S10.E10: Stuck in a Moment

[paulvdb]

Quote

Hayley wants to give the family a Christmas gift they will never forget if she can just figure out the perfect time. Meanwhile, Claire is mad that Phil has once again borrowed the family Christmas tree for a house-showing; and Jay, Gloria and Joe have to deal with some unwelcome visitors over the holidays

Airdate: December 12, 2018

[WhosThatGirl]

This episode really highlighted a lot of my dislike for the characters of late. 

[rhys]

Poor Alex & her gray hair. There was a lot going on & I missed a lot. I didn't understand the one hour turkey from top chef and something about plastic??? Oh well. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

8 minutes ago, WhosThatGirl said:

This episode really highlighted a lot of my dislike for the characters of late. 

It is official:  I hate Claire.  

[WhosThatGirl]

Just now, Mrs. Hanson said:

It is official:  I hate Claire.  

Yeah. What was up with her in that moment with Luke when he pronounced a word wrong?

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 minute ago, WhosThatGirl said:

Yeah. What was up with her in that moment with Luke when he pronounced a word wrong?

Agreed and what was up with her taking the tree out of a house and ruining a sale and indirectly affecting Phil's career?? Petty much?  Man she has to be right all the damn time.  It would be draining to be that pissed at everyone all the time!

[tennisgurl]

Claire was pretty crappy this week, especially when she screwed Phil's sale up. I did laugh at the "She cant be a Grinch all of the time!" followed by them seeing Claire dragging the presents and the tree down the street. 

Poor Alex and her white hair. 

[WhosThatGirl]

I mean Claire was legit off the charts this episode. It was pretty bad. I’ve never really noticed it to a point where it grates like it did tonight but wow.

[anna0852]

Claire found out on no notice that her husband had taken off with the Christmas decor while simultaneously finding out she to host Christmas that day. And then take what sounds like a travel schedule from hell. I give her a BIG pass.

And she didn't lose it over Haley!

[ams1001]

Parental neglect is always funny, isn't it?

[readster]

I don't know who was worst. Cam and Mitch with their parental neglect or Claire with the tree situation, of course Phil using the entire thing to close a sale. He could have at least told Claire why he does it. As for Haley and Dylan, this really showed even more they make no sense what so ever. Not to mention, how the hell did they even make a baby to begin with.

[jmonique]

Was Dylan and Haley approaching the pregnancy reveal like a bunch of 14-year-olds, ultimately culminating in Dylan getting stuck in the chimney, supposed to convince me they're ready to be parents?

[readster]

5 minutes ago, jmonique said:

Was Dylan and Haley approaching the pregnancy reveal like a bunch of 14-year-olds, ultimately culminating in Dylan getting stuck in the chimney, supposed to convince me they're ready to be parents?

Or how Alex's body is falling apart because she can't keep "lying" to their parents about things. I mean, come on! If anything, they acted more like 12 year olds and the look at the end with both Phil and Claire at the end pretty much said: "Holy shit, did we screw her up and should have kicked Dylan to the curb years ago!"

[ams1001]

Damn, Alex's hair must grow fast. How long has she been keeping this secret and she's got two inches of gray?

[NUguy514]

Wait, Phil stole his family's tree and presents without telling Claire, and she's somehow at the bad guy there?  No.  She had every right to go get her stuff back.  Phil should have bought his own damn shit to stage the house.  Also, saying the word "wreath" as "wreaf" deserves a rebuke; I'd have corrected Luke, too.  I often hate Claire, but the only thing she did this episode that reminded why I often hate her was bitching about making Mitch's day; most of the rest of it was Phil's fault.

I will say that I appreciated that both Claire and Phil looked like they ate the frozen turkey after Haley's announcement; I wasn't expecting that sensible a reaction from Phil.

Hahaha, parental abandonment is fucking hilarious.

[WhosThatGirl]

Eh she didn’t have to be so rude to Luke, her own son.

[Mystery]

12 minutes ago, NUguy514 said:

Wait, Phil stole his family's tree and presents without telling Claire, and she's somehow at the bad guy there? 

I'm on her side, and I'm no fan of Claire. 

I bought the ugliest wrapping paper ever from my 4-year-old niece for her preschool fundraising, and wrapped up every gift in it for the last 20 years. It helps that I have her on video talking about how beautiful it is. (Okay, she was only four.) 

