S02.E15: The Mom Switch

[AnnaRose]

Quote

After feeling unappreciated by Greg and the kids, Katie ditches her family for a day at her favorite hideaway spot and leaves Viv in charge of the household. Viv takes this as an opportunity to see if she really is mom material.

Yay, Viv!!  I'm so glad she's back.  I've missed her this season.

Edited January 23, 2018 by AnnaRose

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Oliver did not get sick because he didn't wear a jacket 2 weeks ago.  Or yesterday.

Set up the printer yourself, for goodness sake.  Although since Greg just wrote a book (partially at home), I find it hard to believe that he hasn't had a home printer for 2 years.  Or that Oliver wouldn't have had to print anything at home in the last 2 years.

[readster]

10 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Oliver did not get sick because he didn't wear a jacket 2 weeks ago.  Or yesterday.

Set up the printer yourself, for goodness sake.  Although since Greg just wrote a book (partially at home), I find it hard to believe that he hasn't had a home printer for 2 years.  Or that Oliver wouldn't have had to print anything at home in the last 2 years.

Yeah, that was complete crap. Seriously, no printer for 2 years? With what Greg does or Oliver, Mr.: "I need to be better than everyone." Oh please. 

[MaryMitch]

12 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Oliver did not get sick because he didn't wear a jacket 2 weeks ago.  Or yesterday.

Thanks! This happens so often on television.

I felt sorry for Oliver; he had a fever, for pete's sake! Everyone deserves a little sympathy when they have a fever!

I loved that guy Adam; he was hilarious!  But what was that store supposed to be? Was that a Costco?

[Popcorn2020]

I really liked this Episode and I will not lie it did get me teary eyed when the little girl thought Viv was a Mom. I liked the concept and to be honest the ending was a huge surpise

[Bobbin]

Good episode, though the premise was unlikely. Although, truth be told, after nearly a year without a functioning printer at home, I just bought a new one. Then I learned that if you don't use them regularly the ink dries out. Far be it for the nanufacturer or tech support to suggest just replacing the cartridge. Or to tell Greg he needed a newer driver.

I'm glad to see a subdued Oliver for a change. He is so manic so much of the time (even Daniel is always "on" whenever a camera is present).

I love Viv. I wish her and the baby well!

[TheLastKidPicked]

40 minutes ago, MaryMitch said:

I loved that guy Adam; he was hilarious!  But what was that store supposed to be? Was that a Costco?

It did look like a Costco.  This is one of those memories that I worry the younger viewers might not get, so I'll do a little "Throwback Thursday" for you:

Back in the 80s 90s, before cell phones, the internet, and facebook, people actually went to malls and department stores not just to shop but as a social engagement.  The Brady Bunch Movie took a little shot at this with "We need to celebrate as a family!  Come on, kids!  We're going to Sears!"

Teenagers (again, this is before cell phones and the internet) needed a place to meet up and it was the department stores and the malls.

Does anybody remember the "Silver Sneakers?"  Those were senior citizens who met up each morning to walk the mall.

And yes, there were people like Katie, who would come for the free samples, lounge on the couches, and hang out in the TV department just killing time.

[MaryMitch]

1 minute ago, TheLastKidPicked said:

It did look like a Costco.  This is one of those memories that I worry the younger viewers might not get, so I'll do a little "Throwback Thursday" for you:

Back in the 80s 90s, before cell phones, the internet, and facebook, people actually went to malls and department stores not just to shop but as a social engagement.  The Brady Bunch Movie took a little shot at this with "We need to celebrate as a family!  Come on, kids!  We're going to Sears!"

Teenagers (again, this is before cell phones and the internet) needed a place to meet up and it was the department stores and the malls.

Does anybody remember the "Silver Sneakers?"  Those were senior citizens who met up each morning to walk the mall.

And yes, there were people like Katie, who would come for the free samples, lounge on the couches, and hang out in the TV department just killing time.

Where I live:

- We don't have Costcos; we do have Sam's stores and they look very different, more like a warehouse.

