theme of this episode embodies the reasons why fans of the show have stayed fans for so many episodes.

Our main characters return to the theme of getting older and what issues are faced by older people.

Don't miss a really funny sight gag around the 6:37 mark as well as another near the end at 28:35.    Millicent Martin is such a treasure and shines in this ending scene.

[Harvey]

I loved how quickly Bud actually guessed who Coyote ran into 🤣

Sol's behavior in this episode reminded me why was he a good match with Frankie. She had the same attitude towards denying health problems and always refusing to see a doctor.

[MissLucas]

I'm confused. I thought hydraulic toilet seats have already been invented. And Frankie said Grace should finally tell Nick - so he hasn't notice the ginormous statue right in the middle of the equally ginormous bathroom?

That said I laughed out loud the first test-run of Frankie's prototype.

 

[Ms Lark]

My only issue is that there are already booster seats for toilets and even toilets that sit higher than standard or ways to build a box under a standard toilet to boost it up. Nonetheless, I was laughing all the way on this one out of sympathy. You get old, things go awry, and you deal. Poor Grace is just too vain and afraid of aging to accept that these things happen. At least they are working through. The prototype test was equally funny and scary!

[mmccpp]

I'm so happy Grace and Frankie are back.  But I'm a little confused ... has the vibrator business been closed?  Bankrupt giving away freebies?  Sold for a gazillion bucks?

[Sesquipedalia]

I was thinking the same thing, MissLucas. Doesn't this product already exist? It would not, however, fit in well with the decor of Nick's penthouse.

I wonder what the set design and wardrobe are supposed to signify this season. Nick's house is beautiful and elegant but also sterile and inhospitable. It doesn't look like anyone actually lives there. And what's with the armless woman standing over people while they pee?

During Grace's time with Frankie her clothing style evolved to be more colorful and casual. Now she's gone back to wearing more formal geometrical clothes in neutral tones. But it's not like the business style clothes she used to wear. It's more like what a rich socialite would wear, I guess.

Elliott Gould is funny as the doctor.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Sesquipedalia

[Harvey]

21 minutes ago, Sesquipedalia said:

 

 

?

During Grace's time with Frankie her clothing style evolved to be more colorful and casual. Now she's gone back to wearing more formal geometrical clothes in neutral tones. But it's not like the business style clothes she used to wear. It's more like what a rich socialite would wear, I guess.

Elliott Gould is funny as the doctor.

She is trying to fit in with Nick's rich friends that is why she dresses in a less provocative way. 

[Oldernowiser]

I wonder if any of this is reminding Jane Fonda of her marriage to Ted Turner or if it’s even based somewhat on her experience. I read her autobiography and the whole losing her identity thing really happened. Then with the big fat secret Nick didn’t mention...

The Turner marriage did not end well, although I guess everyone is friendly now. I wonder if that’s where they’re going with this...

[Eeksquire]

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And what's with the armless woman standing over people while they pee?

This was possibly the dumbest plot point of the episode - it wasn't there in the beginning of the episode; Grace moved the statue into the bathroom so she could use the tied-together towels, rope them around the statue and then pull herself up off the toilet.  Because if the GIANT BRASS STATUE is heavy enough to be used for that purpose, I'm sure: a) Grace could definitely move it on her own; and b) Nick didn't notice that there is now a giant statue in his bathroom? That's too cartoony, even for this show.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Eeksquire said:

This was possibly the dumbest plot point of the episode - it wasn't there in the beginning of the episode; Grace moved the statue into the bathroom so she could use the tied-together towels, rope them around the statue and then pull herself up off the toilet.  Because if the GIANT BRASS STATUE is heavy enough to be used for that purpose, I'm sure: a) Grace could definitely move it on her own; and b) Nick didn't notice that there is now a giant statue in his bathroom? That's too cartoony, even for this show.

I had to fanwank that Grace got the gardener to move it.

[chitowngirl]

I love Grace's geometric sweaters. And I want to soak in that bathtub overlooking the City!!!

[Oldernowiser]

On 1/16/2020 at 2:13 PM, Sesquipedalia said:

I was thinking the same thing, MissLucas. Doesn't this product already exist? It would not, however, fit in well with the decor of Nick's penthouse.

I wonder what the set design and wardrobe are supposed to signify this season. Nick's house is beautiful and elegant but also sterile and inhospitable. It doesn't look like anyone actually lives there. And what's with the armless woman standing over people while they pee?

During Grace's time with Frankie her clothing style evolved to be more colorful and casual. Now she's gone back to wearing more formal geometrical clothes in neutral tones. But it's not like the business style clothes she used to wear. It's more like what a rich socialite would wear, I guess.

Elliott Gould is funny as the doctor.

Holy crap, that was Elliott Gould???

I agree completely. The penthouse is gorgeous...and cold. All angles and sharp corners. I sort of laughed when Trophy Wife 2 said, “oh, but the couch looks so cozy!” Compared to the warm casual jumble of the beach house... I know which one I’d pick.

It feels like they’re setting this up so that Nick is going to be gone more and more and Grace will start feeling all Robert 2.0. (Just speculation...I’ve managed to pace myself and have only watched through this episode.)

Nick strikes me as a “I want what I want” guy but the kind who might then move on mentally once he has it. And I thought it was odd we didn’t see his vows?

 

[SoMuchTV]

On 1/15/2020 at 10:01 AM, screengem said:

Don't miss a really funny sight gag around the 6:37 mark as well as another near the end at 28:35.    Millicent Martin is such a treasure and shines in this ending scene.

