S01.E20: The Walk

[chitowngirl]

 

Quote

Anna-Kat tells her parents that all she wants for her birthday is a chance to walk the three blocks to the library alone. Can Katie find a way to allow her a little freedom while still keeping tabs on her? Meanwhile, Greg is having a hard time adjusting to the fact that Taylor has a boyfriend, and Katie is annoyed that Oliver's entitled friend Cooper Bradford seems to be spending every waking moment at the Ottos.

They're not even attempting to hide Katy Mixon's pregnancy, are they?!

Edited April 19, 2017 by chitowngirl

[theatremouse]

Not really, but I don't necessarily mind. If they were super close to the end of filming when it started being very visually obvious, and they could just put her in looser fitting clothes and run with it, I'm kinda OK with that over the usual behind-a-couch, carrying-a-giant-bag, etc shenanigans that tend to draw more attention to it than not.

[MaryMitch]

The "walk" plot was ok... but I really liked "Katy vs snobby kid". That went a direction I wasn't expecting!

[iMonrey]

I didn't even know she was pregnant, she's been heavy all season. I liked the plot with Oliver's friend Cooper but it's strange we've never seen him before and now he's spending all his time at their house. They could have played up the idea that his parents are always away and he's left home with servants and maybe that's why he feels so close to the Ottos. But if he's got an estate like that all to himself, it's hard to believe he and Oliver are hanging around the Otto place instead of at Cooper's place.

[Cherry Cola]

I liked how it worked out with Katie and the rich kid.  That was sweet, and not what I was expecting.   I do hate birthday partys though.  Usually so boring.  

[JasmineFlower]

I was thinking Katie was really piling it on to the friend, and started wondering why he kept coming over and wondered about his parents at the same time, not thinking they were out of town constantly just absent. So, I loved it by the end when he defended her and shamed the moms who live to kiss his family's ass.

I thought the walk storyline was definitely the weakest, but I liked the things it led to. The moms being all judgy at school and subsequently the party, the drone spying, Katie realizing what it's like to be smothered, etc.

Also, really liked Greg being ridiculous where Taylor was concerned (an ABC theme last night apparently with Imaginary Mary having a somewhat similar daddy/daughter storyline as well) and having a Katie-like turnaround because the boyfriend's obnoxious mom started thanking him because they were on the same side and he's like, you just ruined it.

Greg also had one of my favorite lines of the night when he crashed that drone, and Oliver tells him it was $5,000 and Greg says, we'll call it even with the broken plate, barely missing a beat.

[Cowgirl]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I liked the plot with Oliver's friend Cooper but it's strange we've never seen him before and now he's spending all his time at their house.

We've seen him at least once before. He was in the episode regarding Oliver's birthday party.  He was one of the kids Oliver was trying to impress. 

[MaryMitch]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

... I liked the plot with Oliver's friend Cooper but it's strange we've never seen him before and now he's spending all his time at their house. They could have played up the idea that his parents are always away and he's left home with servants and maybe that's why he feels so close to the Ottos. But if he's got an estate like that all to himself, it's hard to believe he and Oliver are hanging around the Otto place instead of at Cooper's place.

I think the whole point was he (Cooper) was hanging out there because he appreciated having a "mom" and "family". 

[Moxie Cat]

23 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

They're not even attempting to hide Katy Mixon's pregnancy, are they?!

Thank you so much! I didn't notice this week, but it seemed really apparent to me in one of the shots in the living room in last week's ep (and given the character's thing is being a little full-figured, I didn't want to ask!)

I've been a little meh on this show, but this week's was good. I liked that there was no "special moment" in which the Ottos discovered why the friend was hanging out with them constantly. There was only one casual line in which the kid revealed his parents didn't spend his birthdays with him, and then the awesome, unexpected speech that saved Katy at the end.

I would still criticize that the scenes in the living room are written and acted too broadly most of the time. It's too easy to imagine the studio audience laughter.

