Splitting Up Together - General Discussion

[readster]

5 hours ago, LucyEth said:

I don't think they can, the only thing that can happen is Lisa and Annie Apple causing a rift between  Lena and Martin.  I am almost sure they end up separated again.  

True, but really, it's looking like there won't be a 3rd season. They were told back in October they were getting just a full season order and that was it. I think they finished in January with all the episodes. The truth is, I think it worked out better they pretty much was given the hint with their ratings and everything. The show wasn't getting another season. In fact, season 1 wouldn't have ended on a cliffhanger with Lisa's pregnancy because it was an alternative ending if the show was renewed for a 2nd season. After Roseanne blew her mouth off and The Middle ended. ABC was: "Well, it's got ratings, let's give it another season." Now it's more of: "We gave you room to end it, not looking like an 11th hour save this time." Also, I can already see while they have made the last few episodes very good. They are already trapping on what makes you not like the characters. Martin focuses on one thing. Lena won't just "tell someone" how she is feeling. The kids are... I'm not going there. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Yes Mason, your dad should be in trouble for not using birth control himself (along with insisting that Lisa use birth control, too) if he wasn't planning to have a baby with her.  What a lousy example for the kids!  

And we got to see the garage's bathroom, which means it really was meant for occupancy.

[readster]

20 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Yes Mason, your dad should be in trouble for not using birth control himself (along with insisting that Lisa use birth control, too) if he wasn't planning to have a baby with her.  What a lousy example for the kids!  

And we got to see the garage's bathroom, which means it really was meant for occupancy.

Explains why they have their own problems. A few episodes ago, the daughter was trying to impress her teacher who she believed was in love with her. The oldest son things he can shower and condition in the woods and then thinks he can just get a renter for their garage apartment. The the daughter now says that anyone having a baby is crazy and she is getting her tubes tied ASAP. Yeah, good luck getting your parents to sign off on that part of the insurance.

  Plus, I thought they were going to go ahead and sell the house no matter what and take the money and run. Also, funny in 2 years, we still don't know what the hell Martin does for a living.

[SoMuchTV]

NO baby is that cute!

[readster]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

NO baby is that cute!

The problem is, Lisa keeps acting like Martin left her hi and dry. She was the one who called him on his BS on that he was still in love with Lena. Including that their problems were they couldn't talk to each other. Yet, as soon as she found out she was pregnant (really, she didn't have any type of birth control). She then goes: "No, I'm not pregnant." Then goes into how she has had no real job or anything and doesn't want any "hand outs". Then goes into how it's so hard, she is thinking of moving back with her family back east. Especially when they are paying for her HUGE house. The writers really didn't put much thought into this, they basically said: "We need a cliffhanger in case we get renewed... I know let's due an unplanned pregnancy. That will work." Then they show their problems with writing their characters, they can write the chemistry between Lena and Martin, but write kids, especially teens? Oh no, they are: "Act first, think last." Because you know ALL teens are like that. 

[SoMuchTV]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

NO baby is that cute!

32 minutes ago, readster said:

The problem is, Lisa keeps acting like Martin left her hi and dry. She was the one who called him on his BS on that he was still in love with Lena. Including that their problems were they couldn't talk to each other. Yet, as soon as she found out she was pregnant (really, she didn't have any type of birth control). She then goes: "No, I'm not pregnant." Then goes into how she has had no real job or anything and doesn't want any "hand outs". Then goes into how it's so hard, she is thinking of moving back with her family back east. Especially when they are paying for her HUGE house. The writers really didn't put much thought into this, they basically said: "We need a cliffhanger in case we get renewed... I know let's due an unplanned pregnancy. That will work." Then they show their problems with writing their characters, they can write the chemistry between Lena and Martin, but write kids, especially teens? Oh no, they are: "Act first, think last." Because you know ALL teens are like that. 

LOL. I was only commenting on how unbelievably cute that baby was!

ETA:  sorry- I’m sure you just quoted my post by accident when you meant to reply to the thread in general. It just struck me as funny that the cute baby triggered so many strong opinions. 🙂

Edited March 29, 2019 by SoMuchTV

[readster]

27 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

LOL. I was only commenting on how unbelievably cute that baby was!

ETA:  sorry- I’m sure you just quoted my post by accident when you meant to reply to the thread in general. It just struck me as funny that the cute baby triggered so many strong opinions.

Yep, sorry wrong one. Yes, the baby is very cute.

[Aileen]

I also thought that super cute baby looked like Lisa Apple.

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, readster said:

The problem is, Lisa keeps acting like Martin left her hi and dry. She was the one who called him on his BS on that he was still in love with Lena.

