S03.E03: I-N-- INTO THE W-O-- WOODS

[Drogo]

Maya’s Halloween becomes truly terrifying when JJ attends a rave in the woods. Ray joins Dylan’s Halloween heist determined to prove he’s more than a do-gooder. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Kenneth turn the DiMeo home into the neighborhood’s haunted house.

[GRChereck]

I'm glad this Halloween ep was more in line with the s.1 one (still one of my favorites of the series, though after a recent re-watch of both seasons on DVD, I would probably put "Ray-Cation" and "Hero" above it) than the Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" homage they did for s.2. 

While plot-wise it bears some superficial similarities to "Halloween" -- one of the parents (Jimmy / Maya) struggles to deal with the kids growing up (in Maya's case, particularly JJ), JJ goes to some sort of party (beer party with high-school mates and Kenneth / rave in the woods with "wheelchair badass / future JJ" Lee from 1x20, "Runaway"), Ray and Dylan team up, a pair of main characters (Ray-Dylan / Jimmy-Kenneth) works together on a haunted mansion / house, and there's also a brilliantly edited cross-cutting montage at the climax -- in some ways it goes deeper to show how all the characters have grown and their lives have changed since then:

1) Since the DiMeos became homeowners after their London trip, the house's "state of disrepair" is an embarrassment for Maya, but Jimmy -- who has always prided himself on caring more about his family and being a good provider than about appearances, and has never been much of a handyman anyway -- would rather take advantage of the situation by making the place (plagued by faulty wiring and constant power outages) into the scariest possible haunted house for the neighborhood kids. His friendship with Kenneth (first formed by the end of 1x17 "Surprise," and further developed in episodes like 2x10 "Silent Night" and 2x15 "Unforgettable Pain") also comes into play here -- competitive and teasing at times, but respectful and willing to help each other too. After Kenneth reassures him that it's okay to care about things beyond just the stuff that matters most to him, Jimmy (with Kenneth's help) figures out at least how to address the power problem by fixing the wiring in the fuse box. :)

2) As JJ tries to make more space for himself (including making films with Aaron and other schoolmates), it's understandable that he would be frustrated with his mother constantly keeping tabs on him, but it's good to see that he still knows to call on her when he does need her help; and while it's understandable for Maya to be worried when she can't always know what her son (around whom she's built her life) is up to, it's great to see her realizing (after an encounter with Lee's mom, even more of a "helicopter" parent despite her son being 32) that she needs to just trust JJ to find his own way or otherwise let her know if and when he needs her.

3) With JJ growing up and possibly leaving home after this school year, Ray realizes he and Dylan will only have each other for a while (until Ray goes off to college himself a year after that, I would assume); he not only offers to aid in her latest scheme (stealing back the king-sized candies that the student council had bought for school H'ween dance but the administrative staff confiscated and had replaced with celery) using his smarts and skills, he's also willing to take the heat when Mr. Powers catches them (something Dylan can't help but appreciate -- and of course, Ray's reveal of his candy-celery switcheroo had to have earned some respect from her as well). :D

Edited October 20, 2018 by GRChereck
additional thought

[bros402]

I liked this episode a lot. I preferred this to last year's Halloween episode. I hope we see more school stuff in the coming episodes.

[readster]

Really enjoyed the episode and I felt that Maya did learn her lesson very well. I get Jimmy's POV perfectly, how I felt for years. I grew up in a duplex, divorced and remarried families. I went from a normal looking two story to at times going to visit my father in a very luxury home to see my siblings. I live now in a very nice house that is between those two, but I cared more about keeping the bills paid and the family happy. Then if I have a deck or some awesome man cave or play room. Of course, it also goes back thinking about the DiMeos  crap shack on how much the previous owner was so against everything and just let the house run down like that. I don't get some "slumlords" like that. They have a good neighborhood, houses that are kept up and they just rather take money from people and throw them out if there are: pets, decide to replace a broken door or paint a room that has the paint peeling off. They are: "how dare you touch my property" instead of: "Well damn, that was nice of you and you just increased the value of my property." Even Jimmy saying how some of the windows are plastic and not glass makes you wonder how the house was not condemned if the fuse box was having so many problems. 

  Of course that is also the thing between reality and fiction happens. Even in "gang" neighborhoods, when a house is not working, they are boarded up by the city and then people try to squat or something. In the Speechless Universe, houses go until they almost burn down. School Faculty are a bunch of morons who are so strict on rules that they have a locked up cabinet where someone can just walk in and grab stuff like the candy. Plus, could they make the Vice Principal any more or a doof? How was this guy ever a teacher let alone be made an administrator. Do people who are great teachers become lousy administrators? Sure and vice versa. However, it's basically: "Who passed their administrator test?" "Me!" "Ok, you're a vice principal/principal, now be a walking rule book who would even embarrass the school board." 

