S09.E20: Mother!

[Masque of Anarchy]

Quote

When Dede drops by unexpectedly, Mitchell and Cam come to a realization about her effect on their lives; Phil, Luke, Alex and Haley all have different bad news to break to Claire and compete about when to do it.

[Traveller519]

As terrible as it is, Dede''s social engineering of Mitch and Cam was funny and an exceptional plot development at this point in the series. I mean, aside from their complete neurosis, things turned out pretty well for them.

[possibilities]

I was really enjoying Mitch and Cam having fun together in the beginning of the episode. I'd like to see more episodes that don't turn on conflict and bickering. People having fun can be fun to watch, too! They've done it with Claire and Phil a few times. I'd like more of that and less of everybody being cranky.

[Tiggertoo]

Yes I agree.  It was fun to see them having fun.  Claire was the usual.  I t was nice to see all the moms united st the end.

what was with the heavy lipstick on Alex?  

[Robert Lynch]

2 hours ago, Tiggertoo said:

Yes I agree.  It was fun to see them having fun.  Claire was the usual.  I t was nice to see all the moms united st the end.

what was with the heavy lipstick on Alex?  

They were trying to cover her obvious lip job that Ariel Winter had. The girl is trying to be another Kardashian and it's sad. Shelley Long looked great here.

[Blakeston]

I didn't care for this one.

I didn't think the movie monster sounded anything like Gloria. That could have been really funny.

And at the end, we're supposed to support the mothers and feel bad for them? Dee Dee is a friggin' psycho, and the way she was manipulating Cam and Mitch really isn't acceptable (even if most of her advice was sound). And Gloria is just obnoxious. If this was meant to be a love letter to mothers, the writers chose a very strange way to go about it.

[Prin Holmes]

Sarah is actually looking a lot healthier now.  But yeah, the heavy makeup job on Ariel really emphasized what she's done to her face.

I didn't hear Gloria's voice in the monster roar at first, but when I heard it later on, I totally heard her scream in it.

Well, I hope everyone's happy now.  You all got what you wanted.  Pam is gone.  And there's not even a single farewell. She's just gone in the first few seconds of the episode.

This is the first time I've heard of this window for Claire.  I felt like Luke.  Where was the mention of this before?

[readster]

33 minutes ago, Prin Holmes said:

Sarah is actually looking a lot healthier now.  But yeah, the heavy makeup job on Ariel really emphasized what she's done to her face.

I didn't hear Gloria's voice in the monster roar at first, but when I heard it later on, I totally heard her scream in it.

Well, I hope everyone's happy now.  You all got what you wanted.  Pam is gone.  And there's not even a single farewell. She's just gone in the first few seconds of the episode.

This is the first time I've heard of this window for Claire.  I felt like Luke.  Where was the mention of this before?

I know, they finally got a clue and got rid of Pam after she was shoved down our throats and "why" she needed to be there. Now, will they get a good tenant for the upstairs? I did enjoy Mitch and Cam having fun, so needed and a great change. However, from Claire to DeDe, I didn't feel for any of them. Especially Gloria, but I have to say I loved the Phil outtakes at the end. 

[SimoneS]

I didn't enjoy this one very much. I thought it was one of the weaker episodes of the season. I only laughed at Mitch being invisible in peach or whatever color that was and Phil's scenes in the movie.  I did like think that it was sweet how hard Gloria was working to make the movie premiere a success. I really think that Manny should move back home. I find it difficult to believe that he is doing well or is emotionally ready to move away from his parents and little brother. I do agree that the monster should have sounded more like Gloria.

Edited May 3, 2018 by SimoneS

[DrSpaceman]

4 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I didn't care for this one.

I didn't think the movie monster sounded anything like Gloria. That could have been really funny.

And at the end, we're supposed to support the mothers and feel bad for them? Dee Dee is a friggin' psycho, and the way she was manipulating Cam and Mitch really isn't acceptable (even if most of her advice was sound). And Gloria is just obnoxious. If this was meant to be a love letter to mothers, the writers chose a very strange way to go about it.

