S01.E11: Mailbox

[AnnaRose]

Quote

The Kids Are Alright

Mailbox

8:31PM EST | ABC

Eddie becomes distraught when Wendi breaks up with him over disagreements on how they want to handle their future. Meanwhile, Mike struggles to address Eddie's heartbreak, and Peggy contemplates whether she has to break up with Wendi too. To complicate things further, Joey convinces Frank to send Wendi a love letter, pleading his case as to why she should be his girlfriend. With Frank's impending humiliation on the horizon, the Cleary boys try to help him retrieve the letter.

Original Airdate: January 22, 2019

[Bteam]

I had hopes that the show was turning down on Lawrence’s hippy ideals- but

here he came again. He was such a strong character in the pilot- he was my favorite- but now they are turning him into a stereotype.  But I will hold out- he was a great in Love List - though for the most part he’s faded into the background. But then Frank was becoming a stereotype and they’ve finally developed his character with two strong episodes. An I do know something is coming for Lawrence in one upcoming episode. I just hope - like Frank- they find more to him. On the other hand - I had to chuckle when Lawrence finally admitted he didn’t want to be a priest for “chicks.”  Yea. Thought so after his dad caught him in bed with AJ - no matter what he said.

Loved how Eddie saved Pat.  And that mom is learning to drive. Lord, help them all!

Edited January 23, 2019 by Bteam

[lucindabelle]

Dad saying how old are you? And you’re my favorite one... too good. 

[biakbiak]

The lengths Mike goes for his kids, first eating lunch with a nerdy coworker and now having to go see a man’s boat! 

[hoodooznoodooz]

I love Frank and Pat so much.  

Frank’s letter to Wendi was brilliant.  

I love how William knows how to make delicious coffee and biscuits. 

Still don’t like Joey. He is very one-dimensional. 

[Snow Apple]

Pat's cheerful attitude is so cute and funny. He even made the best of it by peeing out of the mailbox.

 I adored Eddie with the crowbar ready to save his little brother, no questions asked. And then cuddling in the tent.

[cleo]

Frank is my favourite at this point. Agree on joey being one dimensional, getting kind of boring.

[Snow Apple]

3 minutes ago, cleo said:

Frank is my favourite at this point. Agree on joey being one dimensional, getting kind of boring.

Yes. I've been somewhat amused by Joey's antics but what he did was just disgusting in this episode.

[xander874]

I think Caleb Foote (Eddie) is really shining in this role. Eddie is the most developed of the kids to me and I loved how he rescued Pat and then cuddled with him in the tent. So cute. 

[Minaboo]

I love this show more each week!

[possibilities]

I love how they really do form alliances. The younger kids were truly looking out for each other and having a decently fun time of it.

[RollingStone23]

William is so wise and thoughtful. My favorite kid! 

I thought Lawrence was going to be more interesting and him and the dad would constantly be at odds. He is so boring. Lol. 

I love how they really do form alliances. The younger kids were truly looking out for each other and having a decently fun time of it.

Yeah, I liked when Peggy asked who was going to watch them out there and Timmy said he was the oldest he would protect him. There was this glee on his face from being able to proclaim that he was the oldest of that subgroup of kids.

Edited January 24, 2019 by RollingStone23

[mojoween]

Sometimes I feel like if this show were single dad Mike raising a gaggle of kids it would be perfect.  I would not miss Peggy at all.

I can’t help it, I still love Joey the best.  His glee at his terribleness makes me laugh.

[AnnaRose]

9 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Sometimes I feel like if this show were single dad Mike raising a gaggle of kids it would be perfect.  I would not miss Peggy at all.

I can’t help it, I still love Joey the best.  His glee at his terribleness makes me laugh.

I'm not sure who I like/love the best, but I definitely enjoy Joey and what he brings to the show.  I think it's good that they have somebody on the show who likes to "stir the pot" for his own amusement.  And mine.

Pat is high on my list too.  Everything with him in the mailbox was hilarious!

[cleo]

So I think the reason Frank is my favourite is he's not just a brown noser, he's genuinely a nerd, and I guess I can relate to geekiness, lol. He also seems genuinely good which is kind of refreshing. The thing with Wendy (Wendi?) this week- he would never have thought of that if Joey hadn't pushed him. 

