What I’m Watching: Significant Mother

Significant Mother: Season 1, Episode 8 “Home is Where the Lamp Is” (B+)

This was a wholly ridiculous half-hour with full involved participation from every cast member, which was a real treat. Lydia casually deciding to move naturally sent Nate spinning and trying to convince her every way that he could that she shouldn’t sell their childhood home. Simultaneously thinking about moving in with Jimmy didn’t help matters too much, and it seems that Nate discovering that fact may have made things much, much worse. A breakup, however temporary and impermanent, was inevitable, and I’m just glad that it was well-timed and presented after such an eventful episode and as a massive cliffhanger leading into the season finale. Atticus and Sam participating in the shenanigans to prevent Lydia’s house from selling was great, and of course Harrison was more than happy to climb aboard after his recreation of Christmas and other memories failed to substantially impress Lydia. Jimmydia also wins as the best new nickname for the couple. Though his role was limited, Jerry O’Connell was the perfect actor to play relator Bob Babcock, which is hard to say even once. The methods by which Atticus, Sam, Harrison, and Nate tried to get people to leave the open house and forget about their hopes and dreams to live there weren’t necessarily creative, but there was such a fascinatingly deranged commitment from all of them, including a shockingly realistic “Exorcist” performance from Sam, that it was truly enjoyable to watch. If only it was their efforts that had derailed Lydia’s next step in life and not Jimmy breaking up with her!