Season 1 Discussion

[JasmineFlower]

On 10/12/2018 at 3:14 PM, qtpye said:

Can an under 21 person tend bar?

I kinda feel like a lush answering this question cause I totally know most of this for all the wrong reasons, but no, you don't necessarily have to be 21 to tend bar. It depends on the state but that is a law set by the state, unlike the drinking age set by the federal government. In PA where I went to high school, the bartending age is 18. In CA where I'm originally from and where this show is set, the bartending age is 21, but alcohol serving age is 18 as long as it's a restaurant. I'm not really sure what you'd call Winebrary to be honest, but not sure that's a straight up bar or if merely pouring wine, rather than mixing a drink, is considered bartending. So Miggy's age may still be a question mark, but personally I'm thinking it's fine to assume he's at least 21.

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

“Beyoncé Circa Lemonade” – After scolding Miggy for not being able to sleep-train baby Jack, Angie and Douglas engage in a competition to see who can sleep-train the baby in one night. While Angie and Douglas have the baby, Miggy takes over babysitting Graham, Rory, Sophie, Emma and Amy, which results in an impromptu kids’ party. Meanwhile, Poppy teaches Will how to take out his anger on the volleyball court, on an all-new episode of “Single Parents,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17 (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and demand.

[callie lee 29]

You know, I'm impressed with how this show intergrates it's characters, it's not the same ones together all the time like a lot of other sitcoms. I'm also like how they have the kids work with the different adults. 

[memememe76]

This may become my favourite sitcom since Happy Endings. Even though the subject matter is vastly different, the two shows have a similar vibe.

[hoodooznoodooz]

Cutest baby ever. 

My 54-y-o uterus just sat up.

[tennisgurl]

I like this show a lot. Its funny, but I dont think its trying too hard. And I like seeing the different relationships the characters have with each other, including the kids with each other, and the various adults. 

"Your basically our age. We like you, but we dont respect you."

[dippydee]

I’m really enjoying this show. I find the whole cast really likeable and I enjoy that they’ve already started experimenting with different combinations of interactions so the whole dynamic as a group really builds as you see how different people play off each other in different ways. I also like how they’ve integrated the kids too. It’s definitely picked up since the pilot.

i think Angie and Douglas has been my favourite pairing so far. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

I think whoever is writing the dialogue is doing a fantastic job. Very witty.

But in my opinion, many of the actors are pushing too hard, and it reads very much as, “You are watching a network sitcom.”

But it is still amusing and entertaining to me, so I will watch the whole season. 

I like the Bunny Ears trio reaction to the warren factoid. 

The gangsta juice box reveal was well done.

The SNL guy is doing a nice job.

What did Graham’s mom want, if she won the bet? Ten minutes in the dermatology cabinet?

Fun Graham nicknames from Clueless Asian Guy.

[Empress1]

Miggy's baby is adorable.

I loved the volleyball scene. "It's a legal gray area."

[sonyab]

Angie and Douglas: Angie are you crazy to wake up a sleeping baby? And then get frustrated that Jack wouldn't go back to sleep?!!?! This lady is nuts!!! This competition was idiotic!! You need to calm the hell down! You should know Douglas by now that he doesn't mean what he says! He is a big old softy! The writers really need to tone her down a notch. I am really starting to not like her. It was really dumb of her to go that dinner where Douglas was.

Douglas and baby Jack: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! :) Big ol softy!!!! :)

Graham:  Awwwww! He saw the beauty in a butterfly! That is awesome. You are raising him right Angie. Maybe he sees the beauty in a lot of things. There is nothing wrong with that.

Miggy and Graham: Graham! You are just a wonderful sensitive human being. Nothing wrong with that!!! If people don't like it, then that is their problem. Don't pretend you are something you are not!!! I loved that he told those girls off!!! I cheered. :) I am glad he learned this lesson! :) Especially at such a young age!! Love Graham!!!

Miggy: You give baby Jack a milkshake and expect him to fall asleep?! ROFL! Miggy the zombie! ROFL!

