S02.E01: W-E-- WE'RE B-A-- BACK!

[Drogo]

In the second-season opener, the family make changes toward self-improvement, but then they chuck these plans and hit the road to find a special camp friend of JJ's who wants to give him his first kiss.

[GRChereck]

First of all, that "Brandy" parody... xD I wouldn't necessarily call it a callback, but I thought it fitting that both "Road Trip" (1x11) and this episode (which ended up being about a road trip) featured classic-rock parodies -- in the former, Kenneth dug Maya and Jimmy's take on "Born to Be Wild" explaining their annual spontaneous-road-trip tradition ("Ray ob-jects e-e-every ye-e-ear!"), while the latter had him schooling them in song about their messy lifestyle. (Also, I could watch a whole episode of nothing but Kenneth and Jimmy performing karaoke, I seriously could...)

As for the episode itself, man, they had a LOT of ground to cover -- what JJ did at camp and how the experience affected him, how the family was affected by JJ's absence and how they managed to fill their time, what Kenneth did and how involved he still is in the DiMeos' lives -- and for the most part I thought it did a very good job touching on all of it while keeping things light, fast and funny. :)

I found it especially appropriate that Ray would be the only family member not to feel like he needed any self-improvement, and all the more hilarious that no longer being able to feel superior to his family would send him into an identity crisis of sorts. I was a bit puzzled by Jimmy's things-will-get-worse advice at first -- that's supposed to make Ray feel better when he's freaking out about meeting Taylor again? --  but I think it's ultimately pretty much in keeping with the "bulletproof" dad's worldview (not just wanting to keep other people's expectations of him and his family low, but also his own expectations in life -- to both minimize the inevitable disappointment, and make it easier to focus on what matters most to him rather than sweating-the-small-stuff).

Edited September 28, 2017 by GRChereck
typo

[Crs97]

Best part for me?  Seeing the Grand Canyon at night.  My show is back!!

[neuromom]

Not only is the classic song "Brandy" playing in my head now, but so is Elton John's "Island Girl". 

It was a long summer! I missed this show!

And count me in for watching  Jimmy amd Kenneth do karaoke ? 

[kathyk24]

I loved this everything worked for me. I don't think the show can portray Ray as a geek anymore. I think it would be interesting to see JJ and Ray fall for the same girl. I don't know why the DiMaios didn't keep their house more organized to help JJ be more independent.

[bros402]

I love this show. So happy it is back

[Chit Chat]

6 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

I don't know why the DiMaios didn't keep their house more organized to help JJ be more independent.

In the episode where Ray got appendicitis and Maya whipped out the notebook with all of the kid's medical histories, Ray was impressed and Maya said that's where he gets his organizational skills from.  She went on to say that she's good with the important stuff like that, so  the clutter of the house is not her main concern.   I get what you're saying about how it might be easier for JJ if it was a little more neat and tidy, but he does seem to navigate his wheelchair around the house pretty well when it's cluttered. 

My favorite line was when Jimmy replied "we try now" to JJ after he said they all looked weird.   Maya's reassuring words to JJ while in the van was really nice too.   

[71dude]

And the slapstick abuse continues for Ray...

Nice to start with a group episode - I didn't read the summary so I thought we would see JJ at camp. 

Jimmy's replacement - "next window please"

Didn't get the Dylan gag in the van - what was that?  Show moves fast...

No AV Club review yet - I hope they don't drop it.

[bybrandy]

For reasons Brandy is a song I have a love hate relationship with, but I loved it here.  Plus Island Girl!    

[vibeology]

1 hour ago, 71dude said:

Didn't get the Dylan gag in the van - what was that?  Show moves fast...

Everyone was giving up on their improvements, so Dylan threw all the money she'd earned mowing lawns out the window and then realized that was a bad idea.

[GRChereck]

2 hours ago, 71dude said:

Jimmy's replacement - "next window please"

xD Considering that the first season didn't even tell us whether Jimmy works (let alone what exactly he does) until 5 or 6 episodes in, I loved getting to see some insight into his work-life right off the bat in s.2 (and we should be getting more soon, especially in 2x3)...

 

4 hours ago, ChitChat said:

Maya's reassuring words to JJ while in the van was really nice too.   

Yep. :) Overall, I saw the episode as kind of a meta, direct response to one of the biggest criticisms leveled at the show throughout s.1 (how the family uses JJ's disability to excuse all the other chaos in their lives); and as refreshing as it was to see that Maya, Jimmy and Dylan were capable of change with a little more effort, I found it rather sweet how, through their willingness to drop everything to help JJ, they were able to restore the DiMeo family dynamic to its unique balance* and reinforce the importance of his role in it.

(*- including Ray as the critical voice of reason, much to his delight. I thought he would just be such an insufferable ass based on the press-release synopsis for this ep -- even more so with the family ultimately proving him right about their inability to keep up their self-improvements -- but he still found ways to be funny by briefly losing his sense of purpose.)

Edited September 28, 2017 by GRChereck

[tennisgurl]

So happy that this show is back! 

