S01.E18: D-I - DING

[OnceSane]

Quote

Maya puts a dent in a nearby car; Jimmy and Dylan share a moment at the local supermarket; J.J. teaches a rude customer a lesson; a moonlighting Kenneth hides his side job from the DiMeos.

[Nordly Beaumont]

Loved this one - so funny! Loved the ding lady playing along with Maya and JJ's revenge was delicious! It was obvious Ray was going to destroy the tower of artichoke hearts, but I didn't see the rest of the chaos coming. I actually forgot this was about Kenneth having another job, so I was actually surprised (and delighted) to see him as manager.

[GRChereck]

This week's punk-related shout-out: Henry Rollins. :D

What a crazy episode! Loved the montage of Jimmy promising Dylan things.* I kinda hoped they would get a little deeper into why he would make so many promises like that only to keep letting her down, but I imagine lot of it was probably just him telling her what she wanted to hear -- a sort of knee-jerk reaction of saying he'll do anything for his little girl -- without realizing it or seriously considering any other factors that might get in the way (lack of money, lack of time / opportunity, forgetting to look, etc.).

In a way, this was sort of in keeping with the mother-daughter bond explored in "Surprise!" -- in that ep, Dylan admitted she had learned to pretty much rely on herself early on because she knew how much her brothers' needs and issues would require more attention from their mother, and here I'm guessing she's developed a similarly resigned attitude about her father not being able to give her everything she wants. Oh, and the part where he gave her his coat, despite his own sensitivity / aversion to cold, was so sweet! 

Speaking of sweet, I was pleasantly surprised by the Ray/Maya plot. I thought it was going to be about Maya finally getting called out for her crap -- and the rest of the family for always siding against Ray -- but it ended up with him being taught a lesson about family loyalty and giving his mom the benefit of the doubt. (How fitting that next Wednesday's rerun is "Road Trip," which covered similar thematic territory.) Also, the other lady was hilarious -- loved her instant chemistry with Maya. 

Funny how Ray took such a righteous stand over the possibility that Maya had "dinged" another driver, but his freakout ultimately caused a lot more damage than she could've done herself. Also funny that, for all the trouble Jimmy went to, the soda ended up not being as good as Dylan had remembered (but I suppose that could've been foreshadowed a bit when she said there were other promises she would've preferred her dad had followed through on than the soda.) :)

Both JJ and Kenneth were awesome, of course. Good to know how Kenneth has been making money, and his real reason for not wanting the family to know where he worked -- not so much that they would feel bad for not paying him enough, but that he didn't want them taking advantage of his position by hitting him up for free food -- seemed just about right.

 

* - I seem to recall one of the promises was a puppy; I wonder whether that was when (as alluded to in the pilot) Maya wanted a dog but Ray wouldn't let her get one because he knew it would be too much responsibility for her, or it was a separate incident...

Edited March 16, 2017 by GRChereck
additional thoughts

[Nordly Beaumont]

I almost forgot, I also loved when Dylan realized she didn't open the back for the rest of the family to get out (about a half an hour later!)

[GRChereck]

Oh, man, that was a hoot. :D 

[bros402]

This episode was hilarious.

When the guy moved JJs chair I got *pissed* for him. That isn't something you do.

My favorite lines in the episode:
"Kenneth, is this the end of a magic trick that I don't understand?"
"You guys are like a bunch of ducks!"

Maya's interaction with the woman whose car Ray thought she dinged was surprisingly hilarious. I was expecting something like the owner of the car would follow Maya around to try to talk to her, some kind of cat and mouse thing. Instead, it was much better.

[possibilities]

I am still seething over the guy who forcibly moved JJ. I realize JJ got his revenge, and it was gratifying that the random store employees recognized how much of a shitbag that guy was, and didn't make excuses for him. But that really hit a nerve and watching it was rough. I am so glad this show is highlighting that stuff, but at the same time it makes my blood boil because it's so common that people really do act terrible. I would have liked if the deli guy had pointed out how rude he'd been and refused to serve him, but then JJ wouldn't have had the opportunity to make his point for himself, so on balance I'm glad they went the way they did.

Great episode, though. My life traumas and resentments don't make me unable to appreciate the show, they just make it a little harder for me to move on after watching.

Stores have insurance for things like customers accidentally knocking over displays, right? Ray would not be charged for the entire artichoke inventory, would he?

[Mama No Life]

Yeah, that was the only part that rang false....he wouldn't have had to pay that.

