S02.E05: Family Day

[jewel21]

Harry and Asta's trip is interrupted by an uninvited relative as the town celebrates family.

Airdate: 02/23/2022

[AnimeMania]

Taylor Blackwell as Liza

[possibilities]

I loved the play. When the boulders showed up, it went from blah to sublime. Magical!

[redpencil]

"He might remember that I'm a murderer, and possibly a werewolf." LOL

I lost it during the last part of the play. I also adored that Harry and his daughter were the only ones laughing. She is way better than Harry's annoying wife.

ETA: You aren't fooling me, Harry. You gave the sheriff a good memory on purpose.

Also, Terry O'Quinn was in the credits at the end. Did I miss something? Looking at IMDB he was in the credits for the previous episode as well. Maybe he's going to be coming back and somehow he got himself a recurring part where he's in the credits even when he didn't appear?

Edited February 24, 2022 by redpencil

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, redpencil said:

Also, Terry O'Quinn was in the credits at the end. Did I miss something? Looking at IMDB he was in the credits for the previous episode as well. Maybe he's going to be coming back and somehow he got himself a recurring part where he's in the credits even when he didn't appear?

Terry O'Quinn is the voice that Deputy Liv is listening to about being abducted by aliens.

I too thought the kids throwing boulders onto the other kids in slow motion was the best part of the episode. Oops, one of the kids lost a leg.\

It seemed highly improbable that that guy would find the alien ball hidden in the RV.

Edited February 24, 2022 by AnimeMania

[redpencil]

15 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

Terry O'Quinn is the voice that Deputy Liv is listening to about being abducted by aliens.

Aha, thank you. I totally missed that.

[Harvey]

Finally, the backstory of the Sheriff tied into the main plot. His experiences will help Harry to understand and appreciate the human condition more.

I also liked how Asta was somewhat sad that just after 3 days Harry already had a better parent-child relationship with his daughter than she has with her daughter. I thought the actress portrayed those emotions very well without overdoing it.

[possibilities]

I love that they are showing adoption from the birthparent's point of view. Most stories are about the adoptee and/or through the lens of the adopting parents rather than the experience of the one making the "surrender". But the experience affects all parties. 

[meatball77]

The musical was hilarious.  They threw the boulders and then the bloody leg and such. . .

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The flashback to the murder of the partner cop was entirely wrong for this show.  If we're now gonna get "real" about everything, it will be alien to all the ironic and whimsical humor.  

I would have loved to see/hear the "talk" Harry had planned for his daughter.  

[AnimeMania]

21 minutes ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The flashback to the murder of the partner cop was entirely wrong for this show.  If we're now gonna get "real" about everything, it will be alien to all the ironic and whimsical humor.  

I would have loved to see/hear the "talk" Harry had planned for his daughter.  

I thought the point of Sheriff Mike's partner's story was to let us know Cletus the dog's story.

A banana, a condom, and a donut. I laughed when Harry Alien held up the donut.

[steelyis]

The best thing about the play, which was amazing all around, honestly, is how unselfaware Ben was about the whole thing. It was so dark, and then creepy with the, 'My uncle is my daddy now' lyrics. I mean, what was he thinking writing that line? Absolutely sublime! 🤣🤣🤣

[alvajon]

Why do Ben’s lips seem to appear blueish purple? 

[dwmarch]

12 minutes ago, alvajon said:

Why do Ben’s lips seem to appear blueish purple? 

From holding in his farts?

[iMonrey]

Did the mayor write the play? I missed that part.

My favorite bit was Harry calling the phone number and asking to speak to the alien. Then when they hang up he tells Asta "he knows my mother. And apparently had intercourse with her."

[Accidental Martyr]

This episode was directed by Lea Thompson.

[gibasi]

This was my favorite episode of the season. I loved the play and everyone has pointed out my favorite lines. I didn’t mind the opening with the Sheriff’s backstory. And how cute was baby Cletus?! I wasn’t sure about Liza but I was proven wrong. Her interactions with Harry were great. The episode had the tone of Season 1 which is why I liked it so much.

[Colorado David]

good episode. i liked Harry's daughter, for not playing a likeable character she was very likeable. not obnoxious, just regular teen defiant, which is fine.  Harry trying to connect with her was hysterical - wrong on every front. The water balloon fight was a NICE connection moment tho.

The play totally reminded me of Cannibal the Musical - if you've not seen it, treat yourself and watch it. It is out free on youtube.

Really liking Asta so far this season, the actress is bringing a lot to her. I think they are trying to make Darcy more relevant....I guess this is ok, but she still seems more like comic relief. 

UGH that pepper challenge - food challenges always get me. They look fun and repugnant simultaneously.

 

[tennisgurl]

This was definitely my favorite episode of the season, so many great scenes and lines. Meeting Harry's daughter was fun, I found myself liking her a lot and I loved watching her bond with Harry. Especially while they were both cracking up at that amazing play. I also liked how watching Harry bond with human Harry's daughter and watching her bio daughter bonding with Darcy brought out a lot of complicated emotions for her, it was subtle but clearly there in the actresses performance. Family day was everything, and I have no idea what the townspeople were upset about, that play was amazing! As soon as the boulders came out I knew I was witnessing true art! "My uncle is my daddy now..." 