Thank you.  I couldn't remember the specifics of their breakup but I seemed to recall it was Lisa's choice.  And I wish they'd point out that the money isn't for Lisa.  It's meant for his kid. 

[readster]

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Thank you.  I couldn't remember the specifics of their breakup but I seemed to recall it was Lisa's choice.  And I wish they'd point out that the money isn't for Lisa.  It's meant for his kid. 

Yeah, because it's more than likely getting the ax. Ratings are down 45% and have not rebounded at ALL. While there is a fan base for the show. If it gets renewed, I see ABC moving it to either let it die off because that is too big of a lost to keep it on the air. Plus, they keep pushing things to try and keep the concept of the show. I think the big problems with the story is they act like Lisa is just being oblivious life in general post baby. There is not being prepared and then there is being ignorant of reality, because it's been hit over the head the money is for the baby. Plus, Martin does have rights, if Lisa is magically going to have them take a DNA test and show the baby isn't Martin. Then this was all for nothing.

[Bupka P.]

Would they be so bold as to kill Lisa Apple off so Lena and Martin wouldn't have her as a complication? That would be a very dramatic moment.

[Aileen]

Our ABC affiliate cut off the show in the last 10 minutes due to the Chicago mayoral election announcement. I saw up to Maya going into labor and KeithFromScrubs seeing the head. What else happened?

[Armchair Critic]

The show is up against This Is Us so they seem to have put it there to die unfortunately.

[alexa]

7 hours ago, Aileen said:

Our ABC affiliate cut off the show in the last 10 minutes due to the Chicago mayoral election announcement. I saw up to Maya going into labor and KeithFromScrubs seeing the head. What else happened?

I wasn't paying much attention, but at the end they showed her holding the baby and the rescue squad was there.  Of course the baby was totally clean and fresh and older looking.  lol!  and then there was an interaction with Martin and Lisa where she had accepted money from him.  

[Aileen]

3 hours ago, alexa said:

I wasn't paying much attention, but at the end they showed her holding the baby and the rescue squad was there.  Of course the baby was totally clean and fresh and older looking.  lol!  and then there was an interaction with Martin and Lisa where she had accepted money from him.  

Thanks! I ended up watching it this morning on the abc site. 

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Just now commenting on the previous episode from the last week in March: Sarah Lawrence College shoutout during the college fair! I didn't go there, but my daughter applied ... I always tell her about how the school comes up in TV and movies.

Dancing to Bob Seger ... I haven't listed to him in ages. A long time ago I read something about his music not being on streaming services for some reason. Don't know if that is still the case.

Lisa Apple is annoying, and I think the actress struggles with pulling off the new-mom emotions and emotions regarding Martin.

Edited April 3, 2019 by MoreCoffeePlease

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, Aileen said:

Our ABC affiliate cut off the show in the last 10 minutes due to the Chicago mayoral election announcement. I saw up to Maya going into labor and KeithFromScrubs seeing the head. What else happened?

Lena's dad was trying to insinuate Lena pushing for Martin and Lisa to get along was like shoving lisa into Martin's arms.  Lisa sang a song about not loving Martin during the impromptu talent show.  The baby went to the hospital. The male friend wondered to his wife why their friends couldn't make cute babies (a callback to his opinion about Annie).  Martin said goodbye to Lisa at her car and I think Lena and her dad shared a look.  

Martin came up to Lena and said they'd been through a lot.  She agreed.  Then they said something about making it through/it being okay. They kissed.

But the multiple exchanges between Lena and her father about Martin ending up with Lisa were certainly meant to cast doubt and/or add suspense to whether or not her father's predictions were going to come true. So it was a good ending but with a potential sense of foreboding. 

And frankly, I ain't down with that.  I'd much rather the "splitting up together " allude to Martin's relationship with lisa.  Have them navigate the weird world of incorporating Lisa into their lives instead of some weird neverending and unbelievable triangle. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Come tax time, Lena and Martin will probably pay more separately then they would if they were still married.  Hope they realize that if one of them dies, the house and other assets will no longer automatically pass tax-free to the other one. California doesn't recognize common law marriage. 

[Armchair Critic]

I figured they wouldn't get rid of Lisa Apple....I knew Martin was going to ask her to live there. Good luck with that Lena.

[alexa]

6 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

I figured they wouldn't get rid of Lisa Apple....I knew Martin was going to ask her to live there. Good luck with that Lena.

I couldn't tell from the end was this the last episode of the season or an episode that is to be continued?  If it is the last episode of the season does that mean they are coming back?  I thought it was pretty much determined this was the last season...