The only kids that are really kind of off putting to me are William- I just don't like overly precocious/wise/kids acting like adults (I don't know how anyone can bear watching Singe Parents but that is OT lol) and that is how William comes across to me. It just seems unrealistic. 

[AnnaRose]

20 minutes ago, cleo said:

So I think the reason Frank is my favourite is he's not just a brown noser, he's genuinely a nerd, and I guess I can relate to geekiness, lol. He also seems genuinely good which is kind of refreshing. The thing with Wendy (Wendi?) this week- he would never have thought of that if Joey hadn't pushed him. 

The only kids that are really kind of off putting to me are William- I just don't like overly precocious/wise/kids acting like adults (I don't know how anyone can bear watching Singe Parents but that is OT lol) and that is how William comes across to me. It just seems unrealistic. 

It seemed to me that Frank had a crush on Wendy in last week's episode... I don't think Joey had to push him very hard.

[Rockstar99435]

Every week I have a new favorite kid. Last week, Frank moved into lead only to get knocked out of the spot this week by Eddie poping into frame with a crowbar ready to do whatever needed to rescue Pat...and then cuddling with him in the tent. (I'm going to go ahead and assume that the reason Eddie went into the tent originally was so Pat wouldn't be afraid of the dark. And then stayed because hanging out with your younger brothers who adore you is a pretty good way to feel better when you're super sad.) 

Joey is going to need a humanizing episode here pretty soon. I didn't mind him in this episode because he didn't force or trick Frank into doing anything. He just suggested. (Plus, I loved the part when all 3 younger brothers were all 'You listened to Joey? We're practically babies and even we're not dumb enough to do that.') But we need to either see him do something good or fail/be vulnerable in some way. Something that makes him relatable. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by Rockstar99435

[AnnaRose]

1 hour ago, Rockstar99435 said:

Every week I have a new favorite kid. Last week, Frank moved into lead only to get knocked out of the spot this week by Eddie popping into frame with a crowbar ready to do whatever needed to rescue Pat...and then cuddling with him in the tent. (I'm going to go ahead and assume that the reason Eddie went into the tent originally was so Pat wouldn't be afraid of the dark. And then stayed because hanging out with your younger brothers who adore you is a pretty good way to feel better when you're super sad.) 

Joey is going to need a humanizing episode here pretty soon. I didn't mind him in this episode because he didn't force or trick Frank into doing anything. He just suggested. (Plus, I loved the part when all 3 younger brothers were all 'You listened to Joey? We're practically babies and even we're not dumb enough to do that.') But we need to either see him do something good or fail/be vulnerable in some way. Something that makes him relatable. 

I agree with your whole post, and I too would like to see some nicer sides of Joey in the future.  Although he did help fix the light fixture William broke and he covered for Eddie when he talked his dad into not going inside for his lunch when there were some dicey things going on inside.  There were a few other humanizing moments for him so far too.  Plus, it's a sitcom so I expect things to be exaggerated.

And yes! to the bolded part about Eddie... he was very sweet in this episode, looking out for his little brother! (I also liked him hugging Frank at the end.)

[cleo]

17 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

t seemed to me that Frank had a crush on Wendy in last week's episode.

It just didn't come across to me that way, which is one of the reasons I found his story last week refreshing. Last week when he started to help on the show, I thought -oh here we go, Frank is going to fall for one of the girls. But I think he just liked contributing and being valuable, and yeah he was showing off a bit, and pleased at being appreciated- I think super pleased bc he gets little attention at home, but it didn't go the stereotypical route- guy helps out girls because he has a crush/wants something. He just went home and was disappointed his parents didn't care. 

This week when he was talking to Wendi about the library book at the start of the show, it just seemed like it was about the library, and he was earnest about it. And that was it. It's just so rare on tv to see these interactions between boy/girl without the romantic or sexual aspect being the main point...it's surprising. 

Then Joey intervened, and yeah it didn't take much, but again I really doubt Frank would have started composing love letters on his own. I don't think he was even particularly pining for Wendy.

But this is all subtle and subjective stuff so I totally get why people would interpret differently. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/23/2019 at 8:00 AM, Snow Apple said:

Pat's cheerful attitude is so cute and funny. He even made the best of it by peeing out of the mailbox.

He didn't pee out of the mailbox.  He said he was emptying the bota bag out of the mailbox so he could pee in that.  Not necessarily a better decision, if you ask me.