Nice getting more of the sheriffs backstory and baby Cletus was such a cute little puppy. Sure Harry, you giving him a nice memory is just a coincidence, whatever you say. 

This episode got a really nice balance of keeping the subplots connected, with a nice balance of comedy and drama with a bit of introspection thrown in. 

[ctlady]

On 2/24/2022 at 1:03 AM, AnimeMania said:

Terry O'Quinn is the voice that Deputy Liv is listening to about being abducted by aliens

Was that the radio show she was listening to while she was laying on the hood of her car?  I thought that was Nathan Fillion doing double duty.  It sounded a lot like him

I'm fine with Sheriff Mike's back story - and Cletus' - if only not to leave that anvil dangling about what actually happened

I thought the play was more dark humor.  Yes, I chuckled when the girl held up the leg and the very blunt song lyrics.  I just thought that if there were any great, great, great grandchildren of the victims in the audience that it may not have gone over well with.

Did anyone else catch Harry channeling Liam Neeson on the phone call to Liza's camp?

[Tachi Rocinante]

The writers don't know what to do with the Sheriff.  His mood and behavior seem to change almost weekly.

Also, the "holding in my farts" business was completely out of left field, considering the Mayor's bedroom habits.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Tachi Rocinante

[HurricaneVal]

Harry's not!daughter was so close to figuring something out when she said Harry was acting different, specifically "brain injury" different, and gave him a sideways speculative look.....then just continued on in normal self-obssessed teen fashion.  I was holding my breath, but the moment passed.  Real!Harry really must have been a jerk if everyone prefers the current awkward, weird, and uncomfortable Harry.

Loved the play.  I lost it at the brandished severed leg.

Did the Mayor's wife not participate in any rehearsals?  It seemed to me her piano accompaniment was the first time she'd seen the play.  Which is kind of preposterous for real life, but watching her dawning horror as the play unfolded was comedy gold.

I also lost it at the sex education scene.  Like Harry googled "things parents of teens should do" and I was mildly amused at the condom and banana, but when he disappointedly held out the donut and waved it around, I giggled uncontrollably.

[Ottis]

Not sure if this is supposed to be cute, but basically this ep just emphasizes that this town is filled with screw ups. Asta goes back to Jimmy? Darcy can’t manage dinner as an adult with her parents? Big Black feels crippling guilt because in a suspect chase he and his bro went… different ways and his bro was shot? And now an annoying daughter. If I were the alien, this behavior would not convince me to change the plan. 
 

The story of the 59 keeps getting more ridiculous. Heroes? Uh, sure.

Edited February 22 by Ottis

[Paloma]

On 2/24/2022 at 10:30 PM, AnimeMania said:

A banana, a condom, and a donut. I laughed when Harry Alien held up the donut.

OMG, I didn't even get the point of the donut! I just thought he was being inconsiderate about her gluten intolerance!

[Paloma]

This was definitely my favorite episode this season, and a return to the quality of the first season. I didn't mind the combination of serious (such as what happened to the sheriff) and funny/weird because it makes the characters feel more fully developed and human...or in the case of Harry, becoming human.

I'm not sure if the introduction of Harry's daughter was necessary, especially if there is no further appearance or reference to her, but I did like them both cracking up at the ridiculous play while most of the audience was aghast. I didn't understand where she went at the end, though--was she taking a bus from Colorado to New York City? Her mother was off with some guy in Europe or wherever, so was the daughter going to live alone? I'm surprised that Asta didn't insist that Harry have her stay with him until the mother got home.

[lucindabelle]

I assumed that it had been a few more days and mom was home or would be. Getting on a bus is poignant but surely she’d fly? And expect dad to take her to the airport? It’s not as if Colorado doesn’t have one or two.

i actually wouldn’t have minded if teen daughter had stayed on.

we are definitely finding out a lot about real Harry’s not so nice past. But his wife and he- second wife I guess- had such a nice backstory so it’s confusing. 
 

The towns origin story is appalling but that play was so bad it’s kind of great. Like I can see it becoming a weird tourist attraction 

Edited March 17 by lucindabelle

[Orbert]

Deputy Liv continues to be the MVP.  She went to Sheriff Mike with her theory that they'd both had their memories of that day erased by an alien, and yeah it sounds crazy but she had to put it out there.  And of course she's 100% correct.  And of course Sheriff Mike shuts her down, but this time it wasn't just him being a dick; Harry helped him "remember" that day, and it was a good day.  I like how all those things kinda tied together.  So now Liv is back to being the only one with no memory of that day.

What was the point of Mrs. Mayor and Max going off to Grandma's house, since they were back for the play and nothing really happened in between?  Was it really just to get a fart joke as they were leaving?