S01.E08: "Matchmaker/Roybar"

[DanaK]

"Al and Riley get the sense that Art might be lonely and missing his late wife so they play matchmaker for him"

Edited May 31, 2021 by DanaK

[theredhead77]

Who let the onion ninjas in? I really hope the new woman (missed her name) doesn't add unnecessary conflict or strife to the show.

I love that Vanessa still has a friendship with Lizzie.

[possibilities]

Maybe Al will match with the woman he tried to set Art up with. 

[nelroy78]

I didn’t like that Hazel turned it around on Lizzie and made the remark that she hadn’t dated anyone since Michael died. I guess she meant well and she’s just a kid though. Overall a good episode and I thought there was good chemistry between Art and Lois. She comes back in two weeks I believe.

 

Finally! Separate episode threads!

Edited June 4, 2021 by nelroy78

[DanaK]

It was an ok episode for me, but that ending was pretty sweet

[Annber03]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

Maybe Al will match with the woman he tried to set Art up with. 

Ha, that'd be fun :D. She seems nice, so I wouldn't mind seeing her again, even if in a totally different context. Maybe bingo can be a semi-regular hangout for them or something :p. 

I liked that ending, too. 

[Snow Apple]

The end was very touching.

As for Al, I totally understand not being able to to something (gambling in his case) but can't control it when the answer is right there and Riley doesn't care. Stamp the card Riley!! 😂

[dungeonwriter]

Okay, the ending had me sniffling. "If you meet him, you have my blessing...and now I need your blessing." 

Dean Norris is another incredibly subtle actor, and his performance at the grave was incredible understated and moving. 

Do I think Hazal went too far about Lizzie not dating as well? Normally, I'm team "Hazel is spoiled" but I think there she was pointing out hypocrisy. 

And definitely love Vanessa and Lizzie friendship. I know my sister-in-law will always be my sister-in-law, even if she and my brother are no longer married. 

[tennisgurl]

That was a really sweet ending, I am glad that they gave Dean Norris an episode to really get in the spotlight. This show always gets me, even in episodes that are mostly comedic, they still manage to end on a making me tear up. 

Its nice that Lizzie and Vanessa are still friends even after Vanessa and Riley split up. Its interesting that the show seemed to be first setting up Riley and Vanessa getting back together as a big part of the show, but now it seems like its going to be more about them becoming friends and co-parents and moving on from their marriage. 

Come on Riley, just put the stamps on the paper, your driving Al nuts. 

Edited June 4, 2021 by tennisgurl

[theredhead77]

8 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

but now it seems like its going to be more about them becoming friends and co-parents and moving on from their marriage. 

I would love to see this on TV portrayed in a functional, healthy way. Not everyone has an amicable divorce, or can be friends with their ex (friends, not friendly) but I can't think of any show that represents this dynamic.

[Rose Quartz]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

I would love to see this on TV portrayed in a functional, healthy way. Not everyone has an amicable divorce, or can be friends with their ex (friends, not friendly) but I can't think of any show that represents this dynamic.

Yes, agreed.  I've been rooting for this to happen since the fundraiser episode when Vanessa brings Riley a sports drink and greasy burger and says "I want the father of my daughter to be OK".  That's when it struck me how much TV goes for the easy laughs of partners disliking each other after they break up and how unusual it is to show a couple who obviously still care for each other but are no longer in a relationship.  It's an interesting dynamic and I hope the show explores it more.

[Misslindsey]

On 6/3/2021 at 10:45 PM, nelroy78 said:

Overall a good episode and I thought there was good chemistry between Art and Lois. She comes back in two weeks I believe.

I am glad Lois will be back. I saw Rachel Bay Jones, who plays her in Dear Evan Hansen years ago. She was great in it.

[SmithW6079]

Damn this show for making me cry almost every episode. I loved Art's talk with his wife at the end and saying that he met someone and basically asking her permission to date again. They said she died about 10 or 12 years ago? Don't they know for sure? If it was 10 years ago, I'm thinking that maybe Art's willingness to maybe go on a date might be tied to that anniversary.

I like that Al isn't willing to give up his religious beliefs just to fit in in America. 

It's strikes me that this entire family is hurting in some way, and while they might kid around with each other, they're also there for each other. I would love to see Riley go to a veterans' PTSD group and try to work through his issues. The military has been making great strides since OIF & OEF to address mental health (what they call "behavioral health") issues related to multiple deployments in combat.

Still don't like the kid, and I thought she was really obnoxious to push herself into her aunt's personal life. She's 10 years old; it's not her business, and I thought less of her mother for giving in immediately to the kid's threat to keep nagging. She's your daughter not your girlfriend; act like her mother. Al has the right idea about how children should behave to their parents. 

[nelroy78]

This was the 10th episode aired but the 8th episode filmed. It flipped with “Roht/Sweet Bread.”

[zoey1996]

 I enjoyed this one. We learn about Riley & Lizzie's mother, Art's late wife. Really liked Lois. She seems a bit too young for him, but they had an easiness with each other that's not easy to find. This show has a lot of heart. I love Riley and Al's relationship.

[theredhead77]

4 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

 I enjoyed this one. We learn about Riley & Lizzie's mother, Art's late wife. Really liked Lois. She seems a bit too young for him, but they had an easiness with each other that's not easy to find. This show has a lot of heart. I love Riley and Al's relationship.

The actors are only 7 years apart. Dean Norris is her senior but a 7 year age gap isn't terrible in my eyes and doesn't fall into the old man / much younger woman trope (IMHO). Not saying that is what you're saying, just adding on a thought. Now if they de-age Lois to her 40s instead of keeping her in her 50s I'll revisit my thoughts.

[SmithW6079]

On 6/25/2021 at 12:48 PM, zoey1996 said:

 I enjoyed this one. We learn about Riley & Lizzie's mother, Art's late wife. Really liked Lois. She seems a bit too young for him, but they had an easiness with each other that's not easy to find. This show has a lot of heart. I love Riley and Al's relationship.

 

On 6/25/2021 at 5:08 PM, theredhead77 said:

The actors are only 7 years apart. Dean Norris is her senior but a 7 year age gap isn't terrible in my eyes and doesn't fall into the old man / much younger woman trope (IMHO). Not saying that is what you're saying, just adding on a thought. Now if they de-age Lois to her 40s instead of keeping her in her 50s I'll revisit my thoughts.

If Riley and Lizzie are in their late-20s/early 30s, then Art is probably mid- to late 50s. Lois was at least in her late 40s (the actress is 51). That's hardly "too young." The way they've developed the characters so far, I doubt Art would be the type to go after college-age girls anyway.

[zoey1996]

16 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

That's hardly "too young."

I agree, but I thought, going by appearances, he was late 50’s early 60’s, and she was early 40’s. I didn’t check the actors ages before I posted, and I said “a bit” not “a lot.”

My mom was 7 years older than my dad, but their appearance looked like closer to the same age.