 

18 hours ago, Rockstar99435 said:

Joey is going to need a humanizing episode here pretty soon. I didn't mind him in this episode because he didn't force or trick Frank into doing anything. He just suggested. (Plus, I loved the part when all 3 younger brothers were all 'You listened to Joey? We're practically babies and even we're not dumb enough to do that.') But we need to either see him do something good or fail/be vulnerable in some way. Something that makes him relatable. 

Somebody mentioned in another thread that he's straddling the line between being a kid and being more mature (and further that that makes him interesting).  He still plays with his younger brothers (the floor is lava, blowing stuff up), which I think is "good" and endears him to me. 

[Craphole Island]

Is it wrong to be VERY attracted to Caleb Foote, the actor who plays Eddie? Asking for a friend...

 

Also, I love this show!

[LBS]

@Craphole Island um.  No.   Answering for a friend

[Rockstar99435]

On 1/23/2019 at 7:34 PM, AnnaRose said:

I agree with your whole post, and I too would like to see some nicer sides of Joey in the future.  Although he did help fix the light fixture William broke and he covered for Eddie when he talked his dad into not going inside for his lunch when there were some dicey things going on inside.  There were a few other humanizing moments for him so far too.  Plus, it's a sitcom so I expect things to be exaggerated.

True. And there was that little exchange between him, Timmy, and the Mom when Timmy was the understudy that strongly implied that Joey was to do something to the main actor so Timmy could have his part. I'm cool with Joey using his evil powers to help his family. Maybe we just need more of that.

 

On 1/24/2019 at 11:12 AM, cleo said:

It just didn't come across to me that way, which is one of the reasons I found his story last week refreshing. Last week when he started to help on the show, I thought -oh here we go, Frank is going to fall for one of the girls. But I think he just liked contributing and being valuable, and yeah he was showing off a bit, and pleased at being appreciated- I think super pleased bc he gets little attention at home, but it didn't go the stereotypical route- guy helps out girls because he has a crush/wants something. He just went home and was disappointed his parents didn't care. 

This week when he was talking to Wendi about the library book at the start of the show, it just seemed like it was about the library, and he was earnest about it. And that was it. It's just so rare on tv to see these interactions between boy/girl without the romantic or sexual aspect being the main point...it's surprising. 

Then Joey intervened, and yeah it didn't take much, but again I really doubt Frank would have started composing love letters on his own. I don't think he was even particularly pining for Wendy.

But this is all subtle and subjective stuff so I totally get why people would interpret differently. 

I really liked last week because Frank didn't seem to be helping the girls because they were girls, but because they gave him positive encouragement and acknowledgment for his help and skills. By the end of the episode, I was thinking that Frank might be the gay son. (With 8 boys, at least one of them should be. Lawrence and Eddie both have been shown with girlfriends. Joey has been shown spying on the female neighbor and there was the subplot with the actress having the wardrobe malfunction on tv. Timmy was also interested in the actress. Plus, I really hate the cliche that the kid who likes theater and performing is gay. William, Pat, and Andy are all too young for it to be a storyline. That leaves Frank.)

[biakbiak]

8 hours ago, Rockstar99435 said:

With 8 boys, at least one of them should be. Lawrence and Eddie both have been shown with girlfriends. Joey has been shown spying on the female neighbor and there was the subplot with the actress having the wardrobe malfunction on tv. Timmy was also interested in the actress. Plus, I really hate the cliche that the kid who likes theater and performing is gay. William, Pat, and Andy are all too young for it to be a storyline. That leaves Frank.)

Statistics don’t work that way, it’s entirely possible that none of them are gay and since this is based on a real life family there may or may not be one on screen. Network execs might want one of them to be even if they aren’t on real life I.e The Goldberg’s where they made Adam Goldberg add a daughter. 

[SoMuchTV]

8 hours ago, Rockstar99435 said:

 

I really liked last week because Frank didn't seem to be helping the girls because they were girls, but because they gave him positive encouragement and acknowledgment for his help and skills. By the end of the episode, I was thinking that Frank might be the gay son. (With 8 boys, at least one of them should be. Lawrence and Eddie both have been shown with girlfriends. Joey has been shown spying on the female neighbor and there was the subplot with the actress having the wardrobe malfunction on tv. Timmy was also interested in the actress. Plus, I really hate the cliche that the kid who likes theater and performing is gay. William, Pat, and Andy are all too young for it to be a storyline. That leaves Frank.)

