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S05.E13: Find Your Bench

DanaK
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willco

willco

Just saw part of a commercial and Abishola's hair is different, so reading that the final ep is a flash forward , now that makes sense.

 

With the exception of a couple of characters and a couple of storylines, I still enjoyed this season. I will miss the show, but I'll get over it.

 

I kind of feel bad for Dottie, and the siblings, they got shafted with the cuts this season. Was Douglas in more than 3 or 4 shows ? Doesn't seem like it.

Browncoat

Browncoat

Aw, that was nice.  I love Tunde and his moustache.  I think I prefer Abishola's braids, but I get why she'd prefer a shorter style, especially if she's a pediatrician.  Not a fan at all of Dele's look.  

I guess Christine named her daughter Maxine in honor of her father?

But what the hell with Chukwuemeka helping Kemi with a food truck?  I can see Kemi with the food truck, but Chukwuemeka is a pharmacist!  Why is he not at the pharmacy?  Did I miss something in an earlier episode about them wanting a food truck?  Kemi seemed extra shrewish, too.  Probably from living with her mother-in-law.

I did like all the flashbacks  while Bob and Abishola were on their bench.  Bob was almost unrecognizable -- Billy Gardell has changed a LOT.

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ItCouldBeWorse

ItCouldBeWorse

(edited)
On 5/6/2024 at 9:09 PM, Browncoat said:

But what the hell with Chukwuemeka helping Kemi with a food truck?  I can see Kemi with the food truck, but Chukwuemeka is a pharmacist!  Why is he not at the pharmacy?  Did I miss something in an earlier episode about them wanting a food truck?

It's purely to improve their sex life?  Yeah, it's really stupid.  He loved being a pharmacist, which gave him a steady income.  Unless he got burned out in his job (in real life pharmacists are very overworked), it makes absolutely no sense.  She could easily hire someone to do his job, and even if the food truck wasn't that successful, they'd still be making more money with him working at the job he trained for.

At least he's able to talk back to her, though. If it were "yes, dear" and "no dear" every time she yelled at him, then he would truly be a masochist.

Other than that, and the fact that Christina will drive Maxine crazy (if a 9 year-old purposely swallows a toy car tire, she has bigger issues), I liked the finale.

Edited by ItCouldBeWorse
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Yeah No

Yeah No

(edited)

I have mixed feelings about this finale.  It was bittersweet.  Maybe it's me but I found it a let down that they didn't even mention Abishola's acceptance into Johns Hopkins all season.  At least we got to see her as a doctor, though.  I'm glad the cast that was mostly missing all season was there too.  I will miss them all and the show.  🙁

Edited by Yeah No
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NeenerNeener

NeenerNeener

(edited)

Was the laugh track always that obtrusive, or did I just not notice it because I was usually using a soundbar that emphasized dialog over background noise? I watched it on a different tv last night and the hooting and hollering over lines that weren't that funny was really annoying. 

I loved that last five minute retrospective from the earlier episodes, but I didn't remember Billy Gardell looking quite so much like Mr. Creosote in the pilot. The change over five years really is amazing.

Kemi and Chukwuemeka together was a mistake, and just not funny.

Edited by NeenerNeener
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jalady

jalady

OK, I'll be the curmudgeon.  I didn't like it that much.  I'm all for happy endings, especially for Bob and Abishola, but everyone had a happy ending?  Not realistic, in my view.  Especially for Abishola's mother.  What did she do to deserve one?  I had hoped she'd have moved back to Nigeria!  And everyone was happy and healthy?  Again, not realistic to me, given some of the characters' ages.  But I've enjoyed the show over the years.  Sorry to see it go but the writing had really gone downhill so I guess it was time.  I did love the flashbacks at the end of the episode 😁 

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mammaM

mammaM

21 minutes ago, jalady said:

OK, I'll be the curmudgeon.  I didn't like it that much.  I'm all for happy endings, especially for Bob and Abishola, but everyone had a happy ending?  Not realistic, in my view.  Especially for Abishola's mother.  What did she do to deserve one?  I had hoped she'd have moved back to Nigeria!  And everyone was happy and healthy?  Again, not realistic to me, given some of the characters' ages.  But I've enjoyed the show over the years.  Sorry to see it go but the writing had really gone downhill so I guess it was time.  I did love the flashbacks at the end of the episode 😁 

While I do agree, I don't watch this for realism. Realistically, half the cast could be dead, but what fun would that be?