Kenneth's back office reactions to their on-going destruction of his store was hilarious.  As was JJ.  Don't know how he got all the jam off the shelf but good for him.  Loved the store girl offering to read his board and his "What the heck? This is an awesome store!" reaction. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

The store must be losing a lot of money on soda. I wonder how they explain it after an inventory.

Also, if Kenneth is (weekend) manager material, why was he working as a school janitor? I suppose that janitor, as a unionized position, pays more and comes with benefits. I wonder if Kevin is buying his own health insurance.

Finally, do the DiMeos pay Kenneth directly, at whatever rate they agree on, or is he paid through some program to which JJ is entitled, which is why they moved to this school district, and they therefore do not determine Kenneth's income,? 

Edited March 16, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[GRChereck]

8 hours ago, bros402 said:

When the guy moved JJs chair I got *pissed* for him. That isn't something you do.

I recall in the previous episodes, most of the satire related to how people treat JJ has had to do with kinds of PC condescension -- inspiration porn, special treatment, hypocrisy (such as being overly sensitive about some issues while having serious blind spots about others), etc. -- plus a bit of talking-down / pity / ignorance from Uncle Billy and his family, but I think this is really the first time we've seen someone be straight-up rude to JJ, unless you count the staring / snickering early on in the pilot. As much as it hurt to see someone deliberately treat JJ badly (whereas the PC stuff comes across as mostly just annoying and misguided, if well-intended), I kinda hope the show gets a bit more real about that aspect -- if not in the next 5 eps, then in the likely event it gets renewed for a 2nd season.

 

8 hours ago, bros402 said:

Maya's interaction with the woman whose car Ray thought she dinged was surprisingly hilarious. I was expecting something like the owner of the car would follow Maya around to try to talk to her, some kind of cat and mouse thing. Instead, it was much better.

That's a big part of why I ended up enjoying this plot a lot more than I thought I would -- instead of getting into trouble with her (or spending most of the ep thinking she was in trouble), Maya quickly found an ally. :D

I still thought the other recent Maya/Ray plots ("Road Trip" and "The Club") were more emotionally satisfying, but I did like how this one sort of hinted at the pain it must cause her for him to always assume or think the worst of her no matter how many times she's proven him wrong. Also, I had dreaded that this was just going to be another case of the rest of the family's seemingly knee-jerk rejection of whatever Ray thinks or wants, but here I actually felt like Jimmy, JJ and Dylan each had their legitimate reasons for wanting to side not so much against Ray, but with Maya (Jimmy because he's known her long enough to have figured out when and how to pick his battles with her, JJ because of how well she's taken care of him over the years and how much he has come to trust her, and Dylan because she truly looks up to her and wants to emulate her) -- of course, it definitely helped that she turned out to be in the right in this situation.

Edited March 16, 2017 by GRChereck

[Lovecat]

"Steer into the skid, darling!" (in Minnie Driver's chipper British accent) cracked my shit up. 

[Ikki]

Ray yelling about how the paella was worth half his grade for some reason cracked me up.

[neuromom]

6 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

The store must be losing a lot of money on soda. I wonder how they explain it after an inventory.

Also, if Kenneth is (weekend) manager material, why was he working as a school janitor? I suppose that janitor, as a unionized positio, pays more and comes with benefits. I wonder if Kevin is buying his own health insurance.

Finally, do the DiMeos pay Kenneth directly, at whatever rate they agree on, or is he paid through some program to which JJ is entitled, which is why they moved to this school district, and they therefore do not determine Kenneth's income,? 

It's possible that it is through a program that JJ qualifies for, however, it isn't much money (seriously not much above minimum wage)  which is why I'm glad this episode came along to explain how Kenneth is making ends meet. Because in my experience what he has been doing for JJ is not nearly enough . 

 I teared up  when JJ realize what Kenneth has been doing so that he can stay with the family. Also the best part of the episode for me was when Jimmy  gave Dylan his jacket. So sweet.  In fact I think that was the best plot for me.

 

 I guess I'm in the minority in that how Maya acted the first half of the episode was so annoying to me. Maybe it's because I identify so much with Ray .  He's a lot like I was at his age, and totally like my 15-year-old. And yeah, there is a little bit of self-righteousness sometimes,  But the nerdy side of him is so sweet.  And a,ways trying to do the right thing and follow the rules. I just get so annoyed with Maya always having to be right.  And the whole interaction with Heather didn't really affect me much, probably because I was so annoyed at Maya for using her sons disability and her fake exclamation of her husband's death to try and avoid responsibility .  And the fact that she was proven right at the end, to me, really didn't excuse her attitude in the beginning . She could've  just as easily been proven wrong .