I thought this episode would at least pay lip service to the magic of Christmas for the little kids, but no such luck. Too bad, because this was the first episode I can remember where I thought that both young actors delivered their lines pretty well. 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Mystery

[biakbiak]

Yeah I don’t get how Claire is at fault, Phil took the stuff without calling and she called out for him when she got to the house and as far as she knew he wasn’t there and would have absolutely no idea that she jeopardized a sale.

[Eataton]

To everyone complaining about Claire. Is this the first time you've seen her? She's always been a huge bitch. The kids scared reaction to her(especially Alex) was the funniest thing in the episode.

[WhosThatGirl]

I mean I don’t think it’s funny. And yeah I disliked Claire this episode but honestly I disliked all the characters all this episode. As I indicated in my first post, this episode highlighted for me my dislike of every single character. Like normally I don’t dislike them all of them, but every single one in one episode? It just really showed me that even if the show isn’t done after this season, I probably am.

[BusyOctober]

Wow this show is limping along despite every sign it should've been taken off the air years ago.  It isn't funny anymore.  The majority of characters are now just over exaggerating their funniest worst traits.  Even the acting has deteriorated.  "Claire" is played with has much subtlety as a ball peen hammer to the head.  It's like the actress thinks she needs to EMOTE and EYE-ROLL and WAVE ARMS FRANTICALLY to "act".  Maybe she is just trying to compete with Sofia Vergara's boobs and their attempt to steal every scene.  I can't even with Mitch & Cam.  Talk about clownish buffoons.  

Maybe at the end of the series we are supposed to learn that NONE of these people were good or even passable parents.  They are all awful.   It's too late for the older kids, but Joe, Lily & little nephew I don't care enough about remember his name should petition the state for new parents.

[WhosThatGirl]

17 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

Wow this show is limping along despite every sign it should've been taken off the air years ago.  It isn't funny anymore.  The majority of characters are now just over exaggerating their funniest worst traits.  Even the acting has deteriorated.  "Claire" is played with has much subtlety as a ball peen hammer to the head.  It's like the actress thinks she needs to EMOTE and EYE-ROLL and WAVE ARMS FRANTICALLY to "act".  Maybe she is just trying to compete with Sofia Vergara's boobs and their attempt to steal every scene.  I can't even with Mitch & Cam.  Talk about clownish buffoons.  

Maybe at the end of the series we are supposed to learn that NONE of these people were good or even passable parents.  They are all awful.   It's too late for the older kids, but Joe, Lily & little nephew I don't care enough about remember his name should petition the state for new parents.

Yeah. I’ve felt this way for a while for a season but I come here and people think certain episodes are so funny and I feel like I don’t have a sense of humor because I don’t? There might one laugh, but most of the time it feels forced.

And the likeablity or the characters no longer exists.

Also the stories are doing nothing for me. Most of them feel like retreads of things they did better before. And I can’t get behind Dylan and Haley as a couple. They were a high school couple who should have stayed there. Also yeah.. neither one of them makes me think they’re ready to have a baby. Claire and Phil’s reactions are how I feel every time the show brings it up.

[hoodooznoodooz]

The acting by Ariel Winter and the Lily actress was really, really bad this episode. I am guessing that they know they can make no effort and still earn 6 figures. 

Meh. The writers aren’t making an effort anymore either. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

47 minutes ago, WhosThatGirl said:

I mean I don’t think it’s funny. And yeah I disliked Claire this episode but honestly I disliked all the characters all this episode. As I indicated in my first post, this episode highlighted for me my dislike of every single character. Like normally I don’t dislike them all of them, but every single one in one episode? It just really showed me that even if the show isn’t done after this season, I probably am.

Okay, I have a theory:  I read a loooong time ago that when Shelly Long was leaving Cheers, the writers made her character really annoying so the audience would not miss her.  Maybe the writers are doing the same here!

 

1 hour ago, Eataton said:

To everyone complaining about Claire. Is this the first time you've seen her? She's always been a huge bitch.

I have never liked her character:  I tend to dislike female characters who, at least in seasons past, were SAHM's*  but still complained about every. Little. Thing.  Girl, please.  

*=I know all about being a SAHM, I was one.  It is not THAT hard.  (Ducking tomatoes.....)

[seacliffsal]

I still can't get over the aging of Cal-he looks older than Joe.  THIS is why adding children late into a series is not always successful.

[DrSpaceman73]

I am confused. 

Is Phil a realtor right now or not? 

So he owns a magic shop, is a realtor and a community college professor?

I thought he was fired by his old group as a realtor. 

More work of convenience for all these people. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

12 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

More work of convenience for all these people

Yes, these people never seem to worry about work, money, snow or any other worries of life.