This is basically the same plot they used on the Goldbergs before.  Adam writes a horror movie and uses his mom/"smother" as the monster character.  In addition, I also didn't think the monster sounded like Gloria.  So it loses out on originality and accuracy. 

I can't stand Cam and Mitch's redone kitchen, so in a way I was glad there was an explanation for it, much of it being Dee Dee's idea. 

I did think the painting was funny when the glue melted and started coming out her mouth

[tennisgurl]

Mitchel and his salmon suit made me laugh, especially when Phil tripped over him. 

I cant decide how to feel about Dede apparently manipulating Mitch and Cam from the start of their relationship. I mean, it turned out well for them, but its still pretty creepy, and I would be pissed off too. 

I would have just watched a plot of Cam and Mitch just hanging out and having fun together. Not every plot they get has to be an argument, or a wacky shenanigan or misunderstanding. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

4 hours ago, readster said:

Now, will they get a good tenant for the upstairs?

I thought it might be DeDe, except I doubt Shelley Long will become a regular.

2 hours ago, SimoneS said:

I only laughed at Mitch being invisible in peach or whatever color that was

 

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Mitchel and his salmon suit made me laugh, especially when Phil tripped over him. 

It was salmon! And I also laughed when Phil tumbled over Mitchell when he was tying his shoe because he blended in with the carpet.

2 hours ago, DrSpaceman said:

I can't stand Cam and Mitch's redone kitchen, so in a way I was glad there was an explanation for it, much of it being Dee Dee's idea. 

Have they ever mentioned the 6 egg beaters hanging on the kitchen wall?  Are they vintage?

[DrSpaceman]

27 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I thought it might be DeDe, except I doubt Shelley Long will become a regular.

 

It was salmon! And I also laughed when Phil tumbled over Mitchell when he was tying his shoe because he blended in with the carpet.

Have they ever mentioned the 6 egg beaters hanging on the kitchen wall?  Are they vintage?

I assume the eggbeaters are supposed to be vintage.  I have never figured that out either. 

Mostly I hate that light blue color and the fact it looks like a pseudo "country kitchen" inspired by cam, which is completely at odds with the design and motif of the rest of the house. 

[Robert Lynch]

What is going on with Sofia's hairstyle? Does some hairstylist hate her guts or something? 

Edited May 4, 2018 by Robert Lynch

[Madding crowd]

I hope to someday use the phrase: cooking a frittata wearing nada!

[readster]

4 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

What is going on with Sofia's hairstyle? Does some hairstylist hate her guts or something? 

I have to agree with that, her hair has looked horrible over the last 5 episodes. Seriously, both Phil and Luke thought to fly the drone in the house when 3 years ago, they were trying to destroy their neighbor who was spying on the girls in the backyard? Plus, Phil used a hair dryer on heat and not cool to dry glue?

[Mystery]

I thought the whole thing was tiresome. 

[AnimeMania]

Why did they film a movie in B&W? Where would they find a hi-res B&W camera? Who would watch a B&W movie?

[readster]

6 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Why did they film a movie in B&W? Where would they find a hi-res B&W camera? Who would watch a B&W movie?

Plus, they did FIN for the last scene, how cliche. 

[biakbiak]

Was there at least one bottle of wine for every member of the family including Joe? 

[vibeology]

22 minutes ago, readster said:

Plus, they did FIN for the last scene, how cliche. 

You expect something different from Manny?

[Blakeston]

On 5/4/2018 at 2:14 AM, AnimeMania said:

Where would they find a hi-res B&W camera?

Well, they've made it clear that they have all the money in the world to spend on gadgets.

[Prin Holmes]

On 5/3/2018 at 7:42 AM, readster said:

However, from Claire to DeDe, I didn't feel for any of them.

I get Dede and Gloria, but why not Claire?  Her family was going to use her temporary emotional state against her.  I'd say that's pretty much emotionally violating.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Prin Holmes

[Robert Lynch]

Now I am confused. Is season 9 going to be the final season? I thought season 10 was the last season.

[Prin Holmes]

21 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

Now I am confused. Is season 9 going to be the final season? I thought season 10 was the last season.

Next season is season ten.  That is supposed to be the final one.