 I really liked Diane! So sweet, and positive, and cute as a button! So much better than  The selfish teenager's hiding in the back and drinking soda that they probably don't pay for, in fact I'm a little upset at Kenneth that he doesn't have them tow the line. 

Edited March 16, 2017 by neuromom

[Gulftastic]

8 minutes ago, neuromom said:

 

 I really liked Diane! So sweet, and positive, and cute as a button! So much better than  The selfish teenager's hiding in the back and drinking soda that they probably don't pay for, in fact I'm a little upset at Kenneth that he doesn't have them tow the line. 

I liked her too! A possible date for JJ? Also, Ray had a growth spurt. He looked noticably older, I thought.

[joanne3482]

15 hours ago, GRChereck said:

What a crazy episode! Loved the montage of Jimmy promising Dylan things.* I kinda hoped they would get a little deeper into why he would make so many promises like that only to keep letting her down, but I imagine lot of it was probably just him telling her what she wanted to hear -- a sort of knee-jerk reaction of saying he'll do anything for his little girl -- without realizing it or seriously considering any other factors that might get in the way (lack of money, lack of time / opportunity, forgetting to look, etc.).

In a way, this was sort of in keeping with the mother-daughter bond explored in "Surprise!" -- in that ep, Dylan admitted she had learned to pretty much rely on herself early on because she knew how much her brothers' needs and issues would require more attention from their mother, and here I'm guessing she's developed a similarly resigned attitude about her father not being able to give her everything she wants. Oh, and the part where he gave her his coat, despite his own sensitivity / aversion to cold, was so sweet! 

I liked that the giving the jacket highlighted the more important (to me) aspect that he is there when she needs him. He may not be able to afford the puppy or pony or whatever whim she has, but he'll give her everything he can. I think she kind of realized that too. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

54 minutes ago, neuromom said:

 I guess I'm in the minority in that how Maya acted the first half of the episode was so annoying to me. Maybe it's because I identify so much with Ray .  He's a lot like I was at his age, and totally like my 15-year-old. And yeah, there is a little bit of self-righteousness sometimes,  But the nerdy side of him is so sweet.  And a,ways trying to do the right thing and follow the rules. I just get so annoyed with Maya always having to be right.

Perhaps if Maya didn't try to take advantage of everyone and everything, her children would believe her when she said she didn't do something wrong.  If you consistently teach your children that it's ok to "stretch the truth" they're either going to do it too, or at least assume you are always doing it.

Here's another question for this community:  I understand that JJ doesn't want to travel through the entire parking lot to get to a store (or run out the chair battery), but is there really a good reason, when the parking lot is well paved and level, to even attempt to park in a handicapped spot?  Why not save it for a person who uses a walker, a cane, or a manual wheelchair?  The only reason I could really think of is that handicapped spots have more space on the sides to facilitate exiting and entering the vehicle, but as shown by Maya's ridiculous parking, JJ doesn't need any space on the side.

By the way, not sure why Ray couldn't have gone paella shopping with just Maya - my other kids would definitely not consider a sibling's shopping trip to be a fun jaunt - but I get it's a tv show.

[GRChereck]

On 3/16/2017 at 0:38 PM, neuromom said:

Also the best part of the episode for me was when Jimmy  gave Dylan his jacket. So sweet.  In fact I think that was the best plot for me.

As with "Date?", I kinda wish there had been a bit more time shaved off the Maya/Ray plot and given to Jimmy/Dylan (and maybe a little more to JJ too). I guess the Maya/Ray one here wasn't as bad as I had feared, so I went easier on it than you did; but yeah, I thought the other plots definitely deserved more breathing room.