Poppy and Will: Okay the volleyball scene was great in the beginning, but then he got too dark. I don't find hurting someone entertaining!!! The writers need to tone down Poppy and Will too..  I will not keep watching if some of these people are not toned down.

6 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

"Your basically our age. We like you, but we dont respect you."

Yeah I don't understand why they don't respect him.. That was an odd line.

1 hour ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

What did Graham’s mom want, if she won the bet? Ten minutes in the dermatology cabinet?

 

Yeah that's what she wants.. At first I thought she was going to say she wants to have sex with Douglas. :)

Edited October 18, 2018 by sonyab

[KnopeWaffle]

9 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Cutest baby ever. 

My 54-y-o uterus just sat up.

Mine too! Except then my brain, body, and wallet yelled RUN B!TCH! RUNNNN!!! 

[hoodooznoodooz]

Also liked the “get my friends drunk at wholesale” joke (paraphrasing).

[Snow Apple]

I still don't know any of their names or which kid belongs to whom (except for the twins and the baby), but it doesn't seem like I need to keep them straight to enjoy this show. The ending of each episode always make me smile.

And I agree the baby is so cute and chubby. It made me laugh when the mom just handed him to some random friend of Brad Garrett's character so she can yell at him.

[Kel Varnsen]

That was the best one so far. The scene at the beginning with all the parents just hanging out at the table in the table in the school yard after dropoff really worked and was really funny.

[Court]

I love this show. 

[bros402]

This show is getting better and better.

18 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

What did Graham’s mom want, if she won the bet? Ten minutes in the dermatology cabinet?

She wanted 10 minutes in the sample room at his dermatology office

[Ilovepie]

I think this one was the best yet. The kids were a little toned down. I still thought it was a stretch that Rory told Graham has to move to Boise, and Graham replied he didn't want to live in Idaho. I don't think a 7 year old would know that Boise is in Idaho if he didn't live near there. Those Bunny ears girls are cold - what a bunch of mean girls! I liked when they left and Miggy wondered where they were going since they were seven......

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 10/18/2018 at 9:40 AM, sonyab said:

On 10/18/2018 at 3:09 AM, tennisgurl said:

"Your basically our age. We like you, but we dont respect you."

Yeah I don't understand why they don't respect him.. That was an odd line.

On 10/18/2018 at 8:35 AM, hoodooznoodooz said:

They don't respect him because, as one of the twins said, he's basically their age.  They don't view him as an authority figure.

On 10/18/2018 at 3:02 PM, Snow Apple said:

I still don't know any of their names or which kid belongs to whom (except for the twins and the baby), but it doesn't seem like I need to keep them straight to enjoy this show. The ending of each episode always make me smile.

Somewhat neurotic mom has extremely neurotic son  (Angie/Graham)

Wine bar mom has outgoing son (Poppy/Rory) and to be honest, they are the only 2 African American actors in the main cast, so...

Remaining easily excitable dad has remaining, calm daughter (Will/Sophie)

Except for Miggy/Jack, the parents have opposite-sex children.

Finally, there are many methods for getting a baby to fall sleep at night (rocking, singing, etc).  The trick is getting him to stay asleep all night.  It's not clear at all that Jack was taught to do that.

Edited October 19, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[sonyab]

2 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

They don't respect him because, as one of the twins said, he's basically their age.  They don't view him as an authority figure.

 

Yeah I know.. :) But why don't they? Very strange. Very disrespectful.

[CheezyXpressed]

6 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I liked when they left and Miggy wondered where they were going since they were seven......

Me too, because I was just expecting them to leave and then after Miggy's comment I realized that it was dark. How did they even get there in the first place?

[Ilovepie]

32 minutes ago, CheezyXpressed said:

Me too, because I was just expecting them to leave and then after Miggy's comment I realized that it was dark. How did they even get there in the first place?

The only thing I can think is that they all live pretty close to each other since they attend the same school? Where I live most kids live in a 1/2-1 mile radius from the school they attend- maybe it’s the same for them and they walked/biked, but it was dark when they left and they are pretty young to be out alone....