- And we also still have "Silver Sneakers" walking around the mall. They have to share the space with the teenagers who still congregate there.

[TheLastKidPicked]

1 minute ago, MaryMitch said:

- And we also still have "Silver Sneakers" walking around the mall. They have to share the space with the teenagers who still congregate there.

You know you are a certain age if this phrase means something to you:

 

"Okay, everybody.  Meet back at the escalator at 6:00."

[joanne3482]

I presumed it was just their version of Super Target which has groceries, and other stuff, including furniture. 

[Yeah No]

That store was completely fictional.  It was like a Target, a Costco and an Ikea rolled into one.   I've never seen any Targets or Costcos with made bed displays in CT (hah, I've probably been to them all by now!), but there is at Ikea.

The whole thing with the "store husband" was a little strange, but whatever.

Is it me or are the like buttons missing since the upgrade?

[AnnaRose]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

Is it me or are the like buttons missing since the upgrade?

There's a heart at the bottom right corner you can click.  At least there is on my screen.

ETA: It doesn't seem to show how many likes a post has... which is something I enjoy seeing as I scroll through the forum.  I also don't like that it's in a new location away from the rest of the clickable options at the bottom.  Then again, I generally don't like change... especially when it's not a necessary improvement.  Maybe that stuff will go back to how it used to be?

Edited January 26, 2018 by AnnaRose

[MaryMitch]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Is it me or are the like buttons missing since the upgrade?

They were. Then they got the hearts to appear but no count. Now you see a count.

The hearts are now on the right side.

[iMonrey]

Sweet episode, but really? Viv should not have a child. Katie cannot compare her own experience before she had kids to Viv's. Katie never lived in a world so bereft of reality and an understanding of how regular people live. Then again I suppose Viv's child will be no different from the other privileged children of Westport. She'll have a nanny and servants to raise the child for her.

[readster]

This was probably one of my favorite episodes, Mrs. Readster and I were laughing constantly. As for Greg destroying the printer and Viv having a melt down as she couldn't handle the kids and Greg was great. However, Viv is so far removed from reality and I know this is the point of the show that all the privilege and rich people of the town don't get basic concepts because everything has been handed them. I see Viv having a baby basically have them like everyone else in town. They have problems for the first year or so because of the adjustment, then they just throw them on a nanny or something and go back to life as usual. It's like Katie's one friend, they made a big deal about her having a 4th baby, yet we have seen said baby twice since then and now once again, the baby isn't there. 

[possibilities]

It's not just the babies we don't see. It's also her other 3 kids and her husband. The show is really focused on Katie and her immediate family and life. Her friends are in her orbit but her friends' families aren't.

I wouldn't mind if they expanded to involve more characters, but the show is pretty consistent about using everyone other than the Otto family as plot-drivers for the Ottos only.

Viv has actually gotten more character development than either of Katie's 2nd breakfast buddies, even though supposedly they are her real friends and Viv is just an inconvenient neighbor.

[readster]

23 hours ago, possibilities said:

It's not just the babies we don't see. It's also her other 3 kids and her husband. The show is really focused on Katie and her immediate family and life. Her friends are in her orbit but her friends' families aren't.

I wouldn't mind if they expanded to involve more characters, but the show is pretty consistent about using everyone other than the Otto family as plot-drivers for the Ottos only.

Viv has actually gotten more character development than either of Katie's 2nd breakfast buddies, even though supposedly they are her real friends and Viv is just an inconvenient neighbor.

Completely agreed and also showing how her "breakfast" friends handle their families is also off screen. As we see they approaching parenting differently, but we never see their spouses or kids themselves. I get they don't want to spend money on more actors. But I rather see those families a bit more than some random high school set of kids because Anna-kat is the same age as the other kids. So, they could expand there, but they don't. Viv and Spencer have gotten the most expansions this year and it's been really good. However, when we see Cooper his Mr. One Note "I'm so privileged I have no common sense and nothing upsets me." While Taylor's friends are: "Ummm... how do you tie your shoes." Time to move on a bit more show. 