[Snarklepuss]

Wow, there were a few times Katie leaned over that you could really see her pregnancy stomach.  It didn't bother me, though.  I thought they were hiding it well enough with baggy tops.  If they didn't make a "thing" about her being "fat" maybe it would seem a little out of place but they did so it seemed plausible. 

I generally liked this episode, although it felt a little clunky at times, like the rich kid's 12 minute lecture to the "mean moms".  It was at least true to the show's character, plus nice that Katie got through to him and won his respect.  I did appreciate the fun they made of the "gluten is evil" crowd, too because that's a pet peeve of mine.

I thought the other sub plots in this episode were on the "meh" side or could have been handled better, but all in all a decent watch this week.

[Kip Hackman]

6 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

 

I generally liked this episode, although it felt a little clunky at times, like the rich kid's 12 minute lecture to the "mean moms".

Yeah, that wasn't very subtle, and could've been done better. Decent episode, though. 

[partofme]

I think allowing an 8 year old to walk to the library by herself is really bad parenting.

[Aliconehead]

25 minutes ago, partofme said:

I think allowing an 8 year old to walk to the library by herself is really bad parenting.

Depends on the distance, the route and the child.  Personally I think many kids are way to sheltered.  At that age I walked a lot of places by my self or with friends and statistically it IS safer now than back then.  

[ItCouldBeWorse]

19 hours ago, Cowgirl said:

20 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I liked the plot with Oliver's friend Cooper but it's strange we've never seen him before and now he's spending all his time at their house.

We've seen him at least once before. He was in the episode regarding Oliver's birthday party.  He was one of the kids Oliver was trying to impress. 

I think he was also the kid in the picture with Oliver on his dream board that contributed to Oliver's parents believing he might be gay.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, partofme said:

I think allowing an 8 year old to walk to the library by herself is really bad parenting.

I personally wouldn't do it either, as I also wouldn't want an 8 year old alone in the library (although she was well prepared to deal with strangers, and I know there are librarians there.)  However, I also wouldn't be stuck with a promise I made to a 4 year old (or whatever).  I would merely tell her that it had been a long time since we had discussed the issue, and that I hadn't really thought it through at the time, and that I now felt differently. Then I would try to come up with another plan, like walking to the library together and then allowing her to stay by herself in the kids' section for an agreed upon amount of time while I was in the adult section.  Or come up with something else that would allow her new independence.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I think allowing an 8 year old to walk to the library by herself is really bad parenting.

That just shows how times have changed, and I mean drastically. When I was that age I was out on my bike riding around the neighborhood with friends or by myself. We didn't wear helmets either and would have been ridiculed for doing so. Parents shooed their kids out the door to go outside and play and didn't expect to see them back until suppertime. 

[Snarklepuss]

23 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

That just shows how times have changed, and I mean drastically. When I was that age I was out on my bike riding around the neighborhood with friends or by myself. We didn't wear helmets either and would have been ridiculed for doing so. Parents shooed their kids out the door to go outside and play and didn't expect to see them back until suppertime. 

Me too, and I grew up in the Bronx.  When I recall these stories to people today I always follow up with a sarcastic "It's a wonder we all survived".  Arguably things were more dangerous in those days as we didn't have the awareness and prevention we do now against predators, etc. and the crime rate was actually higher in a lot of places.  Plus, let's not forget we're talking about WESTPORT, where the violent crime rate is extremely low, especially in a residential neighborhood where the Ottos live, and is almost nonexistent for predatory crimes.  Plus it seemed like she was only walking a short distance.

[LakeGal]

I expected them to tell Anna Kat they were living in a different town when they made that promise.

[paulvdb]

I always walked to school when I was that age and I think it was safer back then (late 1970s). Nowadays I regularly read newspaper articles about schools complaining about unsafe traffic situations near schools because most parents drive their kids to school in their cars. We certainly didn't have that when I was a kid. Most kids walked to schools or rode their bikes.