[bros402]

Maybe the Bunny Girls live on the same street as whoevers house they were at.

Or Bunny Girls texted a parent to pick them up

[BTBAM310]

Was thinking about giving up on this show, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The worst thing about this show is how smart the kids are. It's like having a show full of Mannys from the first couple of seasons of Modern Family (who I can't stand).

The visual of Brad Garrett breast feeding his girls was hilarious.

[sonyab]

15 minutes ago, BTBAM310 said:

The visual of Brad Garrett breast feeding his girls was hilarious.

Hahahaha yeah that was hysterical! :)

[Toothbrush]

The kids are getting really close to the "too precocious even for a sitcom" line for me. They need to dial them back a touch, and make Miggy smarten up & mature. 

On 10/18/2018 at 7:35 AM, hoodooznoodooz said:

What did Graham’s mom want, if she won the bet? Ten minutes in the dermatology cabinet?

Fun Graham nicknames from Clueless Asian Guy.

The closet of youth!

I liked Miggy's nicknames for Graham also. 

On 10/18/2018 at 8:40 AM, sonyab said:

Angie and Douglas: Angie are you crazy to wake up a sleeping baby? And then get frustrated that Jack wouldn't go back to sleep?!!?! This lady is nuts!!! This competition was idiotic!! You need to calm the hell down! You should know Douglas by now that he doesn't mean what he says! He is a big old softy! The writers really need to tone her down a notch. I am really starting to not like her. It was really dumb of her to go that dinner where Douglas was.

Douglas and baby Jack: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! :) Big ol softy!!!! :)

Graham:  Awwwww! He saw the beauty in a butterfly! That is awesome. You are raising him right Angie. Maybe he sees the beauty in a lot of things. There is nothing wrong with that.

Miggy and Graham: Graham! You are just a wonderful sensitive human being. Nothing wrong with that!!! If people don't like it, then that is their problem. Don't pretend you are something you are not!!! I loved that he told those girls off!!! I cheered. :) I am glad he learned this lesson! :) Especially at such a young age!! Love Graham!!!

Miggy: You give baby Jack a milkshake and expect him to fall asleep?! ROFL! Miggy the zombie! ROFL!

Poppy and Will: Okay the volleyball scene was great in the beginning, but then he got too dark. I don't find hurting someone entertaining!!! The writers need to tone down Poppy and Will too..  I will not keep watching if some of these people are not toned down.

Yeah I don't understand why they don't respect him.. That was an odd line.

Yeah that's what she wants.. At first I thought she was going to say she wants to have sex with Douglas. :)

 

I agree with all of the above, especially your comments about Angie/Douglas & Poppy/Will. 

Re the bolded: It's because smarter-than-you kids are just so adorable & hilarious. Yawn. I fear that as the show continues the kids will become even more sitcom-kid wise beyond their years, and that Miggy will devolve so much that he forgets to breathe. 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Toothbrush

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 10/19/2018 at 5:34 PM, sonyab said:

On 10/19/2018 at 3:27 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

They don't respect him because, as one of the twins said, he's basically their age.  They don't view him as an authority figure.

 

 

Yeah I know.. :) But why don't they? Very strange. Very disrespectful.

Because he acts in a manner that even 7 year olds realize is ridiculous? (not peeling bananas before blending them, etc.) Poppy refers to him in a way that comports with his behavior and Douglas has likely made disparaging comments that his twins have overheard. Actually,  it's kind of a miracle that Jack is still alive, the way Miggy has been portrayed.

Edited October 21, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[candall]

I don't know why I DVR'ed this--I can't stand kids.  And yet, the whole thing's charming.  Brad Garrett and SNL guy are excellent.  (Taran Killam)  Angie and her neurotic son are a little bit extra, but I love Poppy and her son, Mr. You-Do-You.

It cracks me up that Miggy just hovers on the edge of this group, even though his baby is nowhere near the same age as theirs.  Miggy does a good job being both clueless and self-aware that he needs help.