Also, considering this was the first real Jimmy/Dylan one-on-one plot since "Ray-Cation," I found it oddly fitting that this one was sort of parallel to that one but with the characters switched. In the earlier episode, Dylan was upset about possibly letting her dad down but tried to hide her uncertainty and go along with the reselling scheme anyway, then they had a sweet moment where she admitted her failure and he reassured her that she was still special to him (even though he had gone overboard with buying the creepy clown dolls she had recommended, and it was implied that he may not have kept the receipt to return them). In this one, Jimmy felt bad because Dylan remembered all the times he'd gotten her hopes up only to keep disappointing her, and he was determined to finally follow through on something he'd promised her; when it looked like he was going to fail yet again, she let him know she appreciated his effort (which was just as well, because the soda itself turned out to be a let-down when she did get it). In both cases, though the sweetness was a little undercut by their endings, their special bond felt real. :)

On 3/16/2017 at 1:20 PM, joanne3482 said:

I liked that the giving the jacket highlighted the more important (to me) aspect that he is there when she needs him. He may not be able to afford the puppy or pony or whatever whim she has, but he'll give her everything he can. I think she kind of realized that too.

That part really got me, too. :') Considering this list of failed promises:

Quote

-- a puppy
-- "the biggest doll house you've ever seen"
-- Hugh Jackman's "Real Steel" on BluRay 

-- a cap gun "but without that lame orange tip"
-- "Every stuffed animal in this thing" [crane machine]
-- "your own room" 
-- Henry Rollins' autobiography (I can only imagine how giddy John, a real-life punk fan and father of two young kids, must have been to read this line! Especially in the context of Jimmy considering getting the book for his daughter... :D )
-- an x-ray
-- a Bowflex 

-- a college fund
-- a drone 
-- an elephant
-- better brakes
-- a pogo stick

I didn't really take it as a lack of love on his part -- she's aware that he's "got a lot of stuff going on" (he forgets things, other expenses come up, maybe Maya said no, etc.), plus he still does a fine job of taking care of her and making sure she gets what she needs, and like you said, he's there for her when it counts.

Edited March 22, 2017 by GRChereck
typos

[GRChereck]

47 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

By the way, not sure why Ray couldn't have gone paella shopping with just Maya - my other kids would definitely not consider a sibling's shopping trip to be a fun jaunt - but I get it's a tv show.

I'm assuming because he had so many ingredients (at least 22, I think?) to get just for the paella, he probably thought it would be easier and quicker if he could get everybody to split up and find a few items each, rather than just him and Maya running down the whole list together one item at a time. :\

However, I still have this question about "Ray-Cation," myself -- why did the whole family have to take part in the practice runs? Unless he ultimately wanted them all to actually see him off and/or say their goodbyes to him all at once; otherwise, he could've said his goodbyes at home to the rest of the family first, and had only one of his parents drive him down to the bus stop.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

23 minutes ago, GRChereck said:

1 hour ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

By the way, not sure why Ray couldn't have gone paella shopping with just Maya - my other kids would definitely not consider a sibling's shopping trip to be a fun jaunt - but I get it's a tv show.

I'm assuming because he had so many ingredients (at least 22, I think?) to get just for the paella, he probably thought it would be easier and quicker if he could get everybody to split up and find a few items each, rather than just him and Maya running down the whole list together one item at a time. :\

However, I still have this question about "Ray-Cation," myself -- why did the whole family have to take part in the practice runs? Unless he ultimately wanted them all to actually see him off and/or say their goodbyes to him all at once; otherwise, he could've said his goodbyes at home to the rest of the family first, and had only one of his parents drive him down to the bus stop.

Yes, they seem to travel a lot of places together, for no good reason other than hijinks.  I guess it's free entertainment?

[Driad]

I liked the girl at the store too.  Maybe we will see her again in school or as a friend.

If this were real life, Maya might stop in front of the store, let JJ and others out, and then go park. But it's a sitcom.

Our favorite Chinese restaurant in college days had cases of [soft drink] in the kitchen. We could see it but they wouldn't sell us any; it was for employees.

[Skyfall]

4 hours ago, Ikki said:

Ray yelling about how the paella was worth half his grade for some reason cracked me up.

And that rang so true. A random assignment worth an absurd amount of your grade.

[Nordly Beaumont]

12 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Also, if Kenneth is (weekend) manager material, why was he working as a school janitor?

Maybe school janitor was the only job open at the time he was looking.

[GRChereck]

On 3/16/2017 at 2:52 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Yes, they seem to travel a lot of places together, for no good reason other than hijinks.  I guess it's free entertainment?

I think in this particular case, because Ray had to go to a different store for a particular ingredient he could only get there, it's possible that his dad and siblings might have been curious to check the place out and decided to tag along. But it's probably more likely that, as in the case of the practice runs before his class trip, he was being a little self-centered in wanting the rest of the family to rally around him for something he felt was a very big deal. 