Even if parents accompanied their kids they would still walk or ride their bikes, but now most parents are apparently too lazy to walk or ride their bikes for the few hundred meters that it takes to get to school.

Back then there were less cars on the road in general, so it was safer to walk or ride your bike to most places. And you could play in the street. If you try that today you'll be run over by a car before you can even start playing.

I am in The Netherlands, so it is of course possible that things are different in America.

[Cowgirl]

6 hours ago, paulvdb said:

I always walked to school when I was that age and I think it was safer back then (late 1970s). Nowadays I regularly read newspaper articles about schools complaining about unsafe traffic situations near schools because most parents drive their kids to school in their cars. We certainly didn't have that when I was a kid. Most kids walked to schools or rode their bikes.

I don't have kids but I too have been wondering why so many parents just drive their kids to school now.  To me it seems utterly ridiculous!  I'll never forget the day I accompanied a friend taking her daughter to school in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  She not only drove her there, but she and many other quivering nervous parents actually stood outside on the school grounds watching their children anxiously until the bell rang and a teacher came to round them all up.  I'd never seen anything like it and it was hard not to laugh out loud at all of them. No wonder we have helicopter parents now!

[theatremouse]

I wasn't allowed to walk to school alone until 4th grade, which I think lands two years older than Anna-Kat, but usually weren't driven unless there was snow. I didn't mind this plot, but I think it might've worked better if she were 9 instead of 8. Although I'm sure it varies, but in my head 10 is clearly old enough to walk alone (or with other same-aged kids); 8 seems a little young, but could be OK depending on the kid. 9 lands more in what is in my head a borderline. 

[AnnaRose]

I walked a mile to and from kindergarten when I was five.  My mom walked with me the first couple days so I would know how to get there.  There was another girl in my class that usually walked with me for the last half of the walk.  It wasn't even as safe back then as it is these days. 

It's so sad that kids are missing the out on all the positive effects that come from being more independent.  By giving into the very unlikely possibility that there could be something theoretically negative that could occur if a child is allowed some independence and freedom to roam like all kids used to... they are guaranteeing real harm from stifling their natural development of confidence, self-reliance and basic life skills among other things.  No wonder kids have so much anxiety and depression these days.

[Nordly Beaumont]

On 4/20/2017 at 0:35 PM, Snarklepuss said:

let's not forget we're talking about WESTPORT, where the violent crime rate is extremely low, especially in a residential neighborhood where the Ottos live, and is almost nonexistent for predatory crimes.  Plus it seemed like she was only walking a short distance.

It was a short distance with no streets to cross. With no streets to cross and being in residential Westport, I think I'd let her but just the once for her birthday present. But after making good on that promise I'd make her wait a couple years before she could do it on her own again. I would be seriously cheesed off at that woman who followed AnnaKat home. Not for the reason Katie was but because she ruined what was supposed to be special for AnnaKat.

I loved "what do you do if a stranger says he has your favorite candy in his van?"  - "Does he have Pop Rocks?" Clever kid. 

I liked that it ended up that Cooper enjoyed the rules and Katie's snarkiness. He can be snobby, but if he was a real snob he'd have dropped Oliver long ago. I hope he stays around.

[movingtargetgal]

On 4/21/2017 at 3:36 AM, paulvdb said:

Back then there were less cars on the road in general, so it was safer to walk or ride your bike to most places. And you could play in the street. If you try that today you'll be run over by a car before you can even start playing.

I think more people are driving their kids to school because it is so much more dangerous these days.  People drive so fast and they are distracted by their cell phones.  I live near a grade school and you would not believe the number of drivers who speed through a school zone, talking on their phones and weaving around the grade schoolers walking on the side of the road.  

[Snarklepuss]

6 hours ago, movingtargetgal said:

I think more people are driving their kids to school because it is so much more dangerous these days.  People drive so fast and they are distracted by their cell phones.  I live near a grade school and you would not believe the number of drivers who speed through a school zone, talking on their phones and weaving around the grade schoolers walking on the side of the road.  