He knows he needs . . . DON'T SAY IT! . . . a village.

[sonyab]

On 10/21/2018 at 2:59 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Because he acts in a manner that even 7 year olds realize is ridiculous? (not peeling bananas before blending them, etc.)

Hahahaha. Well obviously he is sleep deprived. :) So I will chalk that up because of that.  Poor Miggy. :) I hope his girlfriend shows up soon!

13 hours ago, candall said:

He knows he needs . . . DON'T SAY IT! . . . a village.

HAHAHAHAHA! And the.......... Village helps out a lot! :)

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

 Will is crushed when Sophie wants to tone down Halloween and invites a boy over. Poppy and the twins attempt to convince a reluctant Douglas to wear a silly costume; after he finally puts it on, he meets the woman of his dreams, who he now is sure will not take him seriously. Meanwhile, Angie struggles to tell her boss that she needs to leave work to be with her son on Halloween, leaving Graham’s costume in limbo, on an all-new episode of “Single Parents,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 24 (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

[tennisgurl]

Yeah, maybe dont show Pretty Woman to your eight year old child? 

Other than that weirdness, I thought it was another funny episode. Loved all the costumes (especially Will and his Ben Franklin love) and the issues about being a single working mother. And oh yeah, there is always pressure when someone brings their kid to work to sell cookies. Always. 

The mom calling out the parents for pranking an eight year old, alone with their kids for how ridiculous they were being was hilarious. I hope she becomes a reoccurring character, who shows up just to point out how insane everyone is acting in their sitcom hijinks. 

[sonyab]

 Will and Sophie: What?!?!!? Tone down Halloween?! I'm sorry did Sophie turn 13 all of a sudden? Ohhhh she likes a boy! Oh Sophie you don't have to change who you are for a boy!!! Just be yourself! Oh that boy wasn't interested in you. Well forget him Sophie you deserve better anyway!  I love Halloween so I didn't want Will to tone it down! I love the scary laugh between them at the end hahaha.

 Poppy and Douglas: Douglas looked adorable in his costume! Awww! :) I love it! I think Douglas is learning a lot of lessons now that he has kids. :) Damn Douglas why are you so interested in this woman? She is rude and shallow!!!! Awww Poppy is sticking up for Douglas and telling that woman off! Now I want Poppy and Douglas to be a couple! :)

Angie and Will:  Hey they are toning Angie down.. Good!!! My best friend Will who was murdered! ROFL!

Miggy:  Miggy! It doesn't matter what your son's costume is!! He is a baby! :) He looked adorable in that costume anyway! Hmm.  Little orphan Simba! Hahaha!

48 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Yeah, maybe dont show Pretty Woman to your eight year old child?

Uh yeah!!! I was thinking he shouldn't of watched that movie!!!

[incandescent]

Dressing up because your child wants you to be part of their Halloween? ✅ Good parenting.

Agreeing to dress up like a streetwalker (because you've let your child watch Pretty Woman enough times to want to be a john for Halloween)? ❌ Bad parenting.

 

On a whole, they seem to write these kids as a solid four years older than they are.

That baby really is cute as hell, though.

[possibilities]

Does Poppy own a feminist bookstore AND a bar?

[incandescent]

36 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Does Poppy own a feminist bookstore AND a bar?

It's the same location! A winebrary, I think it was called.

[BusyOctober]

For all the helicopter parenting these people do, it appears they don't give any thought to therapy for their "kiddoes" (the moms at my daughter's school use this & "Littles" All.The.Time. I haaate both with the fire of a thousand nuns (TM old school Twopper)).  Graham would benefit from seeing someone for his anxiety, and the twin girls for their early onset of sociopathy, and maybe Will's daughter to help her cope with her father's insecurity manifesting itself in smothering her with ALL his attention.  Poppy's son seems very self aware, and other than the 'only on TV' hyper preciousness, he's OK and his mom seems to be maintaining a balance.  If this were the real world, I think some mandated reporter would call in the authorities on Miggy's baby's behalf.  If this show lasts another season, next year that kid will have a higher IQ than his dad.