Though now I have an image of Christina taking her daughter to visit grandma in the cemetery and saying "while we're here lets visit...."😂 

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DoYouLikeMutton

DoYouLikeMutton

I guess with the haste to end this show, it was nice that they tied up some loose ends, such as Abishola's desire to become a doctor, Dele's dance career, Christina's in vitro, and Bob selling the company to Goodwin.  Jumping ahead seven years, though, felt like they forgot to show us a couple of seasons.  It was kind of sad in that respect.  Bob and Abishola's relationship never really meshed, and it culminated with Bob's retirement and Abishola becoming a newly-minted doctor.  They were always on completely different trajectories, and it ended the same way.

All's well that ends well, I suppose, but It was unsettling seeing all the bickering between Kemi and Chukwuemeka.

What struck me most was the weight loss of Billy Gardell throughout the series.  Episode to episode, it was more gradual.  With the flashbacks of Billy in earlier seasons, it was quite dramatic.

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MrWhyt

MrWhyt

I was ok with the ending my only objection was is 7 years enough to go from starting med school to practicing pedatrician? 

4 hours ago, NeenerNeener said:

but I didn't remember Billy Gardell looking quite so much like Mr. Creosote in the pilot. The change over five years really is amazing.

It really came as shock to me to be reminded how big BG used to be, I'd seen him at his old weight but it was only when you put him in context with familair people that it struck home.

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HurricaneVal

HurricaneVal

2 hours ago, DoYouLikeMutton said:

Jumping ahead seven years, though, felt like they forgot to show us a couple of seasons.

That's exactly what it felt like to me.  Like when you watch old shows in reruns on Nick at Nite or TVLand or ION, and they suddenly jump from the sequential progression from seasons 1-3, then go to season 7, episode 8. 

That said, I think we can all fill in the blanks how we want, which may have been on purpose by the writers. 

For instance, Bob continuing at MaxDot after selling to Goodwin was actually part of the deal.  Goodwin didn't have the money up front like the other company did, so it was a structured sale, with Bob staying on while Goodwin was paying in.   The smile on Goodwin's face when the company was finally his was great.  As was the smile on Bob's face when he was so happy for Goodwin.

I actually am fanwanking that Abishola didn't go to Johns Hopkins.  I think it was enough for her to have been accepted.  That soothed her ego.  I think she went to med school right there in Detroit, at that fictional university that was Bob's alma mater.  She did that because she realized she was happy where she was, and she could still pick up per diem shifts nursing at the hospital when she wanted.  Her finishing med school in seven years makes sense too, considering she probably had a lot of the pre-reqs completed from her nursing degrees.  For some reason, choosing peds came as a surprise to me, I figured she 'd go for thoracic surgeon, or neurosurgery.

Douglas growing up was a surprise to me, but Christina being an anxious parent was not.  Both outcomes were in character though.  Douglas had sparks of maturity throughout the series, and Christina could be amazingly competent yet still filled with doubt.

Kemi and Chukwuemeka and the food truck?  Eh.  Yeah, the bickering was unsettling, but Chukwuemeka was always such a pushover that I kind of liked that he's pushing back now.  Of course, I think it was all an act, since it was acknowledged everyone was in line because they loved to see them bicker.  Chukwuemeka is probably still a pharmacist, he just does the food truck during the lunch shift.  I'll be his mom takes over the dinner shift so the bickering can continue and keep the money rolling in!

Did anyone catch that Dele's NY apartment looked a whole lot like Abishola's brother's apartment?   I think that was a nice nod to familial similarities.  I actually like Dele's hair, but would have preferred it didn't quite look so much like a wig.  The whole conversation between Abishola and Dele was gold.  But I agree with @mammaM, the line about getting a job to buy the "friend" some pants was the best line ever.

So long, Bob ❤️ Abishola.  You were a fun show to watch.

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

6 hours ago, mammaM said:

Like that the niece was named Maxine, and she calls Abishola doctor-auntie, or was it auntie-doctor😂

 

Doctor Auntie!

 

 

5 hours ago, jalady said:

but everyone had a happy ending?  Not realistic, in my view.  Especially for Abishola's mother.  What did she do to deserve one? 

  1. SitComs are never realistic. 
  2. Abishola's mother being happy makes life happier for Bob and Abishola.
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Notabug

Notabug

(edited)
2 hours ago, MrWhyt said:

I was ok with the ending my only objection was is 7 years enough to go from starting med school to practicing pedatrician? 