I agree about the crazy drivers these days but at least in my area there are a lot of school crossing guards at all the major intersections near the schools, especially for the kids that live so close to the school that being driven or having a bus pick them up would be ridiculous.

On 4/21/2017 at 1:18 PM, AnnaRose said:

I walked a mile to and from kindergarten when I was five.  My mom walked with me the first couple days so I would know how to get there.  There was another girl in my class that usually walked with me for the last half of the walk.  It wasn't even as safe back then as it is these days. 

It's so sad that kids are missing the out on all the positive effects that come from being more independent.  By giving into the very unlikely possibility that there could be something theoretically negative that could occur if a child is allowed some independence and freedom to roam like all kids used to... they are guaranteeing real harm from stifling their natural development of confidence, self-reliance and basic life skills among other things.  No wonder kids have so much anxiety and depression these days.

Me too, and my mom walked me the first few days too, but after that I was on my own.  I was scared but soon found a friend to walk with.  And ITA about what the kids are missing out on today.  We're seeing the results of that with the Millennial generation as they were the first to be over-sheltered and over-scheduled.  I always say we have those darned milk cartons with the photos of the missing kids to thank for this (remember those?).  It created a hysteria among parents out of proportion to the actual danger. 

I actually think risking a little more independence is better for the kids than ensuring that they grow up to be essentially stunted and cheated out of developing basic life skills in certain ways.  I actually admire the fact that this show has made Katie buck that overall trend even if only a little bit.  She's actually being kinder to her children as unsavory as she may seem to be at times.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Snarklepuss

[asabovesobelow]

I get it, kids are missing out on a lot of the independence that we had as children. But knowing what I know, seeing what I've seen, and watching what I've watched, I would never (never!) let my 8 year old daughter walk a mile by herself. I drive her to school, my wife picks her up. Maybe things aren't as dangerous now, but I'm certainly not going to take that chance with my kid. She can walk a mile on her own when she's old enough to defend herself - and not a minute before.

[Rowsdower]

On 4/20/2017 at 7:48 PM, LakeGal said:

I expected them to tell Anna Kat they were living in a different town when they made that promise.

Anna-Kat mentioned that she was 5 ¾ when the promise was made. Based on the established timeline, that was shortly after the Ottos moved to Westport.

[Big Mother]

8 is too young for a child to be out on the streets alone. The Ottos could've quietly followed in their car to make sure she was okay if they had no other choice. But they couldve explained to her that it's not safe etc. If you read up on free range parenting, families have gotten into trouble with Child protective services all the time for allowing kids to walk outside alone at a young age.

[AnnaRose]

9 hours ago, Big Mother said:

8 is too young for a child to be out on the streets alone. The Ottos could've quietly followed in their car to make sure she was okay if they had no other choice. But they couldve explained to her that it's not safe etc. If you read up on free range parenting, families have gotten into trouble with Child protective services all the time for allowing kids to walk outside alone at a young age.

She was on the sidewalk.  Just down the street, since she didn't have to cross any other street.  In Westport.  During the day. 

Sure, explain to the poor child that it's not safe... maybe they can make her anxieties and OCD even worse if they can convince her that it's not even safe for her to walk down the street.   Jeez.  It's not like they're living in the hood with crime all over the place.

Helicopter parenting and attacking parents for allowing their kids to experience some of the natural independence and exploration that is critical for development is ridiculous.  I hope people wake up and rise up en masse against this nonsense.  Our kids would be much better off if they we went back to having them all outside playing independently, rather than inside looking at screens all the time.

[Snarklepuss]

2 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

She was on the sidewalk.  Just down the street, since she didn't have to cross any other street.  In Westport.  During the day. 

