S03.E10: Put Up or Shut Up

[jewel21]

Quote

Spencer is feeling the pressure and knows he needs to have the game of his life as he is still trying to follow his dream of playing football. Jordan makes a risky choice when it comes to football. Olivia attends a new Narcotics Anonymous in search of a sponsor but is worried about making the wrong choice. Coop reveals some information to Layla about Layla’s dad. Meanwhile, Billy and Laura are shocked when they hear what Jordan has been keeping from them.

Airdate: 04/19/2021

[Artsda]

Simone was a bit rude, Laura was a scared mother that wasn't the way to say you are in the family. Wife trumps parents? Jordan doesn't seem ready to leave home, he hasn't seem to want to move out. 

[KWalkerInc]

Although Laura was understandably panicked, I didn't think her questions were really out of line, and the doctor was replying, so he didn't seem to think she was either.  They just had to have a shocking way for Simone to reveal the marriage.  At the end when Billy and Laura were comforting Jordan, Simone was watching and seemed to be contemplating that he needs his family and maybe that the marriage wasn't really such a good idea.  I don't blame her for lying about when she knew about Jordan lying to pass the concussion protocols as Laura already wasn't too thrilled with her.  But didn't all the teens find out about this when Asher revealed it during the game at the cabin?  (Though I didn't know how Asher knew that anyway, as last we'd seen was Jordan wincing when Asher hugged him to celebrate being back on the team, then claiming to be okay.)  I thought that the doctor was going to tell Jordan he could never play football again, but of course they left some leeway by saying the doctor "thought" Jordan couldn't play again this season.  It wasn't definitive, though it probably should be after that injury.

I felt bad for J.J., but he can probably get a lot of girls and most of them will be less annoying than Vanessa.  He can be a lot, but she shouldn't have dated him for so long if he bugs her that much.  And I thought she claimed that she wasn't waiting around for Asher in that other episode, though I didn't believe her.  Although J.J. was hurt and upset, it was hard to keep from laughing during his confrontation with Asher when he yelled, "I offered you my crown!  I knighted you!"  If Coach finds out what's going on, maybe she can suggest to Vanessa to date some basketball players or mathletes or anyone else so that she won't mess up her football team. 

As soon as Billy started talking about how many touchdowns Corey scored, it was clear that Spencer would match him.  I hope he would have been willing to break the record if it had been a close game.  That was a nice image of him kneeling down on Corey's number.  I'm guessing the nasty article about how much Spencer and the team sucked was from that woman who bothered Spencer in the season premiere.  Like I said, the high school articles here have almost always been puff pieces, except for once long ago when the columnist had to tell us that a football star who hadn't gotten any Division I offers refused an interview when the guy asked him questions about it right after his basketball team had lost by 50 points.  Anyway, I'm glad college recruiters are taking notice of Spencer again.  I'm also glad that he was there to support Olivia during Jordan's injury even though they're not together.

Coop and Layla might as well be on another show right now.  But ugh, can't they just change their minds about whatever Mo has planned for Coop and just have Mo be a nice person?  It's like Coop will have to suffer for being more open-minded and giving someone a chance, which are normally good things.

[mojoween]

Goddammit show, Coop is your best character, can you stop fucking with her for just ONCE?

When Billy said the coach from ASU was going to see Jordan play I was getting very excited that Herm Edwards was going to make a cameo appearance.

[JLaw]

I know this isn't really a football show... but who else thinks Spencer's destiny is to play DB at UCLA?

[marshmallows]

Of course Mo is bad. Ugh why couldn't she just be good? I would really like for Coop to just catch a break for once. 

I hope Jordan gets the same tough love from his parents that Olivia is getting. Jordan lying about his concussion is no better than Olivia lying about her drinking/addiction. Both are dangerous and both can get you killed. Jordan needs some repercussions for his actions outside of him losing football (which I'm sure will only last about 3-5 episodes).

I usually like Simone, but she was getting on my last nerve in this episode. "Wife trumps parents?" What a horrible thing to say even if they already knew about the marriage. 

I wish Spencer would have broken his Dad's record. I'm a little tired of all the Corey love. Regardless of Billy and Grace's affair, Corey still left his children. Just because you are having marital problems it doesn't mean you abandon your kids. Let's stop pretending like Corey was some sort of saint just because he died. I hate when shows and people in real life idolize someone just because they are dead when you know good and well if they were alive things would be way different. 

Edited April 28, 2021 by marshmallows

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I'm binging the series and I am at this point.  

My favorite arc is the Mo situation.  TPTB handled this one beautifully.  So much of the show is trite trope-ism.  This one has some wonderful nuance.  For me, it also is a brilliant manifestation of some who use the betterment of the "comMUNity" issue to achieve selfish, and even wicked ends.

The Tamika shooting is being banged hard.  It is obvious and not subtle.  The tragedy portrayed is enormous. 

However,  for my money, it's the hidden motivations that drag ALL of us down because we can't or won't make the effort to see and we can't or won't make the effort to hold each other accountable.  It is in this allowance/indifference/lack of vigilance that the mess we have is on us all, collectively.  Mo is a fantastic character to this point in demonstrating how evil can operate in the holes and chasms we allow on a daily basis. /end sermon  YMMV.

A VERY famous football coach would insist to me quite often that "leopards don't change their spots."  He was absolutely correct, imo.  The work required to truly overcome ourselves in any serious way is super tough.  Most decide to not fully try.  Coop's immediate reaction to Mo's return was the smart one.  'Tis folly to instantly accept that a given person has truly changed and overcome some flaw.  After weeks and weeks of evidence, Tamia has acquiesced.  Honest mistake, imo.  

The longform con Mo is running is impressive.  Kudos to TPTB.  Shows like this rarely devote this much effort in a set-up.  Payoffs are almost always quickly manifested.  This Mo is a special breed.  IRL, I would detest her.  For entertainment, she is awesome.