What I’m Watching: Home Economics (Season Finale)

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 13 “Emergency Preparedness Kit, $129.99” (B+)

I hadn’t realized that this was the season finale, especially since season two got a full twenty-two episodes and its lead-out series, “Abbott Elementary,” still has more episodes to go. But I can appreciate that three seasons is longer than I would have expected for this show, and if it does end up getting canceled after this, at least it’s been a great run and this was a worthwhile finale that could serve as a decent series-ender. Connor did get way into his head when he hit the gong and then ended up potentially causing (not really) an earthquake, and he was bothering everyone else in a new way by obsessing over his newfound lack of purpose. Charging through the gate at the exact moment that the power came back on and he wouldn’t have needed to do it felt quite fitting, and deciding to run for mayor is both a terrible idea and completely on-brand. Lupe was very eager not to get involved in Sarah and Denise not sharing their IVF hesitations with each other, but she couldn’t take the fact that they both insisted in confiding in her but weren’t willing to talk to each other. Marina just charged right in there with her emergency go bag and her hard hat after the earthquake, and Tom predictably felt like he needed to have a role in all this since she had explicitly taken the class because she didn’t have faith in him to help out in the case of an emergency. Him being the storyteller to calm the kids who couldn’t bear a few hours without technology was a good way to give him a function. I’ve enjoyed this season and hope to see more of this show in the fall!

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Sasheer Zamata as Denise

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 12 “Limited Edition Boom Boom Dojo JollyBot, $45.99” (B+)

It seemed obvious that Marina was walking right into another sex dream when she got herself together to talk to Santiago, but I like that it all then led to Santiago stopping by and turning out to be just as into some of Tom’s hobbies as he was. Tom asking Marina if Santiago could stay for pizza was an especially entertaining highlight, and I enjoyed how Marina telling him about her dream led to his confession about the barista who flirted with him a lot. Unfortunately, her jealously led to her going into the coffee shop and getting thrown out after making a scene, though at least it puts them on a somewhat level playing field. Tom having his own sex dream about Santiago was a fun coda which likely won’t go too far but should keep him running in circles for a while. Denise walked into a predictable trap when she had to go wait for the hot toy on her own since Connor’s line guy was busy and she trusted that the guy behind her would not just watch her stuff but let her back into the line after she peed. Her little video game segment was amusing and very unlike this show, and it’s always nice to see the competitive dark side of Denise. Connor going to a “large place” plate when Nikki rejected small plates was an endearing start to a saga that involved her potentially living in a parking lot and them eating something that couldn’t legally be called a sandwich, and the twist that her eighteen-year-old son lives with her is sure to lead to some worthwhile hijinks as Connor encounters a brand-new challenge.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 11 “Gallon of Milk, $4.35” (B+)

I’m very much enjoying seeing what kind of person Connor is now as a person who has dropped to the bottom of the one percent, eager to use coupons but still completely out of touch with how normal people live their lives. Expressing his surprise that a gallon of milk cost twenty dollars garnered a very funny reaction from Tom, and I love that he instantly bonded with someone at the supermarket only to have to then lie about having to “call a bus” because she showed that she was not fond of rich people. I knew I recognized Nikki from somewhere, and that’s because Daniella Pineda played Vanessa on “The Detour,” and I hope we’ll get to see more of her if this relationship goes anywhere. Denise enjoyed pretending to be the boss, and it wasn’t her fault that Connor had no clue whatsoever how to start making a grilled cheese. Lupe also had a fantasy cover story all ready to go and seemed to love engaging in that. Marina went in hot to tell Santiago that he needed to start listening to her, and he said all the right things to make her realize that he was actually a sweet, sensitive guy who doesn’t always know how to communicate so well. Speaking Spanish with Marina after Tom burnt the steaks was an unfortunate trigger for Tom to violently open a beer with his teeth, and Marina is going to drive herself crazy now trying to suppress the physical attraction she has towards Santiago that she’ll surely be able to suppress herself from acting on even if she’s worried she won’t have the capability to do that.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 10 “Santa Suit Rental, $25 Per Day” (B+)

