S04.E11: The Tub

[Roccos Brother]

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Grace hires a contractor to fix an issue at the beach house. Sol's new friendship makes Robert uncomfortable. Frankie gets lost with the baby.

Edited January 23, 2018 by Roccos Brother

[Roccos Brother]

That was scary seeing the beach house completely wrecked. It's hard to believe that Grace would get scammed, knowing that she did her research online before contacting any contractors. I wonder how such fraudsters could possibly get away with things like this. Couldn't Grace call up her bank to block the check from going through, or at least use that to trace the fraudsters? 

Robert's bitchy theater director is so horrible, but SO HILARIOUS. I'm glad I get to enjoy his sass on TV and not have to deal with him in real life.

[OtterMommy]

2 minutes ago, Roccos Brother said:

That was scary seeing the beach house completely wrecked. It's hard to believe that Grace would get scammed, knowing that she did her research online before contacting any contractors. I wonder how such fraudsters could possibly get away with things like this. Couldn't Grace call up her bank to block the check from going through, or at least use that to trace the fraudsters? 

If it were a skilled con-man, which he appeared to be, he would cover his tracks fairly well.  Also, he didn't want her money (he wanted her copper pipes), so stopping payment on the check wouldn't have done anything to bring him either.  In fact, I'm sure that Grace did just that--after it all happened, she was (rightfully) worried about getting things fixed and feeling guilty that she was scammed, but she didn't seem too concerned about the money.

[Roccos Brother]

10 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

If it were a skilled con-man, which he appeared to be, he would cover his tracks fairly well.  Also, he didn't want her money (he wanted her copper pipes), so stopping payment on the check wouldn't have done anything to bring him either.  In fact, I'm sure that Grace did just that--after it all happened, she was (rightfully) worried about getting things fixed and feeling guilty that she was scammed, but she didn't seem too concerned about the money.

Oh, right! Silly me! I guess it just seemed like a REALLY elaborate and convoluted scheme just for some pipes... I guess I'll never make it as a con-artist, will just have to earn a living the honest and decent way... Or maybe this means that I am too naive and trusting, maybe I should be in a home?

Edited January 23, 2018 by Roccos Brother

[Bastet]

Sol and Robert not knowing about "the go-ahead" (neither did I), and that there's this whole world out there they know nothing about, was mildly entertaining. 

But mostly this episode made me sad, seeing Grace get scammed and Frankie get lost.

[txhorns79]

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Oh, right! Silly me! I guess it just seemed like a REALLY elaborate and convoluted scheme just for some pipes... I guess I'll never make it as a con-artist, will just have to earn a living the honest and decent way... Or maybe this means that I am too naive and trusting, maybe I should be in a home?

It did seem very elaborate and convoluted just to get the pipes.  He not only had to con her into letting him be the contractor, he had to get her out of the house and guarantee no one would check on what they were doing for what must have been a few hours.   

And  I really hated that Brianna tried to pin the failing business on her mother.  I remember Brianna didn't say a word about older products not selling an episode or two ago when she admitted the business was in trouble because of the botched product she brought to market. 

However, I was totally on Bud's side.  I would be furious with Frankie.  She was ridiculously irresponsible. 

[OtterMommy]

7 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

However, I was totally on Bud's side.  I would be furious with Frankie.  She was ridiculously irresponsible. 

I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

[txhorns79]

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I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

True.  I guess I just would have thought even Frankie would know enough to have been extra cautious with her granddaughter. 

[OtterMommy]

7 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

True.  I guess I just would have thought even Frankie would know enough to have been extra cautious with her granddaughter. 

But Frankie doesn't think that the things she does are strange--to her, she is completely normal (and everyone else is strange).  Frankie may have been what she considered extra cautious--which meant that she followed the rule of the road, or something like that.  

I was surprised she had a Moby Wrap with her, though, since it seems like her job was just to drive Faith around.

[MissLucas]

I was more freaked out by the general idea of keeping a baby on the road for hours for babysitting reasons only than by the idea of Frankie as designated driver. Traffic is dangerous and accidents can happen even to the most astute drivers.  It was also OOC for Frankie to go along with the scheme since she was basically wasting resources and polluting the environment for hours without  good reason. It was already established that she managed to calm Faith down with other methods so why would she agree to something that goes completely against her tree-hugging principles?

