What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 8 “Two Thousand Pounds of Sand, $240” (B)

This episode aired a week before Thanksgiving but is totally seasonally appropriate, presenting a very relatable concept of the next generation taking over hosting duties to mixed results. The rarely-seen matriarch of the Hayworth family, Muriel, has always been a bit out of touch with the way the world works, and she was experience a real sense of hopelessness as she found herself to be increasingly relevant. Not being needed to help make Thanksgiving was particularly bad timing, and leave it to the three hapless siblings to ensure that one dish got ruined enough that they would need her to swoop in and take over. They didn’t plan to screw up the entire dinner but managed to do that, but getting together in Sarah and Denise’s humbler apartment felt more genuine and family-like than having a private chef making Caribbean delicacies and an accompanying musician in Connor’s mansion of a home. I enjoyed the introduction of Denise’s travel influencer sister Jojo with her bringing trash from her car rather than a gift, and Denise’s reaction to her talking about the many things her parents had or hadn’t given her was extremely entertaining, leading up to a sentimental ending about how Jojo actually envies everything Denise has. Sarah trying to drive home the “real tradition” of Thanksgiving being smallpox was very much in line with her eternal efforts to reeducate those around her, something she seems to do especially when she doesn’t expect her audience to be receptive to the information she is putting out into the world.