Otherwise, yeah, they do seem like a very tight-knit family; early on in the season, I got the impression they had this whole "us against the world" attitude binding them together, and I suppose it makes sense considering that each of their lives, to some degree, has revolved around JJ and his needs for a very long time. (Granted, having Kenneth to take care of him has already made JJ quite a bit more independent from his family, but the DiMeos' closeness is still very much a part of who they are.)

Edited March 18, 2017 by GRChereck
additional thoughts

[neuromom]

5 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Perhaps if Maya didn't try to take advantage of everyone and everything, her children would believe her when she said she didn't do something wrong.  If you consistently teach your children that it's ok to "stretch the truth" they're either going to do it too, or at least assume you are always doing it.

Here's another question for this community:  I understand that JJ doesn't want to travel through the entire parking lot to get to a store (or run out the chair battery), but is there really a good reason, when the parking lot is well paved and level, to even attempt to park in a handicapped spot?  Why not save it for a person who uses a walker, a cane, or a manual wheelchair?  The only reason I could really think of is that handicapped spots have more space on the sides to facilitate exiting and entering the vehicle, but as shown by Maya's ridiculous parking, JJ doesn't need any space on the side.

By the way, not sure why Ray couldn't have gone paella shopping with just Maya - my other kids would definitely not consider a sibling's shopping trip to be a fun jaunt - but I get it's a tv show.

Yea,  i'm not sure why she made such a big deal of the close parking space, , only to make it more of a hassle to get in and out. If I can't find a handicapped  spot close up I park way far away. REALLY far sometimes. I don't want to be near any cars. My son is able to walk with a guide,   However, I do have a small travel wheelchair for him . In either  case he gets in and out of the car himself and I need a lot of space on the sides. There  are plenty of times where I've gone to the grocery store and the closest handicap spots are taken, and though there may be a few available a little farther away, I  will still park in a regular spot a little farther away, if there are no cars around. It seriously only takes an extra minute or two to walk (or wheel) that little distance. . But, i know. Sitcom  hijinks .

[partofme]

I was team Maya in this episode and was happy when she was vindicated.  Family loyalty matters.  I really love this show.

[Chit Chat]

Quote

Here's another question for this community:  I understand that JJ doesn't want to travel through the entire parking lot to get to a store (or run out the chair battery), but is there really a good reason, when the parking lot is well paved and level, to even attempt to park in a handicapped spot?  Why not save it for a person who uses a walker, a cane, or a manual wheelchair?

Some of the handicapped spaces are designed kind of  like parallel parking, but you pull straight in which allows the disabled person to exit the vehicle from the side or the back a little easier.  This would be a much safer way for JJ to exit the van.  The lift wouldn't be in the line of traffic (Wal-Mart has these types of spaces.) With traditional handicapped parking spaces,   I would think that people tend to be a little more cautious around those vehicles (or I hope they are) since the handicapped sign is so visible (I'm aware of them in every parking lot I'm in), thus making it a little safer for the disabled person to get in and out of the vehicle.  I don't think it's up to Maya to guess whether somebody else may come along and need that space.  Why give up the space for a what-if?   If it's raining or really cold out, then she would need to be as close to the door as possible.   Why risk JJ around the crazies who don't pay attention in parking lots when they can be as close as possible.  I do understand your point though.  Whenever I've driven my Dad to the mall (he has a handicapped sticker because of COPD and other issues), I drop him and my Mom off at the door, then I go park in a regular space since I will go back and pick them up at the door. 

One thing about Maya is that parking in that little space became a challenge when one of them said she couldn't fit the van in there.  She hates to be told that she can't do something.  Also,  Ray told her that she had become accustomed to the privileges of a special parking space.  Then she said something like "What?  Park with the normals?"   That line cracked me up. 

[GRChereck]

12 hours ago, ChitChat said:

One thing about Maya is that parking in that little space became a challenge when one of them said she couldn't fit the van in there.  She hates to be told that she can't do something.

Good point! I'd forgotten about that bit. :) Considering how she feels about JJ being told by others what he can't do, it doesn't surprise me that she would feel similarly about herself. (Recall the pilot's very first scene, when Ray told her she couldn't make a 10-minute car trip in 3 minutes -- there, too, she took it as a challenge. :D )

***

Also, speaking of Ray, I really hope he gets at least one more plot with his dad before the season's out. Although they've had some sweet little moments so far -- car-watching in the pilot, Jimmy dealing with Ray's heartbreak in "Halloween," the pre-surgery pep talk in "Road Trip," the moon-project pep talk in "Sick Day," even Jimmy calling Ray out on how he treated his mom in "The Club" -- the two haven't really had their own one-on-one plot since "Bonfire" (1x3).