[OtterMommy]

27 minutes ago, MissLucas said:

I was more freaked out by the general idea of keeping a baby on the road for hours for babysitting reasons only than by the idea of Frankie as designated driver. Traffic is dangerous and accidents can happen even to the most astute drivers.  It was also OOC for Frankie to go along with the scheme since she was basically wasting resources and polluting the environment for hours without  good reason. It was already established that she managed to calm Faith down with other methods so why would she agree to something that goes completely against her tree-hugging principles?

Bud fell into the "my baby won't sleep unless we drive her around trap."  My brother fell down this hole and it made his life hell until his daughter was about 4 years old.  It would have made more sense (but robbed Bud of a reason to put Frankie in a home) if he had said, "Can you put her in a stroller and take her for an hour walk?"

ETA: It also would have made more sense if she were out walking that she didn't have a charger with her.  Everyone I know just keeps a charger in their car.  Also, the "danger" factor would have been higher if Frankie had gotten lost walking around rather than driving and I think that Frankie would have felt that it was a bigger deal than she did when she was driving.

[rippleintime17]

I was so worried that Frankie was going to get rear-ended or t-boned while she was reaching and looking back at the baby that I was relieved that all that happened was she got lost and ended up in Mexico.

[MissLucas]

15 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

Bud fell into the "my baby won't sleep unless we drive her around trap."  My brother fell down this hole and it made his life hell until his daughter was about 4 years old. 

Yes, I realize that was what had happened but it was so OOC for Frankie to just go along with it. 

(For the record: my mother had to turn on the vacuum cleaner besides my crib to get me to sleep during day-time. Also not particularly environment-friendly.)

Edited January 24, 2018 by MissLucas

[jumper sage]

On 1/22/2018 at 9:30 PM, OtterMommy said:

he didn't want her money (he wanted her copper pipes),

My brother is an electrician and does sky scrapers and is redoing Detroit's old, famous buildings.  Apparently copper thieves are a huge problem.  We just had 2 people die by breaking into a sub station and were fried.  Just google "thieves electrocuted copper".  Warning!  Photos are real.

 

19 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

I agree!  Her whole role on the show is that she is "out there", way out there.  My grandma was just like her, loving but out of her mind, our parents wouldn't let her take us until we were 7 and could fend for ourselves. [shakes head, walks away].

I thought Frankie couldn't drive because she was dead?

I agree with other that Bud is getting caught up in bad baby sleeping rules.  Being quiet around the baby is the worst thing you can do.  You need to teach them that they can sleep anywhere, anytime.

Edited January 24, 2018 by jumper sage

[CherithCutestory]

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I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

I thought it was funny how Grace told her it only happened this way because she was dead. And Frankie agreed that she would have been to Mexico and back before Bud found out if only she had been alive.

The implication from both being that OF COURSE Frankie would follow an ice cream truck to Mexico. Obviously. But, typically, she would have made it back without anyone being the wiser. Grace gets Frankie better than anyone.

[theatremouse]

I could barely watch it was so crinegy with Grace leaving contractors alone in the house after they'd been there all of five minutes. She used to run a business, successfully. She was mopey about Phil and got distracted and didn't call ANY references. I mean, if he's a good con-man, he may have social-engineered her into stupid stuff but for a project the size they were working on, they should've had a contract, the deposit shouldn't have been more than 10%, just the whole thing is my nightmare and I really expected more from Grace. In theory, if Frankie hadn't gotten lost and been gone so long they wouldn't have time to destroy everything. So it was an oddly risky plan to begin with. Unless they did it in small chunks and figured they could justify it to Frankie who already proved herself flakey, so as long as Grace didn't come back for a while they'd go unnoticed....ugh. The whole thing makes me teeth itch. At least in theory Grace has plenty of money in the bank so it won't totally ruin them financially. I hope.

[Clanstarling]

On 1/22/2018 at 6:30 PM, OtterMommy said:

If it were a skilled con-man, which he appeared to be, he would cover his tracks fairly well.  Also, he didn't want her money (he wanted her copper pipes), so stopping payment on the check wouldn't have done anything to bring him either.  In fact, I'm sure that Grace did just that--after it all happened, she was (rightfully) worried about getting things fixed and feeling guilty that she was scammed, but she didn't seem too concerned about the money.

Thank you! I didn't get why the walls were torn apart...a little slow on the uptake today, I guess.

On 1/23/2018 at 5:33 PM, OtterMommy said:

I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

Apparently, his sleep deprived brain has impacted his memory.

On 1/24/2018 at 10:52 AM, rippleintime17 said:

I was so worried that Frankie was going to get rear-ended or t-boned while she was reaching and looking back at the baby that I was relieved that all that happened was she got lost and ended up in Mexico.