It really came as shock to me to be reminded how big BG used to be, I'd seen him at his old weight but it was only when you put him in context with familair people that it struck home.

Yes, as long as she started med school right at the end of the last episode. Medical school takes 4 years, then a general pediatric residency is 3 more after that.

BTW, none of Abishola's education, training or experience as a nurse would count for anything in med school, there are no shortcuts.  I went to med school with a couple of nurses, a pharmacist, a dentist and even a veterinarian.  All of them had to take all the classes and pass them.  There's no AP or life credit for med school although I am sure that their various backgrounds were helpful for some courses.

Edited by Notabug
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Notabug

Notabug

(edited)
3 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I wondered if she was able to shave off a semester of medical school with credits from her nursing schooling and/or work.

As noted above, no.  None of her education or experience as a nurse would give her extra credit for med school.  It might make some subjects easier for her, but she'd still be required to take all exams and do all clinical rotations with everyone else.

From what we saw, Abishola worked with adults on a cardiac unit, so not much of that would translate into pediatrics either.

Edited by Notabug
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karenc3

karenc3

I thought it was a nice series finale.  I liked the flash forward, so we got to see the future for the characters.    Though, I think it would have been better if they had an episode  before this showing some more of the direction the characters were going in.  Like if the present day had stopped  with Abishola starting medical school, Christina getting pregnant, and Dele starting whatever school he decided on.  Those would have probably occured around the same thing, though I agree 7 years would be a bit short to be a dr, unless she had just finished or was still in her residency.   Overall, I thought it was good and mostly made sense given what we saw in the past.  

 

Though part of me thought it would be funny to have a Newhart type ending, with Billy Gardell waking  up next to Melissa McCarthy saying you won't believe the dream I just had.....

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ItCouldBeWorse

ItCouldBeWorse

(edited)
16 hours ago, DanaK said:

Maybe I missed a piece of dialogue but it seems Bob stayed at the company for 7 more years after he sold it. I thought the point of selling was to relieve him of the responsibility of running the company? And it looks like the family was still very involved in running it

The continued MaxDot involvement initially confused me, too. But then I remembered that while the Chinese would have bought out the family completely, Goodwin took 7 years to do so, so Bob had an interest in making sure the company was successful enough for Goodwin to afford to keep making payments to the family. So, part of the terms of the sale likely were that he stayed on in order to guide Goodwin until the deal was completed.  I do wonder if he continued to draw a salary during this time.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

For instance, Bob continuing at MaxDot after selling to Goodwin was actually part of the deal.  Goodwin didn't have the money up front like the other company did, so it was a structured sale, with Bob staying on while Goodwin was paying in.

Agreed.

Also, did Douglas stay on as an employee at MaxDot for 7 more years, potentially receiving a paycheck while also splitting regular payout checks from Goodwin with Bob, Christina and Dottie? That would actually have been a good thing for him to do at his age (regular job; less time to get in trouble), but it's hard to imagine Goodwin agreeing to keep him on.  But it did seem like he was staying while Bob was leaving after the final payout, so maybe Goodwin did agree (or it was also part of the deal.)

15 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

Convenient to avoid med school with the time jump.  Did Abishola go alone? Or did she decide to stay around Detroit? 

And if Bob was frequently at MaxDot, where exactly did Abishola attend medical school? And after medical school, where did she do her residency?  If her hospital were a teaching hospital (I never got the impression there were residents working there), she could have been accepted into a residency there, but otherwise, Bob would probably not have been local unless he and Abishola lived separately.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I actually am fanwanking that Abishola didn't go to Johns Hopkins.  I think it was enough for her to have been accepted.  That soothed her ego.

Also agreed.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I think she went to med school right there in Detroit, at that fictional university that was Bob's alma mater.  She did that because she realized she was happy where she was, and she could still pick up per diem shifts nursing at the hospital when she wanted. 

The per diem part is extremely unlikely.  I suppose there's always an exception, but it would be very hard to go to medical school, do well enough to get a good residency, and also work a job where you have to be fully awake.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

Her finishing med school in seven years makes sense too, considering she probably had a lot of the pre-reqs completed from her nursing degrees.

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I wondered if she was able to shave off a semester of medical school with credits from her nursing schooling and/or work.