[SnarkySheep]

At least this episode had an "explanation" for Lily's absence, although someone sending their child to visit relatives in another state a month before school ends is pretty flimsy.

At this point, had Mitch and Cam announced Lily had returned to the orphanage in Vietnam, I wouldn't have been surprised. Is the actress ok? She has been virtually non-existent this season. I tried to Google her but found nothing on the subject.

[AriAu]

Quote

I thought it might be DeDe, except I doubt Shelley Long will become a regular.

Wow, I hope not since a little Dee Dee goes a long, long way. Once a year max.

 

Quote

At least this episode had an "explanation" for Lily's absence, although someone sending their child to visit relatives in another state a month before school ends is pretty flimsy.

Lately, a little Lily seems to go a long way as well...altho I am starting to think this applies to a lot of the characters.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 5/4/2018 at 9:09 AM, readster said:

Plus, they did FIN for the last scene, how cliche. 

This is Manny we're talking about. He doesn't have a stitch of talent or originality. 

[snuffles]

I actually kinda liked this episode. The annoying part for me was when Alex was asking Claire if she could miss their Mother's Day get together so Alex could go with her boyfriend on a motorcycle trip. Seems like Alex would need to ask both of her parents if she can go on a motorcycle trip. But I guess the writers are saying Claire rules the roost and Phil isn't part of the parenting anymore.

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, snuffles said:

Seems like Alex would need to ask both of her parents if she can go on a motorcycle trip.

Alex is over 18 she doesn't need to ask either of them. She wasn't asking Claire because she needed permission, she was asking if it was okay because Claire, Hailey and her had planned a Mother's Day trip that she was bailing on.

[MaryMitch]

7 minutes ago, snuffles said:

I actually kinda liked this episode. The annoying part for me was when Alex was asking Claire if she could miss their Mother's Day get together so Alex could go with her boyfriend on a motorcycle trip. Seems like Alex would need to ask both of her parents if she can go on a motorcycle trip. But I guess the writers are saying Claire rules the roost and Phil isn't part of the parenting anymore.

I don't think she was asking for permission to go. I think she was asking her mother if it was ok if she missed Mother's Day.

[snuffles]

23 minutes ago, MaryMitch said:

31 minutes ago, snuffles said:

I actually kinda liked this episode. The annoying part for me was when Alex was asking Claire if she could miss their Mother's Day get together so Alex could go with her boyfriend on a motorcycle trip. Seems like Alex would need to ask both of her parents if she can go on a motorcycle trip. But I guess the writers are saying Claire rules the roost and Phil isn't part of the parenting anymore.

I don't think she was asking for permission to go. I think she was asking her mother if it was ok if she missed Mother's Day.

Yes, I know Alex was asking if it was Ok to miss the Mother's Day get together. I just meant, she didn't mention the part about the motorcycle trip at first (when she told Phil and her siblings) and acted squirrely when she added that tidbit in the end of her request. I took that to mean she knew both parents would be worried about her going on a motorcycle trip. I think the show has demonstrated the parents and children are very much dependent on each other and the kids would definitely want to have their parent's ok before doing anything dangerous (motorcycle riding is dangerous).

[biakbiak]

7 hours ago, snuffles said:

he parents and children are very much dependent on each other and the kids would definitely want to have their parent's ok before doing anything dangerous (motorcycle riding is dangerous).

That is never the vibe I have gotten from Claire and Phil, heck with Alex they probably would encourage her to do something a little dangerous.

[ButterQueen]

On 5/3/2018 at 2:27 PM, DrSpaceman said:

I assume the eggbeaters are supposed to be vintage.  I have never figured that out either. 

Mostly I hate that light blue color and the fact it looks like a pseudo "country kitchen" inspired by cam, which is completely at odds with the design and motif of the rest of the house. 

What happened to their gorgeous fireplace?

[biakbiak]

19 hours ago, ButterQueen said:

What happened to their gorgeous fireplace?

It’s still where it always was in the living room.

[ButterQueen]

59 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

It’s still where it always was in the living room.

Thanks.  All DH and I saw was a pile of logs.