[Tetraneutron]

On 1/27/2018 at 9:49 AM, readster said:

This was probably one of my favorite episodes, Mrs. Readster and I were laughing constantly. As for Greg destroying the printer and Viv having a melt down as she couldn't handle the kids and Greg was great.

Destroying the printer was a reference to the movie "Office Space" which starred the actor who played Greg. 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Tetraneutron said:

Destroying the printer was a reference to the movie "Office Space" which starred the actor who played Greg. 

Yes, I caught that reference having just rewatched "Office Space" after many years and realizing he was in the movie.  Lately there have been a few references to that movie on TV, including a commercial with a Bill Lundbergh-like boss leaning over a cube wall with the same kind of shirt and suspenders who starts his sentences with "Yeah".  

[readster]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Yes, I caught that reference having just rewatched "Office Space" after many years and realizing he was in the movie.  Lately there have been a few references to that movie on TV, including a commercial with a Bill Lundbergh-like boss leaning over a cube wall with the same kind of shirt and suspenders who starts his sentences with "Yeah".  

Oh I caught it too. I just wanted him to say: "Freaking A" at one point. 

[Snappy]

On 1/27/2018 at 9:49 AM, readster said:

This was probably one of my favorite episodes, Mrs. Readster and I were laughing constantly. As for Greg destroying the printer and Viv having a melt down as she couldn't handle the kids and Greg was great. However, Viv is so far removed from reality and I know this is the point of the show that all the privilege and rich people of the town don't get basic concepts because everything has been handed them. I see Viv having a baby basically have them like everyone else in town. They have problems for the first year or so because of the adjustment, then they just throw them on a nanny or something and go back to life as usual. It's like Katie's one friend, they made a big deal about her having a 4th baby, yet we have seen said baby twice since then and now once again, the baby isn't there. 

Having lived in a town in CT that was very Westport-like, Viv is not that far removed from some stay at home moms who put their kids in daycare so they could play tennis.

[msrachelj]

On 1/24/2018 at 10:02 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Oliver did not get sick because he didn't wear a jacket 2 weeks ago.  Or yesterday.

Set up the printer yourself, for goodness sake.  Although since Greg just wrote a book (partially at home), I find it hard to believe that he hasn't had a home printer for 2 years.  Or that Oliver wouldn't have had to print anything at home in the last 2 years.

i am quite technologically stupid but i set up 2 wireless printers in less than 30 minutes.  and true, bullshit they had no printer all tis time.

quite right, you do not get sick from not wearing a jacket.

[msrachelj]

On 1/25/2018 at 10:47 AM, MaryMitch said:

Thanks! This happens so often on television.

I felt sorry for Oliver; he had a fever, for pete's sake! Everyone deserves a little sympathy when they have a fever!

I loved that guy Adam; he was hilarious!  But what was that store supposed to be? Was that a Costco?

i wondered what the store was also because i want to go there! unfortunately i think its based on like 4 stores rolled into one. but i wish it were real . i would go there. i love the mall. i will never understand how people will never go to  a real store and buy everything online. convenience trumps quality and socializing and just about everything in this tech. world. i just can' live like that. i want to see and touch a product.  i find it all very sad.  rest in peace sears, etc. 

[teapot]

On ‎2‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 7:50 AM, msrachelj said:

i wondered what the store was also because i want to go there! unfortunately i think its based on like 4 stores rolled into one. but i wish it were real . i would go there. i love the mall. i will never understand how people will never go to  a real store and buy everything online. convenience trumps quality and socializing and just about everything in this tech. world. i just can' live like that. i want to see and touch a product.  i find it all very sad.  rest in peace sears, etc. 

omg agreed!!!  I used to run away to the mall every weekend....get a coffee, walk around, treat myself to some Bath & Body Works and look at the clothes & shoes as though I were in a very fashionable museum.

My child is grown so my house is quiet so I don't need to "run away" as much anymore, but my sister and coworkers are always dreamily talking about Target.

retail can't die...where would the moms go???