S04.E18: Measure Twice, Cut Once

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

After Louis buys Kenny Rogers’ stake in Cattleman’s Ranch back, he starts to doubt his instincts as sole owner. Frustrated by his cautiousness, Jessica flies in Madam Xing to ease Louis’ anxiety, but that only stresses him out more – to the point of breaking a tooth. Marvin’s laughing gas finally helps Louis relax, but side effects of strange visions accompany his relief. Meanwhile, Evan gives up watching Regis and Kathie Lee for Lent, leading his older brothers to mess with his head.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Awwww, poor Louis, I felt bad for him when Jessica said she used his airline miles to fly Madame Xing to Orlando and the said he'd been saving his points to take the family to Hawaii or Alaska!

[biakbiak]

I hate Jessica. She is so awful.

[Snow Apple]

I can't take it any more. Why do they keep focusing on Jessica and Evan who are the worst characters on the show? What happened to Eddie being the main character?

[Racj82]

They are trolling us with the shit they have Jessica and Evan do right?

And the second real life Eddie distanced himself from the show I knew he wouldn't be the main focus anymore. Also sitcoms are littered with shows that shifted comedic viewpoints for showstealers and decisions behind the scenes. See Good Times and Family Matters. If you told someone today those shows were developed as vehicles for the mother's of those shows they would confused.

[CurlyATX]

1 hour ago, Racj82 said:

They are trolling us with the shit they have Jessica and Evan do right?

And the second real life Eddie distanced himself from the show I knew he wouldn't be the main focus anymore. Also sitcoms are littered with shows that shifted comedic viewpoints for showstealers and decisions behind the scenes. See Good Times and Family Matters. If you told someone today those shows were developed as vehicles for the mother's of those shows they would confused.

My sons and I love watching the show but lately, they couldn't figure out why the show isn't as good.  I was explaining the trope of how character traits get exaggerated over time and each person ends up being this walking caricature.  I was totally reminded of both Good Times and Family Matters in that regard.  Not only did JJ and Urkle take over the show, didn't they each become more baffoonish? 

As a recovering Catholic, I had to laugh at the Lenten promises.  I remember in school we had those and we'd write down our promise and right before Easter we would open it to see if we had kept it.  I always forgot my promise.  Even now I always forget Fridays and end up eating a hamburger.  But there were always a few kids who were extremely self-righteous about it.  I guess Evan found his spiritual calling!

[tennisgurl]

You know, if I had more faith in this show as of now, I would say that Evan is acting out and being more of a little asshole lately is because the family dynamics have changed ever since Emory hit his teens. Before that, he and Emory were the two siblings that always hung out, and ganged up on Eddie sometimes, but now that Emory is older, he and Eddie hang out a lot more and he and Eddie gang up on Evan sometimes. It would actually make sense that he would start being more angry if he felt like he had become the third wheel among his brothers. But, they are probably just doing the "take the funny parts of a supporting character and take it up to 11" thing that sitcoms do a few seasons in. 

Jessica really has become an increasing unlikable pain, but I did like both her and Louise's vision quests, especially Lou as a turtle screaming on the road. "Madam Shing, you Viper".  

"America isn't ready for two Regis`s" 

[Mellowyellow]

Louis's constant waffling would annoy me so much but I did love his hallucination of his past life as a turtle. That was hilarious, as was Jessica coming back as Honey's kid.

[Camera One]

I didn't like this episode too much, though the visions were amusing.  I don't remember Emery deciding to mess with Evan before.  

This season has not been good.  The ongoing storylines have been very weak and the characters (with the exception of Eddie) have no direction.  As said above, there is a reliance on using an unlikeable Jessica and Evan for "laughs" except it's not that funny.  Hopefully, ABC forces the show to re-evaluate its writing because they have a good cast, but the show is starting to lose me.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Camera One

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 3/14/2018 at 7:14 AM, Snow Apple said:

I can't take it any more. Why do they keep focusing on Jessica and Evan who are the worst characters on the show? What happened to Eddie being the main character?

Eddie and his friends are the best part of the show.

Is Marvin supposed to be Jewish? The baby's circumcision was portrayed sort of like a bris, but with a much older baby.  If neither Marvin nor Honey are Jewish, why have a public circumcision? 

Edited March 21, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[biakbiak]

3 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Eddie and his friends are the best part of the show.

Is Marvin supposed to be Jewish? The baby's circumcision was portrayed sort of like  a bris, but with a much older baby.  If neither Marvin nor Honey are Jewish, why have a public circumcision? 

I don't know that we can take Jessica's dream as a reliable narrator.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 minute ago, biakbiak said:

I don't know that we can take Jessica's dream as a reliable narrator.

You're right, of course.  It was a "vision." I guess she's been to at least one bris, then, if that's where her unconscious mind goes when she thinks about circumcision.

[angora]

In an otherwise "meh" episode, I was really charmed by Eddie and Emory doing Regis and Kathie Lee.  I loved that, even though they didn't want to do it and started out complaining, neither was half-assing their performance.  Eddie's scandalized "Kathie LEE!" when Emory owned up to having hitchhiked cracked me up so hard.

[SmithW6079]

I have to disagree with the boys. Lenten Evan is not the worst. Everyday Evan is.

I didn't understand Louis's nervousness about the restaurant. He started it all on his own (except for stealing the concept from a franchise), and it was successful. Why all the sudden doubt?

Edited March 21, 2018 by SmithW6079