I had to go back and rewatch those portions, and I'm not sure if I caught what you're referring to or not.  I'll put it in spoilers, in case anyone else wants to figure it out on their own. 

Was the first one

Spoiler

when they showed the (old timey, very low-tech) fan on the back of the toilet, just after the test dummy was ejected?

And the second one

Spoiler

the way all three ladies' chairs rose up as they were talking about hydraulics?

 

[sistermagpie]

21 hours ago, Oldernowiser said:

Holy crap, that was Elliott Gould???

I agree completely. The penthouse is gorgeous...and cold. All angles and sharp corners. I sort of laughed when Trophy Wife 2 said, “oh, but the couch looks so cozy!” Compared to the warm casual jumble of the beach house... I know which one I’d pick

 

Yeah, when Frankie walked out on the patio at the beachhouse at the end I couldn't help but think how beautiful it is there and how little I like that penthouse. Then I remembered that I thought something similar when there was that wide shot of the guys' place when Sol was going to lie down. So it's not just that it's a guy's penthouse. It just looks cold and Grace always looks like she's killing time waiting for an appointment or something.

And then for some reason there's that random statue that' now staring everyone down in the bathroom. Has Nick not seen it or do they not use the same bathroom?

It really does seem like they're doing this on purpose--that most of the time when we see that penthouse it looks big and empty and Grace looks small. The other two houses don't ever look lonely when there's only one person home.

[possibilities]

For sure, technology exists to  help people get off the toilet. Grab bars, for one thing. If Grace can use her arms for leverage, which clearly she can do if she's hoisting herself using the statue, that would work for her.

You need something portable, so you can get off the toilet when you're not at home, as well.

For getting into a high off the ground vehicle, a step stool can be carried-- they even make ones that fold flat, so you're not carrying a gigantic object with you everywhere.

Carl makes me want a dog. Admittedly, it doesn't take much to make me want a dog, but Carl in particular does this.

I also enjoyed Brianna soothing Mallory the way she does for her own dog during fireworks.

[Empress1]

On 1/15/2020 at 6:50 PM, MissLucas said:

That said I laughed out loud the first test-run of Frankie's prototype.

I howled when that doll went flying. I knew it was going to happen but it was still great.

[chabelisaywow]

Did Carl look different to anyone else?

[Oldernowiser]

Yes...CitizenJeanne spotted it first, but he/she is right. This dog is smaller, whiter, younger and has longer hair around his eyes and muzzle.

Both are really, really cute to the point of tempting me to get one, and I am not a terrier person.

[Lovecat]

On 1/22/2020 at 4:10 PM, Oldernowiser said:

This dog is smaller, whiter, younger...

Now isn't that just like Hollywood...

[Blakeston]

One of the hardest things for me to believe is that Nick's huge home apparently has only one toilet for Grace to use. (Unless they specified that all of his toilets are like that, and I missed it?)

[shapeshifter]

10 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

One of the hardest things for me to believe is that Nick's huge home apparently has only one toilet for Grace to use. (Unless they specified that all of his toilets are like that, and I missed it?)

I guess the reason this was not noticed or brought up earlier is that it is consistent for the show to not explain or make excuses for obvious plot holes (using the term “plot holes” loosely), which is typical in short comedy episodes. 
But if I could, I would award you a prize for being the only one to post about this, @Blakeston!
Maybe it could be called The Emperor Has No Clothes Award. 

[Bastet]

Even though anyone who's ever watched TV knew the Frankie dummy was going to be launched across the room when she activated her prototype toilet, I still howled with laughter when it happened.

There are plenty of products already on the market to address this problem, so they should hone in on making higher or lifting toilets in various attractive styles - something that wouldn't look out of place in Nick's bathroom, not something that would look like it was brought in from a nursing home.

I love Grace using hydraulic chairs to apologize and say she's on board with this being the company's next product.

 

[Oldernowiser]

On 1/30/2020 at 7:02 AM, Blakeston said:

One of the hardest things for me to believe is that Nick's huge home apparently has only one toilet for Grace to use. (Unless they specified that all of his toilets are like that, and I missed it?)

And only one couch...

[MrsJumbo3]

The whole episode I kept thinking “just buy a taller toilet”. They also make grab bars with a taller seat.

That house looks like it has steep stairs, that would be the problem for someone that was 80.

My dad had the prostate surgery. Yes it extended his life but he has so many problems from the radiation he wishes he had just left it alone. It’s a very slow growing cancer.

[snarktini]

On 1/16/2020 at 3:49 AM, Ms Lark said:

Poor Grace is just too vain and afraid of aging to accept that these things happen.

Glad Grace got there in the end, with Frankie's help.

The reason I struggle with Grace is she reminds me so much of my grandmother. (Who would have been 100 this week! She "only" made it to 97.) Critical, judgmental, perfectionistic, superior, snarky, no patience for grandkids (yay), emotionally distant, and most of all not able to acknowledge the realities and limitations of aging. 

I get that feeling old sucks, but fighting it really does make it worse. Easier emotionally to get a new toilet and couch than feel ancient when you can't get up a dozen times a day.

Was telling my Dad about the show -- my mom recently passed so he knows what it's like to be in your 70s and have your life dumped upside down while also dealing with aging. It occurred to me how rare this show is in telling these stories.

Edited March 20, 2023 by snarktini