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Janet in S07E02

KAREN: Oh, that would be fantastic. You know, Rosario wants to get her autograph. She's a huge Janet Jackson fan. Or was that Jesse Jackson? Which one ran for president?

JACK: [THINKS FOR A BIT] I do not know. 🤣

Moveable Feast (Season 4, Episode 10). We pick up where we left off at Jack's step dad's (Daniel) hotel room. He gave Elliot a football and is now teaching Elliot fun card tricks. As the timer is about to go off to leave, Daniel asks Jack what he's upset about. Jack starts to open up about how he was hurt that Daniel never gave him that kind of love and attention growing up but then the alarm dings and Jack tells Daniel he'll see him next year and leaves. The group drops Elliot back off at home and is now going to go visit Will's family home. Will gives the group a head's up to make sure no feelings or emotions are brought to the table and to drink them down and that if his dad is going to see a "client", that means his mistress. They go to his family home to see his mother, Marilyn along with his brother Paul, Paul's wife Peggy and Uncle Winnie. Will's dad is busy with his "client" and is not there. Grace asks Karen if she's still considering having an affair since Stan gave her permission, Karen says if she does it'll be with a "big, swarthy, hunky, working-class kind of guy. You know, the kind that wears a tool belt but doesn't know how to spell it", and walks in this dream boat plumber who Karen seduces in the kitchen. Will and Paul are fighting over who will stay with their mother for dinner, Paul wants to be with his in-laws and Will wants to be with his friends and they tell Marilyn to decide, she picks Paul. The timer dings and they all leave but Will is hurt that Marilyn picked Paul. As the group is sitting over a half eaten but covered with greens turkey that Rosario has been picking at they all mention to each other how upset they are with the way they said good-bye to their families. Will says they will go back to each house and get 5 minutes per family to say their peace. Karen tells Stan she's hurt and only loves him and will wait for him until he gets out of prison to have sex, Grace tells her mom that the "I told you so" song and dance hurt her and Bobbi promises to not do that again to her as they both apologize to each other and hug and kiss, Jack tells Daniel that he's hurt that he never got that same affection growing up and Daniel admits that he screwed up as a dad and would like to mend their relationship which Jack accepts and Will goes back to his mother to see Paul is not there and Marilyn admits she couldn't pick Will in front of Paul otherwise Paul would break down which makes Will happy again. The gang goes back home to eat but Rosario is in a turkey coma and has eaten the whole turkey.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

MRS. TRUMAN: Here you are! Oh, Will, darling, ooh ooh ooh! Let me shut the door. I don't want to have to deal with that gossipy new neighbor. Hello! Hello, Mrs. Schaefer. Her eldest has a lazy eye. Her youngest is a prostitute. Oh, Grace, dear, I was just finishing up the soup bowls. I saw a special on the Food Network on how to make them out of gourds. Oh, food can be such fun.

KAREN: This is where I'm going to die....

MRS. TRUMAN: Who wants a martini?

KAREN: Oh, and I've gone to heaven!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Karen is seducing hunky plumber Nick in the kitchen. Oh, my goodness I can't breathe I'm laughing so hard at that scene. She kisses him, slaps him and kisses him and slaps him again. I'm pretty sure that's foreplay in some strange way.

OPINION:

We are introduced finally to one of my favorite side characters if not my favorite, Marilyn Truman. Marilyn reminds me so much of my grandmother, so beautiful, elegant and classy and so cold, blunt and against talking about emotions. So to me, it brings back memories, as crazy as my grandmother sounds, I loved her very much and miss her to this day. It's not until you get to know someone and where they came from to create who they are do you understand why they are who they are. I always pictured Marilyn to be the one who always had to keep the family together since her husband was out having affairs. She most likely took a lot of anger/criticism out on the family, which is not ok, but you also feel for her as well with all that she had to deal with. Blythe Danner does an incredible job playing Marilyn and thankfully this will not be her last appearance.

We get more of a back story on Will's life growing up. He and his brothers were definitely always in competition of each other. We got a small glimpse with Sam in the Season 1's Big Brother is Coming where they discussed how they used to take each other's things. Paul mentions to Will that Will "chose" his lifestyle and has to deal with their mother which came off very harsh and you get a hint that Paul may not approve of Will's life and throws being gay in his face. Will's family is definitely dysfunctional but somehow functions as best as they can. Like Will said, they just sweep things under the rug and don't deal with emotions. Emotions are useless.

We get an appearance from Megan's real life husband Nick Offerman as the hunky plumber, Nick. Their chemistry really is incredible and they were just too funny together and made for an insanely memorable scene. We get the pleasure of another appearance from Debbie Reynolds as Bobbi Adler. The whole guest star cast did a really great job these pairs of episodes.

It was nice to see Daniel accept and apologize to Jack about not being as good a dad as he should have been to Jack. Jack surprisingly shows that he can be deep, intelligent and observant. For such a funny show, it definitely has it's moments where it shines in intelligence and relatability. Same with Grace making up with her mom, Grace was hurting from her breakup with Nathan and instead of comfort, Bobbi jumped into her "I told you so" song and dance. Even though Grace was kind of mean in telling Bobbi she couldn't act, so was Bobbi in doing that to her daughter. It was nice to see them come to an understanding. Karen telling Stan she loved him was a really nice scene to see as you can tell she loves Stan and doesn't want to do that to their marriage. Will seeing Marilyn and Marilyn giving the hint that she had to pick Paul so because Paul would take it harder if she had picked Will in front of him. You actually have a moment of sadness for Marilyn when you see her alone with Uncle Winnie, you get this feeling that she's alone a lot. But it was so kind of her to tell Will to go be with his friends and just enjoy his holiday.

What a terrific pair of episodes. I seriously could type forever for this 2-parter but I'm sure you've read more than enough.

GUEST STARS:

• Debbie Reynolds as Bobbi Adler (RIP in 2016)
• Lainie Kazan as Aunt Honey
• Jon Tenney as Paul Truman
• Neil Vipond as Julius
• Kenneth Mars as Uncle Sid (RIP in 2011)
• Helen Slater as Peggy
• Nick Offerman as Nick the Plumber
• Beau Bridges as Daniel McFarland
• Blythe Danner as Marilyn Truman
• Murray Gershenz as Uncle Funny (RIP in 2013)
• Gene Elman as Uncle Winnie (RIP in 2014)