What I’m Watching: The Conners

The Conners: Season 2, Episode 2 “A Kiss Is Just a Kiss” (B)

This episode focused in on just one plotline more than usual, looking at Darlene as the center of the universe and the multitude of problems that came at her at the same time. She’s doing a very poor job of balancing the two relationships she’s found herself in, and something tells me that Ben isn’t going to be happy at all when he finds out that she’s been carrying on an affair with her ex. Jackie isn’t exactly subtle, physically blockading the stairwell when David was up there so that Ben wouldn’t get any ideas of looking around and finding him after his surprise stop-by. Ben’s suggestion of therapy was hilariously mirrored by Darlene when David tried to get serious about their relationship, and those delay tactics aren’t going to work too well given that David was ready to run in and tell the kids that they were getting back together when Darlene is definitely nowhere close to that point. Mark being in violation of the no-PDA rule and then having his boyfriend deny that there was ever anything between them led to a great opportunity for Darlene and even David to show their support, to “parent the crap out of that kid,” as David put it. I personally enjoyed Dan giving Mark some endearing relationship advice, and it’s good to see the young character featured in a way that isn’t just tangential, like say Harris or DJ, who really don’t get much to do other than show up in a scene for half a second.