Speaking of which...It's a stereotypical sitcom trope, but it's so annoying to have every kid on every show written as the mature, wise beyond their years parental figure.  I think I'm just over the same old story lines on most network sitcoms.  Don't even get me started on the majority of network procedural dramas...especially anything on CBS.  Any one of those NCIS or FBI crime investigations could be solved by Miggy's baby.  Or Miggy.  

[twoods]

I don’t like calling kids names, but that boy is a douche. No wonder he is with a mother like that. Go feed him soft cheese all day you loon.

I hate Douglas (not Will) for liking that woman. She is terrible, but figures with his personality he would like women like that. 

Edited October 25, 2018 by twoods

[sonyab]

13 minutes ago, twoods said:

"No wonder he is with a mother like that. Go feed him soft cheese all day you loon."

ROFL!

Quote

"I hate Will for liking that woman. She is terrible, but figures with his personality he would like women like that. "

You mean Douglas? :)

[ajsnaves]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

I don’t like calling kids names, but that boy is a douche. No wonder he is with a mother like that. Go feed him soft cheese all day you loon.

I hate Will for liking that woman. She is terrible, but figures with his personality he would like women like that. 

I thought the same thing. I believe I said “F**k that kid!  He’s a second grade douche. You can do better.” About an 8 year old I said that. I’m not proud. (OK maybe a little bit, because it’s true.)

Every week this show grows on me a bit more.  Ive loved Taran Killim for years, so I came for him, but I stay for the rest of the parents.  Even the kids don’t bother me too much.

I loved that’s they did not seem to consider that maybe the 8 year old boy was not home alone with his soft cheese, and they would get caught by his mother.  I would have ran much faster than they did. (Well would have attempted to at least. And I would not have stopped when she came out.)

[hoodooznoodooz]

Will’s daughter Sophie is supposed to be in first grade? I don’t think so....

I am <<this>> close to deleting this from my DVR, which I hardly ever do, once I start watching a series.

This episode’s Baby Jack actor was not the same one as the previously-aired episode. Still very cute, but: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/12/secret-lives-of-moviestar-babies-hollywood

[twoods]

Yes I meant Douglas! Thank you @sonyab. Will would be the last person to date someone like that.

[sonyab]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

Yes I meant Douglas! Thank you @sonyab. Will would be the last person to date someone like that.

You're welcome!!! And yeah Will would be the last person to date someone like that! Hahaha!

[scarlett]

I love this show. The ending with the kid's mom yelling at Will and Angie for scaring an 8 year old was hilarious and one of those sitcom moments I love where something realistic happens to remind you how ridiculous the characters actions are in the episode.

Also totally here for the parenting (and cmon, very likely eventual coupling) duos of Will/Angie and Poppy/Douglas.

[bros402]

I hope that the kid writing improves in future episodes. They are talking like 10-12 year olds, not 7/8 year olds. 

 

I hope that they do not couple any of the parents together. Angie and Will seems to be what they are angling for, but I hope it never happens.

[incandescent]

11 hours ago, bros402 said:

I hope that they do not couple any of the parents together. Angie and Will seems to be what they are angling for, but I hope it never happens.

Yes! I think that they want to eventually pair Poppy and Douglas too, unfortunately.

[Ilovepie]

On 10/25/2018 at 11:09 AM, hoodooznoodooz said:

I am <<this>> close to deleting this from my DVR, which I hardly ever do, once I start watching a series.

Me too unfortunately. I really wanted to like this, but these people do not act like real people at all, and worse, I just didn't find any of this funny. These kids don't just act precocious; they talk like adults in small bodies. It's not funny at all. I was so annoyed at Angie. You know, it's okay for your work to come first sometimes. Explain to Graham that he has to stay at Sophie's party for a while (it was still daylight!) and then they will trick or treat when she is done working. Also, if you left the legs to the spider costume at work, run down to Target or Walmart and buy a freaking replacement! And taking down all the decorations I worked my ass of putting up because my kid said to tone it down? OH HELL NO!