 

4 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Statistics don’t work that way, it’s entirely possible that none of them are gay and since this is based on a real life family there may or may not be one on screen. Network execs might want one of them to be even if they aren’t on real life I.e The Goldberg’s where they made Adam Goldberg add a daughter. 

Also entirely possible that having a girlfriend in high school doesn't rule out the possibility that one might be gay. But I don't think that's necessarily what they're going for here.

I'm just still trying to figure out when mailboxes went from being red and blue to all blue. I know it happened at some point, it just snuck up on me!

[geauxaway]

I love little Pat!!!  There are so many laugh out loud moments in this show from week to week.   His little voice coming from inside the mailbox had me in stitches!

Pat’s the 2nd youngest, correct?  So the biggest age gap is between him and the baby.  I think?

[lb60]

On 1/23/2019 at 1:49 PM, xander874 said:

I think Caleb Foote (Eddie) is really shining in this role. Eddie is the most developed of the kids to me and I loved how he rescued Pat and then cuddled with him in the tent. So cute. 

Eddie/Caleb Foote is definitely my favorite.  He has been since that kitchen table scene with the Waldorf salad.

I also absolutely love Mike.

I love this show.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/25/2019 at 4:35 PM, Craphole Island said:

Is it wrong to be VERY attracted to Caleb Foote, the actor who plays Eddie? Asking for a friend...

At least he's not 14.  I have a huge (and immoral and illegal) crush on Joey.  Can't take my eyes off him in any scene he's in.

[mojito]

Quote

I'm just still trying to figure out when mailboxes went from being red and blue to all blue. I know it happened at some point, it just snuck up on me!

The USPO became part of the government civil service on July 1, 1971. Something like that. They went from being the Post Office Department to part of the government. I honestly don't know the exact details but my date is true. I have a commemorative postmarked envelope marking the occasion that my PO employee father gave me. That summer, a friend of mine painted all the post office boxes in my town blue 

[xander874]

On 1/25/2019 at 6:35 PM, Craphole Island said:

Is it wrong to be VERY attracted to Caleb Foote, the actor who plays Eddie? Asking for a friend...

No, I think he is also pretty hot. His towel scene in an earlier episode solidified it. Boy is cut.

[Phebemarie]

I think Caleb Foote may actually be the oldest of the boys:   probably in his mid-twenties.   

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 1/24/2019 at 3:39 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

He didn't pee out of the mailbox.  He said he was emptying the bota bag out of the mailbox so he could pee in that.  Not necessarily a better decision, if you ask me.

 

Somebody mentioned in another thread that he's straddling the line between being a kid and being more mature (and further that that makes him interesting).  He still plays with his younger brothers (the floor is lava, blowing stuff up), which I think is "good" and endears him to me. 

He shares a room with the younger boys. He'd either be sick of them or be close to them.

I'm still confused about where Frank sleeps. They should address that.

[anna0852]

On 1/26/2019 at 7:58 PM, geauxaway said:

I love little Pat!!!  There are so many laugh out loud moments in this show from week to week.   His little voice coming from inside the mailbox had me in stitches!

Pat’s the 2nd youngest, correct?  So the biggest age gap is between him and the baby.  I think?

Yes. I think it was previously implied that Peggy had some pregnancies that didn't go to term. Might explain how the first 7 kids were lockstep 2 years apart, then 7 between Pat and andy.

[mojito]

Quote

I'm still confused about where Frank sleeps. 

Probably on the floor outside the door of Mom and Dad's bedroom.

[Cowgirl]

On 1/28/2019 at 7:37 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

He shares a room with the younger boys. He'd either be sick of them or be close to them.

I thought that Eddie and Laurence shared a room.  There are two beds in there (from the episode were Eddie breaks the wine bottle), and in another room Pat and William share a bed (something I dind't notice til I re-watched the episode where Timmy takes up boxing last night) and Joey has the top bunk and Timmy has the bottom bunk.  The baby has a crib in the parents' room.  Good question about where Frank sleeps.  I like the idea of the floor outside Mom and Dad's room! Eddie was sleeping under the kitchen table in the pilot episode, if I recall correctly.

On 1/28/2019 at 7:37 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

He didn't pee out of the mailbox.  He said he was emptying the bota bag out of the mailbox so he could pee in that.  Not necessarily a better decision, if you ask me.