 

8 hours ago, Notabug said:

BTW, none of Abishola's education, training or experience as a nurse would count for anything in med school, there are no shortcuts.  I went to med school with a couple of nurses, a pharmacist, a dentist and even a veterinarian.  All of them had to take all the classes and pass them.  There's no AP or life credit for med school although I am sure that their various backgrounds were helpful for some courses.

Yes.

8 hours ago, Notabug said:

None of her education or experience as a nurse would give her extra credit for med school.  It might make some subjects easier for her, but she'd still be required to take all exams and do all clinical rotations with everyone else.

From what we saw, Abishola worked with adults on a cardiac unit, so not much of that would translate into pediatrics either.

Exactly.

She already taken the college pre-requisites  (bio, chem, organic chem, biochem,physics, calculus, etc) or Hopkins would not have accepted her. But even nurses still need 4 years of medical school and 3 of residency. The clinical aspects of the last 2 years of medical school and possibly the first part of her residency (not the pediatric part, since she didn't work in pediatrics before) would likely be "easier" for her than for the typical non-nurse who had no previous experience with patients, but she wouldn't have much advantage in the first 2 years of medical school (the science-training part), and might even find it more difficult than someone who had an undergraduate degree in biology or chemistry.  It's very rigorous.

11 hours ago, MrWhyt said:

I was ok with the ending my only objection was is 7 years enough to go from starting med school to practicing pedatrician? 

If she didn't have a sub-specialty, med school is 4 years, and a pediatric residency is another 3.  IF she had started medical school the fall after Dele finished HS, she would have just been hired as a pediatrician in the year the finale takes place.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

Kemi and Chukwuemeka and the food truck?  Eh.  Yeah, the bickering was unsettling, but Chukwuemeka was always such a pushover that I kind of liked that he's pushing back now.  Of course, I think it was all an act, since it was acknowledged everyone was in line because they loved to see them bicker.  Chukwuemeka is probably still a pharmacist, he just does the food truck during the lunch shift. 

You're probably correct; he did say that he was a pharmacist.  That's some lunch hour he has.  It's completely unrealistic, but it's also a sitcom.

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

Did anyone catch that Dele's NY apartment looked a whole lot like Abishola's brother's apartment?   I think that was a nice nod to familial similarities. 

I thought the same thing.

I also couldn't help wondering where Dele and the brother were each sleeping when Abishola and Bob were playing Dele's audition video over and over again /talking while in her brother's bed, only a few steps from the couch and kitchen area in the prior episode.

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Abishola's mother being happy makes life happier for Bob and Abishola.

Yes, now she's the pastor's problem. 

8 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Abishola's mother probably moved out of Bob's house.

Bob's mother probably moved out of Bob's house to live with Christine, maybe together in Dottie's house.

The first one, for sure. Dottie?  That would be nice for Abishola and Bob. And also possibly for Maxine.  Did Dottie still have her house, though?  I thought she had sold it, although she could certainly buy another.

 

Edited by ItCouldBeWorse
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chediavolo

chediavolo

On 5/7/2024 at 9:46 AM, mammaM said:

While I do agree, I don't watch this for realism. Realistically, half the cast could be dead, but what fun would that be?

Though now I have an image of Christina taking her daughter to visit grandma in the cemetery and saying "while we're here lets visit...."😂 

I wish they would have addressed the fact that Christine needs serious therapy about her anxiety. That poor kid is going to be a mess.

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

22 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

Chukwuemeka is probably still a pharmacist, he just does the food truck during the lunch shift. 

13 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

You're probably correct; he did say that he was a pharmacist.  That's some lunch hour he has.  It's completely unrealistic, but it's also a sitcom.

Okay. That's much better than my interpretation that he had left the pharmacy altogether. 
But right after Chukwuemeka hollers "I am a pharmacist, damn it!", Gloria asks Kemi: "You sure working together 24/7 is good for your marriage?"

 

 

 

3 hours ago, chediavolo said:

I wish they would have addressed the fact that Christine needs serious therapy about her anxiety. That poor kid is going to be a mess.

I accepted that mellow little Maxine was going to be the exception to the rule that dysfunctional parents rear dysfunctional kids. 

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ItCouldBeWorse

ItCouldBeWorse

9 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Okay. That's much better than my interpretation that he had left the pharmacy altogether. 
But right after Chukwuemeka hollers "I am a pharmacist, damn it!", Gloria asks Kemi: "You sure working together 24/7 is good for your marriage?"

You're right; the 24/7 comment was why I thought that he had left his job to work on the food truck.  I've returned to the view that it's crazy for him to have done that.

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