Per Hailey and her pregnancy   how old is her character?  25?

[Suzn]

11 hours ago, anna0852 said:

Claire found out on no notice that her husband had taken off with the Christmas decor while simultaneously finding out she to host Christmas that day. And then take what sounds like a travel schedule from hell. I give her a BIG pass.

 

 

11 hours ago, readster said:

I don't know who was worst. Cam and Mitch with their parental neglect or Claire with the tree situation, of course Phil using the entire thing to close a sale. He could have at least told Claire why he does it. 

 

7 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

Wait, Phil stole his family's tree and presents without telling Claire, and she's somehow at the bad guy there?  No.  She had every right to go get her stuff back.  Phil should have bought his own damn shit to stage the house.  Also, saying the word "wreath" as "wreaf" deserves a rebuke; I'd have corrected Luke, too.  I often hate Claire, but the only thing she did this episode that reminded why I often hate her was bitching about making Mitch's day; most of the rest of it was Phil's fault.

 

6 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Yeah I don’t get how Claire is at fault, Phil took the stuff without calling and she called out for him when she got to the house and as far as she knew he wasn’t there and would have absolutely no idea that she jeopardized a sale.

Well, that was unpleasant!  I agree with whoever said that all the characters were unlikable in this episode. I often ask myself why I watch this show since I'm not a fan of sitcoms anyway, but I may step off the ride if they go another painful season.

Claire was bitchy about the way she handled the theft of the tree and gifts, but it was inexcusable of Phil to just help himself to everything. This on top of travel plans from hell was too much.

[quangtran]

2 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

I am confused. 

Is Phil a realtor right now or not? 

So he owns a magic shop, is a realtor and a community college professor?

I thought he was fired by his old group as a realtor. 

More work of convenience for all these people. 

He does all these things. I know several realtors who runs several bussineses.

Quote

So he owns a magic shop, is a realtor and a community college professor?

I thought he was fired by his old group as a realtor. 

Phil never stopped selling houses. He went out on his own and tried to sell the house full of bees after getting kicked out of this old group, and tried to sell a house to Chris Martin after owning the magic shop.

[Blakeston]

It was especially obnoxious of Phil to steal all of the presents after Claire had made it clear in the past that she wasn't okay with him taking their decorations. This wasn't a misunderstanding. He was just lazy.

And Alex's body falling apart was especially ridiculous, because don't these characters keep secrets and lie in pretty much every episode? This was hardly the first time Alex had hidden the truth about something from her family.

[libgirl2]

I gave up on the show last season but come on here to see the comments. Glad I gave up on it. Sad what happened to one of my favorite shows. 

[tennisgurl]

Yeah, I suppose Claire was pretty justified this week in her Claire-ness. Phil taking all their stuff is definitely worse than her taking it back, on top of all the other stuff that got sprung on her. Really, most everyone came off pretty awful this week. And not in a funny way, just in an annoying way. 

[Quark]

This show is no longer funny.

[ljenkins782]

4 hours ago, WhosThatGirl said:

I mean I don’t think it’s funny. And yeah I disliked Claire this episode but honestly I disliked all the characters all this episode. As I indicated in my first post, this episode highlighted for me my dislike of every single character. Like normally I don’t dislike them all of them, but every single one in one episode? It just really showed me that even if the show isn’t done after this season, I probably am.

Yeah, this was a tough episode all around. I don't dislike Claire as a rule, but this was a relentless showcase of her worst qualities. Also, on a shallow note, I really hate her hairstyle for some reason. There's something weirdly aging about the cut and curls, I miss the straight ponytails of old. 

I prefer Claire with the original Pritchetts, Mitchell and Jay. I don't know why those three work better together for me than any of them do in their interactions with the others. 

[possibilities]

People in Southern California don't have to worry about snow.

[Aryanna]

I'm thinking Cam's nephew may be older than Lilly by the end of the season.

Is the actress that plays Lilly really good at deadpan or really bad at acting?

[Broderbits]

Why doesn't Phil, a seasoned real estate agent, have a ready-to-go fake tree and wrapped empty boxes for holiday staging? Wouldn't that make more sense than stealing the family tree every year? Why wouldn't ultimate control-freak Claire suggest this?

[Ottis]

Ugh, the worst kind of episode. Every plot point stemmed from someone doing something stupid and/or lack of communication. 

The only part I laughed at was Lily having a cellphone for 3 seconds. 

54 minutes ago, possibilities said:

People in Southern California don't have to worry about snow.