Brandy is now forever associated with Guardians of the Galaxy 2 for me now, so it was the first thing that popped into my mind when Kenneth started singing it, and then Jimmy mentioned it too! This is why you get me, Jimmy. 

I know I got on the DiMeos for not trying very hard last season sometimes (as much as you can get on fictional characters) but I like how they dealt with that this episode, and how their family dynamic works. It would be nice to see them try just a teeny bit harder in the future, while not giving up their DeMeo-ness. 

[possibilities]

On 9/27/2017 at 10:04 PM, GRChereck said:

I was a bit puzzled by Jimmy's things-will-get-worse advice at first -- that's supposed to make Ray feel better when he's freaking out about meeting Taylor again? --  but I think it's ultimately pretty much in keeping with the "bulletproof" dad's worldview (not just wanting to keep other people's expectations of him and his family low, but also his own expectations in life -- to both minimize the inevitable disappointment, and make it easier to focus on what matters most to him rather than sweating-the-small-stuff).

Also, Ray was feeling uncomfortable with how well things were going, as it made him feel useless. So Jimmy telling Ray things would get messy again was to make Ray feel like he'd be able to regain his role as "the reasonable one" at some point.

[Perfect Xero]

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

Also, Ray was feeling uncomfortable with how well things were going, as it made him feel useless. So Jimmy telling Ray things would get messy again was to make Ray feel like he'd be able to regain his role as "the reasonable one" at some point.

Agreed, it's a fun inversion of the normal father/son things will get better speech that you'd see in a sitcom about a 'normal' family.

[Chit Chat]

9 hours ago, possibilities said:

I was a bit puzzled by Jimmy's things-will-get-worse advice at first -- that's supposed to make Ray feel better when he's freaking out about meeting Taylor again?

I look at it this way:  The reality of JJ's future medical needs probably weighs heavily on their minds, and they know there'll be tough times ahead.  That's pretty much the reality for everyone (not to minimize JJ's situation), whether there are medical issues involved or not.  Life goes smoothly, then bam!  You get hit with a curveball.  Then it seems to be smooth sailing until the next crisis occurs.  I think that understanding that reality helps me  get through the smaller crises in life.  Again, I'm not minimizing what people with health issues go through, I'm just saying that life's messy and it's full of great moments, and then really crappy ones! 

I would like to see the DiMeos  keep the yard a little more tidy, but I totally understand their viewpoint of it not being a priority for them.  They are a more close-knit family because of JJ (Maya's point, I believe.)  They were all out and about doing their own thing while JJ was at camp, but once they all came back together, well, they just seemed to be better as a family, IMO.

It was fun seeing Jimmy discover things about his job he didn't know about just because he got there on time!  Parking spaces!  Doughnuts!  Praise from his boss!  I wish some days I could call into work sick and ask if my replacement is available, only to have the "next window" sign placed on the desk!  ;)

[GRChereck]

14 hours ago, possibilities said:

So Jimmy telling Ray things would get messy again was to make Ray feel like he'd be able to regain his role as "the reasonable one" at some point.

 

11 hours ago, Perfect Xero said:

Agreed, it's a fun inversion of the normal father/son things will get better speech that you'd see in a sitcom about a 'normal' family.

 

5 hours ago, ChitChat said:

I look at it this way:  The reality of JJ's future medical needs probably weighs heavily on their minds, and they know there'll be tough times ahead.  That's pretty much the reality for everyone (not to minimize JJ's situation), whether there are medical issues involved or not.  Life goes smoothly, then bam!  You get hit with a curveball.  Then it seems to be smooth sailing until the next crisis occurs.  I think that understanding that reality helps me  get through the smaller crises in life.

Well put, guys. :) I got that feeling during the episode's closing tag, with how Ray cooly handled Taylor (who turned out to be as neurotic as him, if not more so); by then, he's pretty much learned to embrace the chaos of his family because it gives him a sense of purpose he otherwise wouldn't have (after having had a taste of what life would be like if his parents and sister were more like him); and I could see how Jimmy's words, despite sounding unlike any other stock/cliche sitcom-dad pep-talk, actually did more to help Ray roll with the punches, be realistic and keep things in perspective than any "think positive" or "believe in yourself" speech ever possibly could have. 

5 hours ago, ChitChat said:

I would like to see the DiMeos  keep the yard a little more tidy, but I totally understand their viewpoint of it not being a priority for them.  They are a more close-knit family because of JJ (Maya's point, I believe.)  They were all out and about doing their own thing while JJ was at camp, but once they all came back together, well, they just seemed to be better as a family, IMO.

 

YES! :D Maya nailed it when she gave "credit" to JJ for making the family who they are, reinforcing what their best qualities really are and bringing them out when it really counts (rather than "blame" for "holding [them] back"). Beautiful little moment.