Edited March 17, 2017 by GRChereck

[tennisgurl]

For some reason, everything with Maya is so much more funny with Minnie Drivers cute British accent.

[GRChereck]

9 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

For some reason, everything with Maya is so much more funny with Minnie Drivers cute British accent.

I know, right? :D I always liked her accent anyway, but man, some of her line deliveries as Maya... One of my favorites is still (I think it was in "Bonfire") her fondly reminiscing about having used the fish tank for baby Dylan's crib ("Remember when she used to pound her tiny fists on the glass? 'Haaalp...'").

Edited March 18, 2017 by GRChereck
typo

[needschocolate]

Do people really say "Do you have a license for that thing?" that often to people in wheelchairs?

[butterbody]

I came here to ask that as well! 

[bros402]

I was also wondering that - I mean, I can imagine that happening, but it would take an incredibly... devoid person to say something like that with a smile on their face

[possibilities]

I've never heard it, but it doesn't surprise me, either. People do a lot of things I find quite ridiculous.

[needschocolate]

I can see it being said occasionally, but not being said so often that you would bet on how many times you would hear it while on a shopping trip.   But it could be one of those "jokes" that everyone who says it thinks they the are so clever and original, but the person they say it to hears it 20 times a day.

[Katydid]

Lifelong wheelchair user here. YES, people really do ask about "a license to drive that thing." Happens all the time. I'd rank it a close second behind, "Do you need heeeelllpp, hon?"  as the most common thing I hear. Some people, for whatever reason, simply have to make a comment of some sort when they see a wheelchair. And the person always has a smile of satisfaction on their face as if they were the first to come up with the question. 

Edited March 18, 2017 by Katydid

[Chit Chat]

Quote

YES, people really do ask about "a license to drive that thing." Happens all the time.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with that nonsense from people. Do you have a snarky reply for them?   I don't know why some people have to make a comment about things of that nature, and  other things such as asking us short folks when we're going to grow up.  Then there's the tall folks.  I'm sure they have to put up with the comments of how tall they are.  As if they don't know their own height!   In some cases, manners have gone out the window.  Sigh.

[topanga]

On 3/16/2017 at 6:30 AM, Mama No Life said:

Kenneth's back office reactions to their on-going destruction of his store was hilarious.  As was JJ.  Don't know how he got all the jam off the shelf but good for him.  Loved the store girl offering to read his board and his "What the heck? This is an awesome store!" reaction. 

Yes. I loved hearing Kenneth barking orders to the teenagers in his office--along with their dumbfounded expressions. Another funny moment: when Jimmy, and later Dylan, kept referring to the employees as "teens." 

And the Cold Opening, I guess--when Dylan kept slow-reading JJ's board as they sang 99 bottles of beer on the wall. And the entire family got upset. 

Another great episode. 

[Driad]

Quote

Then there's the tall folks.  I'm sure they have to put up with the comments of how tall they are.

One tall man got tired of "clever" questions and had a T-shirt made that said:

6'10"

Rather warm.

No, I don't. Do you play miniature golf?

[neuromom]

22 minutes ago, Driad said:

One tall man got tired of "clever" questions and had a T-shirt made that said:

6'10"

Rather warm.

No, I don't. Do you play miniature golf?

Lol! Now that's my kind of snark! 

[bros402]

11 hours ago, Katydid said:

Lifelong wheelchair user here. YES, people really do ask about "a license to drive that thing." Happens all the time. I'd rank it a close second behind, "Do you need heeeelllpp, hon?"  as the most common thing I hear. Some people, for whatever reason, simply have to make a comment of some sort when they see a wheelchair. And the person always has a smile of satisfaction on their face as if they were the first to come up with the question. 

Get a mannequin hand.

Duct tape it to a stick.

Slap everyone who asks it.

[pajamamama]

Another fun episode! I really like everyone in this show. One of my favorite lines was Jimmy's "....ahh....the rice!". lol. I'll say it again, the real 'heart' of this show is Kenneth. To secretly be working a second job so he can maintain working and being with JJ is the probably the coolest, sweetest things this show has shown and it was so completely understated. It was not heavy-handed at all. I think a lot of people missed it. But I really am starting to wonder who this character is. This guy has gone from being a groundskeeper (not janitor) and taking care of plants at a school to now making this kid with CP, cool & now a weekend grocery manager. Who is this guy? Why is he such a good person? We learned a tiny bit in the "THAN-Thanksgiving" episode but not much. I need a Kenneth origin episode please!!!

