S02.E14: Michael Chang Fever

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Louis and Jessica learn that Emery has great potential to be the next Chinese-American tennis super star. But after hiring tennis legend Billie Jean King to take Emery to the next level, they realize she may be taking the training too far. Meanwhile, Eddie helps Evan pay off a gambling debt.

[memememe76]

I loved everything about this episode. BJK was so funny. 

[MaryMitch]

Jessica was born to be a tennis mom. I'm glad she backed off when Billie Jean King (LOVE HER) said he would have to go away from home for further training.

 

The "pog" plot line took me back... I had a couple nephews who were really into them. They must have had hundreds of them! I also thought it was just a thing to collect; I didn't know there was a game.

[peeayebee]

I loved it too. Emery was hilarious with his dream of becoming a flight attendant and then translating that into being on the Space Station, floating down the aisle, and asking -- in slow motion -- "Trash?"

 

The shot of the tennis ref on his high seat with Jessica on the ground looking up and saying, "You have to come down eventually," cracked me up.

BJK was great. I love her too.

 

I also loved Evan's story and his gambling problem. Eddie was good here too. His friends backing him up was great. Them all getting rocket pops and having red lips was very funny to me somehow.

 

Loved when BJK and Emery walked out with matching success perms and headbands.

 

Everything worked in this ep.

[vibeology]

The "pog" plot line took me back... I had a couple nephews who were really into them. They must have had hundreds of them! I also thought it was just a thing to collect; I didn't know there was a game.

 

I played pogs all the time. I had tubes of them. Most of us didn't play for keeps but when we did it was vicious. The basic premise is to hit the stack of facedown cardboard pogs with a plastic or metal slammer. The ones that turn upright are yours. You go back and forth taking turns until they're all faceup. Sometimes you played it where you took only the ones you turned over, sometimes winner takes all and sometimes you get the slammer of the loser too depending on the rules you agree on at the start. Grandma got them all in the first move, which is pretty awesome and by doing that, she should win all the pogs in play.

[jmonique]

I love how the kid who plays Eddie is settling into the role. "You're standing three feet away from me. Why wouldn't I hear that?" "I'm not trying to understand this, Dave!"

I also like pairing Eddie and Evan up. The "protective big brother" dynamic and how different they are worked for me.

[slowpoked]

Stacy: "Where's your slammer?"

Evan: "I need to borrow one!"

Whoo boy! That alone got me LOL'ing!

And Michael Chang! I remember those years very well. Dude was good at the sport, he just couldn't get over the hump of beating Sampras, Agassi, etc. Love the callback to those years and to the Asian athlete.

[tennisgurl]

I am a huge tennis fan, so of course I loved this one. Jessica was born to be a tennis mom. Plus, Billie Jean King!

 

I loved the whole sequence of Eddie and his friends slow mo walking down the hallway, only to be stopped by ice cream. 

 

Emery is just so adorable. 

[peeayebee]

Stacy: "Where's your slammer?"

Evan: "I need to borrow one!"

Whoo boy! That alone got me LOL'ing!

Me too! Evan shouting it back at Stacy was fantastic.

[galax-arena]

Oh my god. Pogs. I'm pretty sure my elementary school actually banned pogs for a while because they were such a distraction.

 

Emery cracks me up, and it kills me that he essentially wanted to play tennis because "their score is based on love." 

[BubblingKettle]

This episode was great. I wasn't expecting G-Dub to be Glow Worm! Loved the reference to Nate G's Regulatooooors - Mount Up. And the red-haired friend cracked me up again with his reason for choosing a Drumstick over a Bomb Pop, "I don't eat our country's colors."  What?HAHHAA!  Grandma enjoys a Miller High Life, knows how to play every game, and killed it at pogs.  Too much!

[PodcastTown]

'Damn girl, you lookin good. Been takin that Tae Bo?' These kids are so cute!!! I really like this episode.

[Sile]

 Grandma enjoys a Miller High Life, knows how to play every game, and killed it at pogs.  Too much!

 

Sorry, Eddie, but Grandma is the real upper case G in your family.

 

I lost it when they started walking the hall and Regulate fired up.  RIP Nate Dogg.

[PRgal]

Oh my god. Pogs. I'm pretty sure my elementary school actually banned pogs for a while because they were such a distraction.

 

Emery cracks me up, and it kills me that he essentially wanted to play tennis because "their score is based on love." 

 

I was too old to like POGs, but there were definitely kids at school who carried around Tamagochis (spelling??), which would go off IN THE MIDDLE OF CHAPEL (hey, they can't leave them behind.  They'd DIE!!).  This is a couple of years after the show's setting, but I assume we'll see them if it lasts a few more years. 

[NutMeg]

excellent episode - and I really liked Eddie's part too, which is usually not the case. Evan is such the sweet, people pleaser middle kid and probably my favorite of all three kids. Even Jessica was more mellow this episode :) And Grandma was quietly badass as usual - love her!

 

And the mask yellow suit/costume was back! 

 

ETA: and I loved the music!!!

Edited February 28, 2016 by NutMeg

[peeayebee]

"Nobody stop me!"