5 hours ago, ChitChat said:

It was fun seeing Jimmy discover things about his job he didn't know about just because he got there on time!  Parking spaces!  Doughnuts!  Praise from his boss!  I wish some days I could call into work sick and ask if my replacement is available, only to have the "next window" sign placed on the desk!  ;)

That was cute. xD At first I had to wonder how he wasn't fired from the airport a long time ago for his regular lateness, but I imagine: 1) His having a disabled son for as long as he's worked there likely gave him a lifetime pass (plus, I would think his missing out on coffee and good parking was punishment enough ;) ); 2) the quality of his work over the years has been good enough to make up for the 20 minutes or so he's lost every morning; and/or 3) if that particular airline, or the airline industry (especially baggage-claim) in general, sees a lot of turnover, his sheer loyalty to the airline may be his most valuable asset.

Edited September 29, 2017 by GRChereck

[pajamamama]

What a fantastic episode! So great to have these guys back! I said this last season but I still don't think Kenneth's character gets enough credit. Give Cedric Yarbrough an Emmy nomination for best supporting comedic actor now. He's always solid and always the funniest. Plus his passion he plays with JJ is palpable. Fantastic. His 'Brandy' song was so good, i've been humming it for the last few days!!! Stellar cast. But that Kenneth! lol. 

[Browncoat]

I finally watched, and I was laughing so much when Kenneth did the Brandy parody that I had to rewind and watch that part again.  And then when I noticed Jimmy doing backup, I had to pause the recording.  So hilarious.  I think this was one of their best episodes.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 9/28/2017 at 9:56 AM, 71dude said:

Didn't get the Dylan gag in the van - what was that?  Show moves fast...

She threw her hundreds of dollars of mowing money out the window. I hated that and Maya throwing her phone into the Grand Canyon. If this show were at all realistic, with their finances, she would be lucky to get a flip phone as a replacement.

I also think that both Ray and Dylan would be hustling for summer income.

I did enjoy the visual of all the nearly empty shampoos upside down in the shower since I do that too, but on a much smaller scale!  I do  not take Starbucks napkins to use as toilet paper, however.

I also questioned the basis of chasing after that kiss. Wouldn't the girl have been embarrassed (if she hasn't conveniently been apart from her parents) at a boy showing up to give her the kiss she had asked him for? I also thought that his laser pointer would have been a good way for JJ to get the attention of a deaf girl!

[neuromom]

10 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

She threw her hundreds of dollars of mowing money out the window. I hated that and Maya throwing her phone into the Grand Canyon. If this show were at all realistic, with their finances, she would be lucky to get a flip phone as a replacement.

I also think that both Ray and Dylan would be hustling for summer income.

I did enjoy the visual of all the nearly empty shampoos upside down in the shower since I do that too, but on a much smaller scale!  I do  not take Starbucks napkins to use as toilet paper, however.

I also questioned the basis of chasing after that kiss. Wouldn't the girl have been embarrassed (if she hasn't conveniently been apart from her parents) at a boy showing up to give her the kiss she had asked him for? I also thought that his laser pointer would have been a good way for JJ to get the attention of a deaf girl!

Good point on the "pointer."  I was also wondering, if the family is sensitive about special needs,  and knowing Alexis was deaf, why would they introduce themselves as JJs family...as they were all mangled on the ground under JJ. I guess maybe she was facing them, and reading their lips?

Although, come to think of it , there are staff at my son's school that forget when they have the deaf child and will say "come this way" or just have a conversation with him, while not even facing him.

[Big Mother]

I teared up big time at that gas station scene!

[mtlchick]

When I'm on my exercise bike and I laugh so hard that I giggle snort, this is indeed a good show.  

I easily relate to the "give me the Canadian candy that your cousin sent you" as I AM that person who prepares for a trip to the USA by buying out the store out of Coffee Crisp, Smarties and Aero bars.

Finally....Ray hit puberty.

[Ottis]

This one bothered me a bit. The idea of the family being able to get it together because JJ was gone .... not sure what that message was. They couldn't do all those things with JJ home? What stopped Dylan from earning money, or all of them from cleaning up? JJ has unique needs, but it doesn't mean no one else can do anything.

I get that this set up was required to arrive at the conclusion that, while JJ has needs, the family embraces him and them. I just don't understand why his presence seems to create their lack of initiative.

[Crs97]

I took it the other way.  They had become complacent in their rut and were inspired by JJ's decision to get out of his comfort zone.  JJ originally thought he was holding them back when actually he gave them the push to get up and do something constructive.

[SnarkySheep]

On 9/28/2017 at 7:35 AM, ChitChat said:

In the episode where Ray got appendicitis and Maya whipped out the notebook with all of the kid's medical histories, Ray was impressed and Maya said that's where he gets his organizational skills from.  She went on to say that she's good with the important stuff like that, so  the clutter of the house is not her main concern. 

Good memory! I totally forgot that. But also, IMO part of it is that they are five people, with five different schedules and lives, stuffed into one tiny house. Imagine simply having three teenagers in one bedroom! I really don't think they could be tidy/organized under those circumstances, no matter what.

I could totally relate to Jimmy and his "I've been running fifteen minutes late for the past twenty years" because so have I. For all I know, maybe my workplace gives out donuts and coffee before I show up too...