[Chit Chat]

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And the Cold Opening, I guess--when Dylan kept slow-reading JJ's board as they sang 99 bottles of beer on the wall. And the entire family got upset.

"SENSE THE PATTERN!"  - Ray. 

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To secretly be working a second job so he can maintain working and being with JJ is the probably the coolest, sweetest things this show has shown and it was so completely understated.

And in true Maya fashion, as soon as she learned that Kenneth was working a second job in order to help JJ, she sighed and said that it was such a selfless thing to do, then without skipping beat she asked what the friend's and family discount was on day-old bread!  This show is so well written.  This is my must see TV show each week.

[Crs97]

I loved the callback to the pilot when Ray told her the van wouldn't fit in the space and she replied, "Challenge accepted!"  I roared through most of this.  JJ's revenge and his thoughtful explanation was awesome!

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I would have liked if the deli guy had pointed out how rude he'd been and refused to serve him

Unfortunately the guy was just grabbing a condiment from the top of the deli and didn't need service.  I liked that the deli worker and Kenneth acknowledged to JJ that the guy had been rude.

I really wanted to have Ray get a job there.  Ray/Kenneth interactions are fun!  I loved Maya leaving the note that Ray caused the mess.

I love this show!

[bros402]

17 hours ago, Crs97 said:

I loved the callback to the pilot when Ray told her the van wouldn't fit in the space and she replied, "Challenge accepted!"  I roared through most of this.  JJ's revenge and his thoughtful explanation was awesome!

Unfortunately the guy was just grabbing a condiment from the top of the deli and didn't need service.  I liked that the deli worker and Kenneth acknowledged to JJ that the guy had been rude.

I really wanted to have Ray get a job there.  Ray/Kenneth interactions are fun!  I loved Maya leaving the note that Ray caused the mess.

I love this show!

They might have Ray get a job there in Season 2. JJ's the oldest at 16, Dylan is the youngest at 13. So Ray is 14 or 15. I'd guess 15, so he's too young to get a job. If he turns 16 during season 2, he can get a job then - i'd say Maya would force him into it, but he might find a job by just wandering into a place, seeing it is disorderly, then tidying it up and getting offered a job.

[possibilities]

19 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Unfortunately the guy was just grabbing a condiment from the top of the deli and didn't need service.  I liked that the deli worker and Kenneth acknowledged to JJ that the guy had been rude.

Ah-- I must have gone blank with rage when he manhandled JJ, and missed the subtlety.

[neuromom]

17 hours ago, possibilities said:

Ah-- I must have gone blank with rage when he manhandled JJ, and missed the subtlety.

Me too! But what's great is that JJ has the ability to exact his revenge!  Not every disabled kid is able to do that, so it was awesome to see!

[bros402]

So I was just thinking about good ideas for future episodes - i'd like to see one that is just something ordinary - like JJ taking a test in a class. It would be interesting for the show to show how different something like taking a test can be for someone with a disability. I'm guessing he has Kenneth as a scribe for essays, but jeez, JJ must get whiplash from writing an essay.

Or they could make it about something more sitcom friendly - like the SATs, that's more of a "sitcom thing" than just a regular test in a class - have JJ taking the SATs, maybe Ray, while Dylan is just doing a standardized test (Or they have her taking the PSATs a few years early).

Edited March 27, 2017 by bros402

[GRChereck]

12 hours ago, bros402 said:

So I was just thinking about good ideas for future episodes - i'd like to see one that is just something ordinary - like JJ taking a test in a class. It would be interesting for the show to show how different something like taking a test can be for someone with a disability. I'm guessing he has Kenneth as a scribe for essays, but jeez, JJ must get whiplash from writing an essay.