That said, I hate when shows do stuff like this.  I could care less who Martin ends up with at this point, so having Lisa move in just adds an annoyance to the show, not any value.

[Brian Cronin]

Pretty bold of them to end with a "to be continued" when the odds of them returning are not particularly high. Hopefully they know something we don't (luckily, ratings are so low for seemingly every show that there are more fluky renewals than there used to be, so there is pretty much a CHANCE that ANY show that makes it through an entire season could be renewed). 

[thesupremediva1]

I used to like this show. Now it just offends me. Lisa Apple wasn't that interesting of a character and um no woman would work this hard to keep her then-ex-now-current husband's side piece around. It's NOT EVEN REMOTELY PLAUSIBLE! 

Is Martin the least considerate and sensitive human ever?! Money and involvement is one thing, but hey, let's Big Love our home without asking my wife or children and shove Lisa and her kid in here too!

 Find a decent plotline or please don't renew this show. The original premise is so far away now, I cannot remember why I liked this show in the first place.

We should never have seen Lisa Apple after the first episode of this season. This direction was a major misstep and disappointment. Contrast this cluster of a finale with season 1's finale, which I STILL have on my DVR and rewatch because it's so cute and charming and fulfilling. 

[readster]

2 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

 Find a decent plotline or please don't renew this show. The original premise is so far away now, I cannot remember why I liked this show in the first place.

We should never have seen Lisa Apple after the first episode of this season. This direction was a major misstep and disappointment. Contrast this cluster of a finale with season 1's finale, which I STILL have on my DVR and rewatch because it's so cute and charming and fulfilling. 

Yeah it really showed the writers really threw the season 1 finale as a last minute thing. They never knew how it would end. They should have just had it was a false alarm with Lisa or just never showed her again. They made it just plain stupid to how they did it, and everyone's reaction to it was even more bizarre. I do think the writers and producers with all the writing on the wall from ratings to the fact this was filmed back in January were really, really hoping for a renewal. Yeah, a lot of shows are still waiting, but at this point, it sounds like the ratings have been even worst the last few episodes. Even to ABC that's saying: "We are done."

[Madding crowd]

How is it that Maya’s baby now looks older than Annie Apple? He should be a newborn unless months have passed and then Annie should be older. Dislike the kids always being disrespectful to their parents. And no way would Lena want to live with Lisa Apple.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

34 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

How is it that Maya’s baby now looks older than Annie Apple? He should be a newborn unless months have passed and then Annie should be older. Dislike the kids always being disrespectful to their parents. And no way would Lena want to live with Lisa Apple.

I think the joke is that they're using a 6 month-old baby for newborn Frank Jr. That's why Maya mentioned he was born with a full set of teeth (which is an even bigger exaggeration.)  I first thought the baby might be the actress's, but he's not.

Lisa Apple's financial situation did not make sense. She was able to support herself as a teacher before the baby came. Let's say she used up her savings while pregnant. She now has a new job that she said paid well. That should cover rent for both, and at least food and incidentals for herself and half of Annie's. Martin should be paying for the other half and daycare/babysitting so that Lisa can work. He can add Annie to his health insurance, although I suspect Lisa would have coverage for both of them. Until we hear Martin say that he can't pay for what Annie needs, the situation is suspect.

It's nice that the baby will be living in an un-air conditioned California garage with big centipedes for pets.

[Madding crowd]

Newborns can be big, but not be able to hold their head up or sit in a high chair. I got the joke but it would make more sense if he was a big 6 month old. No newborn on earth is that big!

[SoMuchTV]

Hey, at least we found out about Martin's job!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lindsay Price discusses Splitting Up Together:

[LucyEth]

WTH Martin?  How dare he take advantage of Lena's kindness to Lisa Apple and think it is okay for her to move in with them.  I wish Lena would get furious and not be so agreeable.  Lisa annoys me and so does the name "Annie Apple".  If Martin is such a wonderful father and so afraid to lose Annie (and maybe Lisa, Lena's father is on to something)  then step up with more money, don't move your baby's mama into your home.  Hated the ending, don't really care if it is cancelled now.

[readster]

15 hours ago, LucyEth said:

WTH Martin?  How dare he take advantage of Lena's kindness to Lisa Apple and think it is okay for her to move in with them.  I wish Lena would get furious and not be so agreeable.  Lisa annoys me and so does the name "Annie Apple".  If Martin is such a wonderful father and so afraid to lose Annie (and maybe Lisa, Lena's father is on to something)  then step up with more money, don't move your baby's mama into your home.  Hated the ending, don't really care if it is cancelled now.