I was nervous each time!

On 1/24/2018 at 12:29 PM, jumper sage said:

I thought Frankie couldn't drive because she was dead?

IIRC, she drove w/o a license for a long time, so I'm guessing it doesn't matter to her (though it should to Bud).

I used to drive just a little further when my kids would fall asleep. Not around for hours, just long enough (one or two traffic signals) so that removing them from the car seat wouldn't wake them. They're both excellent sleepers, despite it all.

Frivolous note, I loved the shirt Grace was wearing when she went to the Say Grace offices. It wouldn't look nearly as good on me, but I want it!

Poor Grace, the guy got her with his excellent acting job regarding the "news" of Phil's death - so any friend of Phil would be someone she would trust. 

So...did anyone else find the business of "firing" Mallory strange? The boyfriend seemed to think it would help the bottom line, but Mallory says she isn't paid, and Brianna wouldn't let her look at the spreadsheet. What is Brianna hiding as Mallory's "pay"?

[Blakeston]

On 1/23/2018 at 8:33 PM, OtterMommy said:

I agree with this...but Frankie is Frankie.  If I were Bud, why would I ever let Frankie just drive Faith around for an hour with no destination.  Has he not ever met his mother?

Especially considering that, not that long ago, Frankie had a neurological incident while driving. She should never be driving alone with the baby, period.

[red12]

I really dislike, okay hate Frankie. I might need to take a break from her if I had to deal with her and a newborn. I love and admire Ms Tomlin but I cannot believe Frankie has not been cursed out at least twice a year by various people who come into contact with her. She would insufferable to me if she were a person.

[Thog]

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So...did anyone else find the business of "firing" Mallory strange? The boyfriend seemed to think it would help the bottom line, but Mallory says she isn't paid, and Brianna wouldn't let her look at the spreadsheet. What is Brianna hiding as Mallory's "pay"?

I think that was just their cover for the business about Grace's original line being the real reason. Briana didn't want to talk about it and didn't want Mallory to know, so she made up the story about firing Mallory even though it didn't make sense. When Mallory tore the spreadsheet from her hand we didn't get to see what was on it, but the look on Briana's face pretty much said that the jig was up - the spreadsheet was about Grace's products, not Mallory.

[Crs97]

On 1/23/2018 at 8:24 PM, txhorns79 said:

And  I really hated that Brianna tried to pin the failing business on her mother.  I remember Brianna didn't say a word about older products not selling an episode or two ago when she admitted the business was in trouble because of the botched product she brought to market. 

 

I am rewatching to get ready for season 5, and so much this!  And it's such a cheap shot.  We've watched Brianna do the bare minimum to run the company, and Grace would be the first to be unsentimental and shut down a product that is no longer selling.  I loved that Grace immediately was talking about rebranding or doing something to boost sales, more passion than we have ever seen from her daughter.  Not a shock that products from 30 years ago might not sell so well today.  Brianna should have been tinkering with the original line all throughout her tenure; products are always being improved and changing ingredients to broaden and keep interest.  Instead, she just shrugs and blames her mom.  If Grace still has any say in the company, Brianna should be out.

[sistermagpie]

On 1/11/2019 at 1:37 PM, Crs97 said:

I am rewatching to get ready for season 5, and so much this!  And it's such a cheap shot.  We've watched Brianna do the bare minimum to run the company, and Grace would be the first to be unsentimental and shut down a product that is no longer selling.  I loved that Grace immediately was talking about rebranding or doing something to boost sales, more passion than we have ever seen from her daughter.  Not a shock that products from 30 years ago might not sell so well today.  Brianna should have been tinkering with the original line all throughout her tenure; products are always being improved and changing ingredients to broaden and keep interest.  Instead, she just shrugs and blames her mom.  If Grace still has any say in the company, Brianna should be out.

It really is. Earlier they did have that scene where Grace found out they were taking her face off the box and she was a little thrown since it reinforced the feeling that her time was over, but it's not like she fell apart. Around the same time, iirc, Brianna was unable to come up with a single new idea until Grace pointed out that Frankie's lube was a good one, proving that Grace was more than capable of living in the present and her entire self of self-worth was not tied up in products she created and were a hit 30 years earlier. It's certainly not fair to blame Grace for company problems now when she hasn't been kept in the loop about sales and then act like Grace was the one who refused to let them discontinue products or rebrand or whatever. You can't blame somebody for something you did without their knowledge that they never asked you to do and then act like they made you do it. Seems like Grace would much rather be associated with a company still thriving in 2018 than products that people stopped using in the 90s just because they were hers.