[tennisgurl]

Love a good Halloween episode! That was a fun episode, enjoyed all of the subplots. I especially liked Mayas plot, as she saw her future as a helicopter parent still stalking her son to parties even as he hit his thirties. I hope that this development sticks around. 

Cracked up at the teacher wearing a Wicked Witch of the West costume, and sending his not giving a crap flying monkeys after Ray and Dylan. 

[71dude]

It's nice to see Ray get a win - and a break from looking foolish. Better than last year's Halloween show, which I also enjoyed.

[alexvillage]

On 10/19/2018 at 10:55 PM, GRChereck said:

2) As JJ tries to make more space for himself (including making films with Aaron and other schoolmates), it's understandable that he would be frustrated with his mother constantly keeping tabs on him, but it's good to see that he still knows to call on her when he does need her help; and while it's understandable for Maya to be worried when she can't always know what her son (around whom she's built her life) is up to, it's great to see her realizing (after an encounter with Lee's mom, even more of a "helicopter" parent despite her son being 32) that she needs to just trust JJ to find his own way or otherwise let her know if and when he needs her

I liked this too. AGENCY. This is where a lot of people miss the point about disabled people and their lives. It is not the fact that they might need help with some things, or with most things. It is that they can still direct their own lives, and dictate when and how to get the help they need.

[readster]

1 hour ago, alexvillage said:

I liked this too. AGENCY. This is where a lot of people miss the point about disabled people and their lives. It is not the fact that they might need help with some things, or with most things. It is that they can still direct their own lives, and dictate when and how to get the help they need.

Exactly. I had two classmates in college, one who had spinal bifidia and another who had a form of CP. They had their issues, but they told me that it was up to sophomore year that their parents finally realized they could direct their own lives to the T. They had regular problems, but they were still capable to knowing when to need help and when they were fine heading to Target on a bus to get groceries or head to a party and have fun. I think that's the problem with helicopter parents of both regular and disabled people. They don't know when to back off thinking that they will always need them all the time, like with Lee's mother. The problem also comes up when: "Are you going to live forever?"

[Machiabelly]

Who played the other mom?  My mind is blank. I know she was a regular on something I watched...but I got nothing 

[GRChereck]

14 hours ago, Machiabelly said:

Who played the other mom?  My mind is blank. I know she was a regular on something I watched...but I got nothing 

According to a tweet from JRB, Tony winner Julie White:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_White 

She was a regular on Grace Under Fire (and apparently also on one of Silveri's previous shows, the short-lived Go On). :)

[Machiabelly]

THANK YOU!!!

[topanga]

I enjoyed this Halloween episode. It was touching to see Maya try to give JJ his space but still be there when he needs her. I loved, "We met some girls. I think they were hot." 

I like it that Jimmy is stepping up and realizing what it means to be a homeowner. I'm sure that most things in their family life have been temporal, and Maya has been so in control of every thing that Jimmy has felt somewhat impotent. Plus, he's lazy by nature, so it doesn't take much for him to lie down and take a nap. 

Scared Kenneth was hilarious. But I'm surprised he didn't have a Halloween date. Isn't Kenneth the perennial ladies' man?

[bros402]

15 hours ago, GRChereck said:

According to a tweet from JRB, Tony winner Julie White:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_White 

She was a regular on Grace Under Fire (and apparently also on one of Silveri's previous shows, the short-lived Go On). :)

I thought I recognized her! Go On was a great show.

[SnarkySheep]

This episode featured one of my greatest TV peeves/amusements - a ventilation duct that is easily accessed, large enough for an adult to crawl through, conveniently leads into the necessary room, and as an added bonus, the person emerges not even dusty or with mussed hair!

[SnarkEnthusiast]

Always good to see Zac Anner again! Although his character leans hammy for me.

It's a testament to the weird age compression that happens with cerebral palsy (I'm a 27 year old woman with CP and ho boy, the teen purgatory thing is real) that no one batted an eye at a 32 year old taking an 18 year old to a rave to pick up ladies together. I did enjoy how delighted Maya was that JJ thought the "Iron Men" ladies were hot.

Off topic, but I definitely have a crush on John Ross Bowie.

[bros402]

Until I started growing out facial hair, people would ask me what grade I was in (or if I was lucky, what college I was going to). Now people only check my ID once, instead of heavily examining it, looking for the security features, asking me the date of birth on the ID, bending it a bit, all the fun stuff. I'm a 28 year old guy with CP. 

Edited November 3, 2018 by bros402

[GRChereck]

18 hours ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:

Off topic, but I definitely have a crush on John Ross Bowie.

Aw, me too -- what a smile on him. :D