The entire two years of the show, Martin has been depicted as just an idiot. He can't make more than a sandwich, doesn't know how to do laundry. Decides that since he feels that after 18 years, what's the point of having sex with your wife (because how the hell did he go 2 years without doing it?). The kids are even more of a mess, something I have said since the show began, the writers DO NOT know how to write teens or kids. The daughter comes off like she fell out of the 60s after Woodstock. The oldest son acts like he doesn't know how to daily function. The youngest is of course the ignored child. Then you add in the neighbors with their "teen age nephew" who I would have kicked out of the house the way he acted. Plus, his swearing rap song? It wasn't catchy, it made it seem he hated women.  

  The show surviving was a fluke, because the writers basically fall on: "Me man, me not know anything and me house wife who can't talk and voice my issues with husband and it's 2019!"

[MakeMeLaugh]

The two leads are charming and have star power imo but that’s it for this show—sorry but all the kids suck both as written and as cast, the extended family are cartoon characters who drift in and out, and omg the leads’ relationship is just stupid. Dumb enough that they stay together in spite of the bonus baby, now the baby and mom will move in? And Lisa Apple’s giant clown glasses are also super-annoying, btw. 

If this mess gets back based on the leads, I hope they stand up to the writers and demand a whole new show.

[readster]

24 minutes ago, MakeMeLaugh said:

The two leads are charming and have star power imo but that’s it for this show—sorry but all the kids suck both as written and as cast, the extended family are cartoon characters who drift in and out, and omg the leads’ relationship is just stupid. Dumb enough that they stay together in spite of the bonus baby, now the baby and mom will move in? And Lisa Apple’s giant clown glasses are also super-annoying, btw. 

If this mess gets back based on the leads, I hope they stand up to the writers and demand a whole new show.

Right and I think the show didn't realize how much the leads would have such chemistry. But the writing has been very bad with just a few good episodes, like 5 between both seasons. Not a good sign on any creativity or the producers/writers really having any course for the show unless they see the writing: "We might not come back next season." The actors who play all the kids are really not that great of actors. I know they are teens and pre-teen, but they aren't experienced and DO NOT have good writing to fall back on. The daughter comes off as acting bi-polar at things. She is worried about the environment, but thinks humanity she just die off. She thinks her parents are idiots, but believes her teacher is "in love with her" and then tries to see if it's true. The middle son acts like he just knows how to get dressed, but thinks you can shower in the middle of a forest. The youngest would have been picked up by child services by now. 

They constantly say that the house is under water, but Martin can leave his job (which no one knows what he does) at any given time. They spend money to fix it up to get it sold and call it even. Yet they are always going out to places and so forth. Martin and Lena can't make their marriage work by talking to each other and being adults. Yet they can go sleep with people no problem and the worst was that Martin knocked up Lisa who comes off as a bigger idiot. It's a badly written show and people have tuned out. 

[ProudMary]

To the surprise of no one here, Splitting Up Together has officially been cancelled by ABC.

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/splitting-up-together-canceled-abc-1203183434/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

[Irlandesa]

Which is good...something I'd rarely say about a show whose leads had as much chem as Jenna and Oliver did but another season would surely bring shenanigans with Lisa Apple which would ruin that dynamic so I'm okay with this.

[alexa]

Yes, that is a good thing.  They just lost direction too many times.  

[luna1122]

Not surprised, but I'm sad. 

[readster]

18 hours ago, alexa said:

Yes, that is a good thing.  They just lost direction too many times.  

Yes and the way they wrote the finale was more of: "We are sure we will get another season" instead of like Speechless where they were: "We will give a type of closure just in case. It wasn't like ABC pulled the rug out from Splitting Up like they did with Last Man Standing two years ago. The show's ratings were horrible after the third episode and they ordered a full season so late as a way of telling the show: "You are most likely not going to be around and we don't have a full season of The Connors due to two other shows we are trying." Yet, TPTB on Splitting Up Together were like: "Nah... we will do it how we have been the last year and just throw things at the wall and see what sticks." Them deciding to bring Lisa back in the last 5 episode since they basically just wrote her off after episode 3 and focus so much on Martin and Lena fixing things (plus Lena being horny) and that they needed to REALLY sell the house and take their hits and move on. It was: "Hey here Lisa, remember her, we are going to really screw things up again! Because otherwise we don't have a show anymore!" 

  Forced drama and story lines NEVER work in the long run. Especially a show doing so poor in ratings. So, happy it's over because by the time of the show ended: Martin turned into an idiot asshole again. All the kids would have had IEPs and Lena would have flipped everyone off and left town.