I am also appalled that Poppy not only let Rory watch Pretty Woman, but then dressed like a prostitute?!? Beyond inappropriate! Rory looked like Reverend Sharpton to me.

The one thing that amused me was that Will was dressed like Taran Killam's SNL character Jebidiah Atkinson. I kept waiting for him to go "NEXT!" :-p

This is my last episode. It's just not working for me, especially compared to The Kids Are Alright which I am finding hilarious. I watched them back to back, and it just highlighted how unfunny I found this show.

[hoodooznoodooz]

19 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

Me too unfortunately. I really wanted to like this, but these people do not act like real people at all, and worse, I just didn't find any of this funny. These kids don't just act precocious; they talk like adults in small bodies. It's not funny at all. I was so annoyed at Angie. You know, it's okay for your work to come first sometimes. Explain to Graham that he has to stay at Sophie's party for a while (it was still daylight!) and then they will trick or treat when she is done working. Also, if you left the legs to the spider costume at work, run down to Target or Walmart and buy a freaking replacement! And taking down all the decorations I worked my ass of putting up because my kid said to tone it down? OH HELL NO!

I am also appalled that Poppy not only let Rory watch Pretty Woman, but then dressed like a prostitute?!? Beyond inappropriate! Rory looked like Reverend Sharpton to me.

The one thing that amused me was that Will was dressed like Taran Killam's SNL character Jebidiah Atkinson. I kept waiting for him to go "NEXT!" :-p

This is my last episode. It's just not working for me, especially compared to The Kids Are Alright which I am finding hilarious. I watched them back to back, and it just highlighted how unfunny I found this show.

Based on your comments, I am going to delete this show and binge-watch KaA from episode one. The commercials did amuse me, but I thought it might be too much of a knock-off of Malcolm in the Middle/Roseanne. Thank you!

[Ilovepie]

7 minutes ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Based on your comments, I am going to delete this show and binge-watch KaA from episode one. The commercials did amuse me, but I thought it might be too much of a knock-off of Malcolm in the Middle/Roseanne. Thank you!

Good call! I’d say it’s more like Wonder Years in tone, but it’s still funny. I’d also recommend watching the second episode because the first is a lot of setup and if you’ve seen the commercials you’ve already seen most of the funny parts. I found myself laughing more during the second episode, mostly because I hadn’t already seen it 50 times....

[Sparger Springs]

I am of the opinion none of the writers of this show know actual children. They need to reboot those kids. Second graders don't behave that way.

[bros402]

8 hours ago, Sparger Springs said:

I am of the opinion none of the writers of this show know actual children. They need to reboot those kids. Second graders don't behave that way.

tbh if they had shown the second grader's mom as some kind of snooty person, I could've bought that maybe Carrol's father acted like he was acting and he was just impersonating him.

But no first grader acts like these kids act. Except maybe Graham. He seems the most like a first grader out of all of them. Sophie seems like if she were an actual first grader, she would be in an enrichment program - as she seems gifted for a 1st grader. The others.... no. The twins are just not fleshed out enough beyond "hey they seem sort of sociopathic" and Poppy's son is very one note so far. I would like to see an episode where we see how the group met - I want background on the parents.

[hoodooznoodooz]

On 10/27/2018 at 12:10 PM, Ilovepie said:

Good call! I’d say it’s more like Wonder Years in tone, but it’s still funny. I’d also recommend watching the second episode because the first is a lot of setup and if you’ve seen the commercials you’ve already seen most of the funny parts. I found myself laughing more during the second episode, mostly because I hadn’t already seen it 50 times....

I watched the pilot and episode 2. I like it a lot! The only child I don’t like is the Jethro Tull concert-attending one. But it’s much more believable and relatable than Single Parents. I will watch one more episode of SP, then drop it if the kids annoy me again. Thank you for recommending TKaA!