First, thanks for clearing that up -- I had trouble hearing that part.  Second, I forgot to ask -- what is a bota bag?

[Ilovepie]

On 1/24/2019 at 12:39 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

Somebody mentioned in another thread that he's straddling the line between being a kid and being more mature (and further that that makes him interesting).  He still plays with his younger brothers (the floor is lava, blowing stuff up), which I think is "good" and endears him to me. 

Yes and he doesn't always win - remember Mike taking all his winnings (astronaut rules!). I can't remember which episode, but he also did help his brothers when Dad's sandwich got eaten and he intervened when Mike came home for lunch. I still love him.

Honestly I love all of them - they have done such a good job making all of them well rounded characters. William with the breakfast was cracking me up. I loved the way Mike talked to him like it was totally normal for him to be in the yard with a campfire making breakfast for everyone!

Also, "Is he still crying over the breakup?!?" "Well, it was just 20 minutes ago." I liked how Mike tried to distract him with Dodger talk, and it almost worked!

[slcskp]

3 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

Honestly I love all of them - they have done such a good job making all of them well rounded characters. William with the breakfast was cracking me up. I loved the way Mike talked to him like it was totally normal for him to be in the yard with a campfire making breakfast for everyone!

I keep waiting for the show to explore William's character in more depth. He has a paper route, he plays the piano and the organ, and he sings, and we found out in this episode that he also plays the harmonica, he cooks, makes coffee, and dispenses the best advice in the family. For all that, he doesn't seem desperate for attention and approval like Timmy and Frank, he isn't on an existential quest like Lawrence, and he's clearly nothing like Eddie and Pat. When does he get a storyline?

[Ilovepie]

2 hours ago, slcskp said:

When does he get a storyline?

I’m sure they’ll get to him. It took a while before Frank was anything more than a mama’s boy suck up.

[dcalley]

On 1/31/2019 at 4:31 PM, Ilovepie said:

Yes and he doesn't always win - remember Mike taking all his winnings (astronaut rules!). I can't remember which episode, but he also did help his brothers when Dad's sandwich got eaten and he intervened when Mike came home for lunch. I still love him.

Although he was the one who ate the sandwich! (Peggy's Day Out was the episode.)

Speaking of Peggy going out, in this episode she said she'd seen The French Connection. She and Mike have been to the movies at least once in the past year. That's better than me right now, quite frankly.

I did not expect to find Pat in the mailbox as funny as I did.

[Ilovepie]

9 hours ago, dcalley said:

Although he was the one who ate the sandwich!

Ha! I totally forgot that part! He cracks me up!

[SmithW6079]

Caleb Foote must be a powerful guy. When he ran over to Mike to hug him, he knocked Michael Cudlitz back a few feet, and Cudlitz is not a willowy kind of fellow.

[DMike82]

On 1/25/2019 at 6:35 PM, Craphole Island said:

Is it wrong to be VERY attracted to Caleb Foote, the actor who plays Eddie? Asking for a friend...

Also, I love this show!

I recently looked it up... for a friend... and he graduated from college in 2016, so he's somewhere around 24-25. I had to check because I came across his Instagram and it was a bit of a thirst trap. My... friend... didn't want to feel creeped out. He's also the oldest of the "kid" actors (Sam Straley who plays Lawrence is only 23) and the one with the largest gap in age from his character. Rewatching this episode made his character my favorite of the sons; in nearly every episode he's taking care of one of his younger brothers but the crowbar thing solidified it.

Edit: Found it. December of '93, he's 25.

On 1/31/2019 at 8:12 PM, slcskp said:

I keep waiting for the show to explore William's character in more depth. He has a paper route, he plays the piano and the organ, and he sings, and we found out in this episode that he also plays the harmonica, he cooks, makes coffee, and dispenses the best advice in the family. For all that, he doesn't seem desperate for attention and approval like Timmy and Frank, he isn't on an existential quest like Lawrence, and he's clearly nothing like Eddie and Pat. When does he get a storyline?

Yeah, out of all the boys (minus the baby) I feel like he's the one I know the least about aside from those little bits you mentioned. Even in this episode I feel like I know more about Pat than William. Ironic because aside from McCormack and Cudlitz, the two "kid" actors I recognized from the initial commercials were Caleb (he was in a couple eps of one of Ryan Murphy's shows) and this kid (I don't remember his name) from A Christmas Story.

Edited March 20, 2019 by DMike82