Sure, explain to the poor child that it's not safe... maybe they can make her anxieties and OCD even worse if they can convince her that it's not even safe for her to walk down the street.   Jeez.  It's not like they're living in the hood with crime all over the place.

Helicopter parenting and attacking parents for allowing their kids to experience some of the natural independence and exploration that is critical for development is ridiculous.  I hope people wake up and rise up en masse against this nonsense.  Our kids would be much better off if they we went back to having them all outside playing independently, rather than inside looking at screens all the time.

ITA, I actually think the dangers parents are setting their kids up for by not letting them experiencing a little independence while young are actually much worse than those they'd risk by letting them go outside to play or take short walks.  And ITA, about the library being a short walk with no crossing involved.  That was clearly stated in the episode.  And if anyone here knew Westport they'd realize how remote the danger would be.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Snarklepuss
Grammar.

[Big Mother]

The problem is that the police and Child Protective Services dont agree with this line of thinking. If they find a child out all by themselves they can initiate a nightmare for parents. 

She shouldve at least had a cell phone. With a cell phone I'm more inclined to let a young child go across the street to the library.

[AnnaRose]

5 hours ago, Big Mother said:

The problem is that the police and Child Protective Services dont agree with this line of thinking. If they find a child out all by themselves they can initiate a nightmare for parents.

What an abuse of power.  People really need to stand up against this bureaucratic idiocy, and witch hunts against decent, caring parents needs to stop. 

That little girl who plays their daughter is seriously adorable, by the way.  Is this her first big role?  She seems to have a lot of natural ability.  Kind of like the young actress who plays Sophia on Life in Pieces.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

2 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

That little girl who plays their daughter is seriously adorable, by the way.  Is this her first big role? 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6253548/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t4

I also noticed her in a car commercial during the show, I believe.  She was riding a big wheel-type tricycle.

[SnarkySheep]

On 4/21/2017 at 3:36 AM, paulvdb said:

I always walked to school when I was that age and I think it was safer back then (late 1970s). Nowadays I regularly read newspaper articles about schools complaining about unsafe traffic situations near schools because most parents drive their kids to school in their cars.

My job involves arranging school bus transportation for students in our medium-sized city. Bus stops are usually at the end of the closest street for elementary, and no more than a block or two for the older kids. But I can't tell you how many parents insist that's "too far" for their child to walk, that they need to be able to "see them out the kitchen window," etc. (To date, there has never been a single child abducted from a bus stop or on the way to school, there are many crossing guards employed throughout all walk zones, etc.) There are also a considerable number of parents who wait in their cars with the child at the bus stop until the bus arrives, then return in the afternoon to pick them up the same way. So with this in mind, I can definitely imagine that regardless of how safe an area may be, the Ottos' friends and neighbors would be appalled at letting a newly turned 8-year-old walk several blocks on her own. (IMO, it's a good thing, though, because kids need to learn how to cope with real life in small but increasing ways, or else they end up in college with no clue how to function without Mommy or Daddy.) In the end, the Otto kids will be a lot more life savvy than many of the other Westport youth.

[nelroy78]

On 5/1/2017 at 7:28 PM, AnnaRose said:

 

That little girl who plays their daughter is seriously adorable, by the way.  Is this her first big role?  She seems to have a lot of natural ability.  Kind of like the young actress who plays Sophia on Life in Pieces.

I’ve never posted on here, but have lurked for a good while. Signed up recently. Just saw this episode tonight, I don’t read episode threads until I watch them which is why I just now saw this. I don’t know if you still watch this show, but it was so ironic that you referred to Giselle Eisenberg in this post from 3 years ago, little did we know she would replace Julia just over 3 years later as Anna Kat. And you were right, Giselle does have a lot of natural ability. I never saw Life in Pieces, I didn’t even start watching AH until Season 4 reruns in July, but I think they made a great choice in Giselle. Julia did great and Giselle picked up right where she left off. Just trying to get around to all the episodes I have missed.

Edited December 18, 2020 by nelroy78