Oddly enough, the next new episode (1x19, "C-H-Cheater!," airing April 5) is supposed to be about JJ having cheated on an exam, and Kenneth and Maya "work[ing] together to hold him accountable." I would hope they could get into how he takes tests to begin with, and how he possibly could've cheated... (Also, I mentioned a couple posts ago in this thread that I've been wanting a Jimmy/Ray plot, and it looks like I'll already be getting one -- Ray needs fast cash for some reason, and Jimmy ends up having to bail him out of a get-rich-quick scheme gone bad.) :)

Speaking of show ideas, after the Valentine's Day one I started thinking that later on (if not next V-Day, then for either Maya or Jimmy's birthday, or their wedding anniversary) I'd love to see an ep where Kenneth agrees to watch the kids for an evening while M&J have a date night. Any chance to see more of Jaya (Mimmy?) on their own (perhaps trying to have fun and reminisce about their courtship / early years of the marriage, yet unable to stop thinking about the kids) would be nice, plus I think it could be really funny to see the kids snooping around at home, making little discoveries about their parents' pasts (diaries / journals, high school / college stuff, poetry / song lyrics, memorabilia from any bands Jimmy or Maya may have played or sung in, or any artwork Jimmy may have made featuring nude images of Maya, etc. -- I could totally see Ray freaking out at that last bit :D ).

Edited March 27, 2017 by GRChereck
additional thoughts

[bros402]

14 hours ago, GRChereck said:

Oddly enough, the next new episode (1x19, "C-H-Cheater!," airing April 5) is supposed to be about JJ having cheated on an exam, and Kenneth and Maya "work[ing] together to hold him accountable." I would hope they could get into how he takes tests to begin with, and how he possibly could've cheated... (Also, I mentioned a couple posts ago in this thread that I've been wanting a Jimmy/Ray plot, and it looks like I'll already be getting one -- Ray needs fast cash for some reason, and Jimmy ends up having to bail him out of a get-rich-quick scheme gone bad.) :)

Speaking of show ideas, after the Valentine's Day one I started thinking that later on (if not next V-Day, then for either Maya or Jimmy's birthday, or their wedding anniversary) I'd love to see an ep where Kenneth agrees to watch the kids for an evening while M&J have a date night. Any chance to see more of Jaya (Mimmy?) on their own (perhaps trying to have fun and reminisce about their courtship / early years of the marriage, yet unable to stop thinking about the kids) would be nice, plus I think it could be really funny to see the kids snooping around at home, making little discoveries about their parents' pasts (diaries / journals, high school / college stuff, poetry / song lyrics, memorabilia from any bands Jimmy or Maya may have played or sung in, or any artwork Jimmy may have made featuring nude images of Maya, etc. -- I could totally see Ray freaking out at that last bit :D ).

Well, they could do in school suspension for JJ - but at the HS level, the punishment is usually suspension. If that suspension were to last more than 10 days, a manifestation determination meeting would have to be held.

I think rather that if JJ were suspended, Maya might feel a mixture of anger and happiness - anger at JJ for cheating, anger at Kenneth for allowing it, and anger at the school for suspending him; the happiness would be at JJ for doing something stupid that a teen might do and getting the same treatment as his nondisabled peers.

I would imagine with a student like JJ, they would have him take test in a separate environment, but Maya might raise hell over that and have him take it with the rest of the students, then if he needs more time, goes somewhere else to finish it.

I definitely like a Maya-Jimmy plot, and a Kenneth and the kids subplot - though it might be fun if it were just Kenneth, JJ, and Dylan - maybe Ray is on a school trip or something. A Kenneth-JJ-Dylan pairing for a B-Plot would be interesting.

[GRChereck]

6 hours ago, bros402 said:

I think rather that if JJ were suspended, Maya might feel a mixture of anger and happiness - anger at JJ for cheating, anger at Kenneth for allowing it, and anger at the school for suspending him; the happiness would be at JJ for doing something stupid that a teen might do and getting the same treatment as his nondisabled peers.

That would definitely be in keeping with "Halloween" (and to a lesser extent, "Bonfire" -- loved the "rap session" scene where his schoolmates tried to express their anger at him just as they would for any other student who spoiled their Bonfire plans)... :)

7 hours ago, bros402 said:

I definitely like a Maya-Jimmy plot, and a Kenneth and the kids subplot - though it might be fun if it were just Kenneth, JJ, and Dylan - maybe Ray is on a school trip or something. A Kenneth-JJ-Dylan pairing for a B-Plot would be interesting.

Ooh! Kenneth freaking out over sexy drawings, paintings or photos of Maya -- or maybe deeply personal love poems / lyrics either by her, or by Jimmy about her -- could be even funnier than a Ray freakout, considering she saw him naked once (walking in on his shower in "Sled Hockey"). :D I could also see JJ and Dylan debating whether to tell Ray about whatever they find...