The woman's adapted to a lot more.

On 2/4/2018 at 8:06 PM, Blakeston said:

Especially considering that, not that long ago, Frankie had a neurological incident while driving. She should never be driving alone with the baby, period.

Yes, Bud managed to skip right over the thing that actually is a concern about Frankie's health (that she might have an incident out of nowhere) and instead focus on something that didn't even exist (imaginary dementia).

Edited January 12, 2019 by sistermagpie

[AuntieMame]

On 2/9/2018 at 1:33 PM, red12 said:

I really dislike, okay hate Frankie. I might need to take a break from her if I had to deal with her and a newborn. I love and admire Ms Tomlin but I cannot believe Frankie has not been cursed out at least twice a year by various people who come into contact with her. She would insufferable to me if she were a person.

This is a really good point. In real life you would want to kill her. In the show, no one, no one seems to question that she needs more  supervision and care than most five year olds. Worse, nobody questions what is wrong with this. I adore Lily Tomlin, which is why I haven't questioned this before, but I've never met a grown woman that acts like this and if I did I would assume she had serious mental issues. 

On 1/11/2019 at 11:37 AM, Crs97 said:

I am rewatching to get ready for season 5, and so much this!  And it's such a cheap shot.  We've watched Brianna do the bare minimum to run the company, and Grace would be the first to be unsentimental and shut down a product that is no longer selling.  I loved that Grace immediately was talking about rebranding or doing something to boost sales, more passion than we have ever seen from her daughter.  Not a shock that products from 30 years ago might not sell so well today.  Brianna should have been tinkering with the original line all throughout her tenure; products are always being improved and changing ingredients to broaden and keep interest.  Instead, she just shrugs and blames her mom.  If Grace still has any say in the company, Brianna should be out.

Brianna makes no sense as a character. She is written as the big meanie anti woman who is slutty, heartless, sharp tongued, averse to children in even the most casual circumstances and indifferent to relationships, because reasons career. Because how could a woman who is resisting a life of service to others as a wife and mother be anything other than crazy, creepy, slutty and downright mean screams the writing. ON top of that she is incompetent too? If I didn't know better it would seem that the writing for Brianna is a sexist parody, but I fear the creators think they're doing something fresh and original with the character of Brianna. Its not working for me. 

Running the empire into the ground is just the final, senseless straw. 

[snarktini]

On 1/20/2019 at 10:37 AM, AuntieMame said:

Brianna makes no sense as a character. She is written as the big meanie anti woman who is slutty, heartless, sharp tongued, averse to children in even the most casual circumstances and indifferent to relationships, because reasons career. Because how could a woman who is resisting a life of service to others as a wife and mother be anything other than crazy, creepy, slutty and downright mean screams the writing. ON top of that she is incompetent too? If I didn't know better it would seem that the writing for Brianna is a sexist parody, but I fear the creators think they're doing something fresh and original with the character of Brianna. Its not working for me. 

Running the empire into the ground is just the final, senseless straw. 

I dislike how she's written too. That said, her being not great at running a business tracks considering she only got the role by berating a vendor into a discount! That's it, that's why Grace handed it over to her and it's the only time they've shown her being effective. Later they said she had no product ideas. Competence should be the upside to her character -- bitchy but business savvy -- but they've written her to be terrible across the board. (I wouldn't hang out with a single character on this show IRL. Funny characters, insufferable humans.)

[AuntieMame]

21 hours ago, snarktini said:

I dislike how she's written too. That said, her being not great at running a business tracks considering she only got the role by berating a vendor into a discount! That's it, that's why Grace handed it over to her and it's the only time they've shown her being effective. Later they said she had no product ideas. Competence should be the upside to her character -- bitchy but business savvy -- but they've written her to be terrible across the board. (I wouldn't hang out with a single character on this show IRL. Funny characters, insufferable humans.)

As a dear friend of mine says: “I wouldn’t want to take a long bus trip with any of them.” 

[Bastet]

I would totally hang out with Brianna.  I wouldn't rely on her for anything, but get stoned and make fun of a movie with her, or go have a boozy lunch, yeah; she's funny and doesn't get messy when she drinks or smokes.  Bud is my other favorite of the "kids", so my instinct was to say I'd hang out with him, but then I couldn't picture what we'd do.  Grace and Frankie together, yes, please.  Individually?  It would depend on the activity.  Mallory, bleh.  Coyote?  Only as part of a group.  Robert and Sol, no interest.