They might if they fly through Chicago.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

23 minutes ago, Ottis said:

The only part I laughed at was Lily having a cellphone for 3 seconds. 

I laughed at that too. (Although the Pritchett/Tucker family is now down 2 cellphones in 2 week.  Hope Cam had insurance.)

Lily dropping the phone was the culmination of Phil's grabbing of the Xmas display box, a Rube Goldberg-like event which must have taken time to stage and film, and which no one here has mentioned, because of the general displeasure with the rest of the plot.

I wonder if Cal really wanted Hot Wheels, or was it something else on the list.  And why write the actual gift requests down on a scroll if nothing is done with the information? Did the elves invent the scroll so they can extract money from desperate-to-know parents?

Edited December 13, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

 I did laugh at the "She cant be a Grinch all of the time!" followed by them seeing Claire dragging the presents and the tree down the street. 

Me too. Great visual there.

I agree with all of the Claire hate and "why is this show still on?" ... to add to it, Jay and Manny's stuff was PAINFUL to watch. Not funny AT ALL. 

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment because I will "hate-watch" until the end. 

[Aryanna]

5 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I wonder if Cal really wanted hot wheels, or was it something else on the list.

Yeah, that kinda went nowhere. I thought they were setting it up for some kind of humorous payoff. Guess not.

[DrSpaceman73]

55 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I laughed at that too. (Although the Pritchett/Tucker family is now down 2 cellphones in 2 week.  Hope Cam had insurance.)

Lily dropping the phone was the culmination of Phil's grabbing of the Xmas display box, a Rube Goldberg-like event which must have taken time to stage and film, and which no one here has mentioned, because of the general displeasure with the rest of the plot.

I wonder if Cal really wanted Hot Wheels, or was it something else on the list.  And why write the actual gift requests down on a scroll if nothing is done with the information? Did the elves invent the scroll so they can extract money from desperate-to-know parents?

Why?  For Rube Goldberg style writing and plot points

[Mrs. Hanson]

2 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I wonder if Cal really wanted Hot Wheels,

As the mom of two young men, now in college, young 3-4 (or however old Cal is) year old boys are not that tough to buy for.  Got wheels on it?  Go for it.  It should not have been that hard.

 

2 hours ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment because I will "hate-watch" until the end.

Me too - in for a penny in for a pound!

[WhosThatGirl]

Yeah I mean honestly as much as I say I’ll stop watching, I’m probably still going to turn this on. It’ll probably become background noise but it will still be on.

I just don’t like anything going on. And for all the talk about Dede’s death before this season even started, it has become a nothing point. I mean yeah we got that episode last week about all her belongings but.. it’s sort of been a nothing point. 

[Suzn]

21 minutes ago, WhosThatGirl said:

And for all the talk about Dede’s death before this season even started, it has become a nothing point. I mean yeah we got that episode last week about all her belongings but.. it’s sort of been a nothing point. 

You're absolutely right.  However, I'm OK with never hearing anything about her ever again.

[WhosThatGirl]

11 minutes ago, Suzn said:

You're absolutely right.  However, I'm OK with never hearing anything about her ever again.

I mean.. yeah, same, but they made such a big deal about this looming death that will shake up all the characters. And to be honest, it should have. But I mean, did it? It’s seemed like a nothing point. 

[Suzn]

10 minutes ago, WhosThatGirl said:

I mean.. yeah, same, but they made such a big deal about this looming death that will shake up all the characters. And to be honest, it should have. But I mean, did it? It’s seemed like a nothing point. 

They did describe it as having significant  effect over a a number of episodes.  They way over-played that. Sometimes it looks like the writers have ADD.

[WhosThatGirl]

4 minutes ago, Suzn said:

They did describe it as having significant  effect over a a number of episodes.  They way over-played that. Sometimes it looks like the writers have ADD.

I mean, I guess more could still be coming from it? 

[seacliffsal]

I wonder if they are setting up a spin-off series that will focus on Hayley and Dylan.  This thought hit me because they built the entire episode around the "big announcement."  Also, the looks on Phil and Claire after the news.  It just seems like in the previous episode Mitch agreed with Cam that they would move back to the farm when Cam's father was ready to retire along with how much they have aged up Cal.  Anyway, just a thought-

[Ciarrai]

9 hours ago, Aryanna said:

Is the actress that plays Lilly really good at deadpan or really bad at acting?

I think she's a really, really bad actress.

Where was Stella?!??! Did they leave her there with the spiders?