There were certainly better ways for Connor to handle the news about his financial misfortune, like scaling back the trip to Aspen without lobster on a private helicopter and other methods of making it just a little bit less lavish. But he’s obviously used to success and this downturn was enough to put him in a destitute mood, and the way in which his hapless money manager played by Danny Pudi gave him the news was hardly helpful. Lupe printing out her resume also made things worse, though the fact that Connor still had the same astronomical sum he had lost meant that he’s not actually going to need to start living a low-key life anytime soon. Tom and Connor getting mistaken for each other was particularly entertaining for Lupe’s horrified reaction and Marina’s disgust, and “New Tom” is a fun phase that is sure not to last. Marina’s gift for her husband, who is neither sick nor dead, was actually quite sweet, and maybe looking at a framed poster of the New York Times Best Sellers List will inspire him to talk about it a little less. Denise got Marina quite worried when she obsessed over how attractive Santiago was and then deep-liked one of his pictures on Instagram, though of course that ended up becoming a much bigger deal than it needed to be. It was good to see Sarah back as Santa Claus at the end of the episode, even if she was terrified at the idea of having to play Monopoly with her brother.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 9 “Sunday New York Times, $6” (B+)

It’s fun seeing characters confront things they’re not used to, like Tom being happy with nothing to worry about for a few hours and Denise contending with her parents actually getting along. Marina got quickly upset with Tom’s need to jump back into worry mode after their sex-on-cash didn’t go as planned, and he absolutely sucked all joy out of the hot tub purchase he made. I enjoyed his listing of rules that got the kids to give up trying to go in it, and how everyone got so mad at Gretchen for asking him to explain the verbal warning system again. The concept of laughing not being allowed because it could be mistaken for screaming was also hilarious. Having Marina do the work she wanted was a sweet gesture, though now he’s going to be haunted by the time she’s spending with Eddie Cibrian’s Santiago. Denise was ready to pounce on her parents for acting weird, and Connor sharing that her mom came up as a match for him sent her head spinning. The best part of that whole plotline was Denise reluctantly letting her father know that the photo with the banjo was not going to get him swipes. I also appreciated her trying not to process Connor sharing that he was trying something new by keeping the age filter off, and that, upon Denise acknowledging that he was giving her a lot to think about for a change, he wanted her to text Sarah to say that he was being super smart and sensitive.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 8 “Wheel of Vegan Brie, $24” (B)

It wasn’t all that believable that Harmony would know every answer to every trivia question ever, though it did manage to trigger every Hayworth sibling in exactly the right way. Everyone was vying for Harmony’s affection, and Marina and Denise, united as they may be, took the brunt of her lashing out when she pointed out that they drank way too much wine and outing them for making fun of the siblings. What she seemed to care most about - and ultimately still affirmed - was the relationship with her newfound parents, including Muriel, who was quite accepting of her new stepdaughter, something that surprised her biological children since they were so concerned it was going to be a problematic encounter. Having them jump to show off their talents was hardly the most mature move, but it’s also not the most embarrassing thing any of them have done. Seeing all of the adults on this show pivot into defensive mode is always fun, even if it can also get quite awkward sometimes since they never realize when they’ve gone too far. But the real treat in this episode was that ending montage of Gretchen’s impressions, especially given how truly terrible her standup featured earlier was. Everyone laughed at how she mocked Tom, but it was moving on to other members of the family, like Sarah, who weren’t as used to being made fun of and weren’t happy to see that others were amused. The kids on this show should really be featured more; they’re very talented.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 7 “Model Train Set, $150” (B+)

In the opening moments of this episode, I had forgotten the bombshell discovery from the previous installment that served as the reason that adults needed to get the kids to go to the playground. I enjoyed Connor bribing them with $20 each and commending Kevin on his entrepreneurial asks before realizing that he may have accidentally given him $400. There was no way this was going to come out easily, but both Tom and Sarah failed miserably in communicating what they needed to to their father before Connor just blurted it out. He didn’t seem all that startled but was intent on keeping it from his wife forever, something that wasn’t so easy when she found the script in the trash. Her response was most entertaining for how she phrased things with the words divorcing and separating, sending all three of her children into a miserable panic, and she was happy to admit to her own misdeeds after chastising her husband for his overzealous enthusiasm for giving money to celebrities who ask when they’re clearly not who they say they are. Marina’s desire to help Denise get things taken care of in her apartment nearly made it all much worse, but then they teamed up with their cookies and legal knowledge to successfully intimidate Denise’s landlord into getting to work on some major fixes for fear of a unionized rent strike. All they needed was to eat an entire stick of butter while they were doing it, the last time they’ll need to not pee during that process.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 6 “Novel Signed by Author, $22.19” (B+)

Though I know this was meant to be a Halloween episode, I’m glad that it didn’t actually follow up on the creepy, Unabomber-style ending of the previous installment. Instead, Marina and Denise got way too into the idea of starting a crime podcast based on the mystery woman who had apparently driven all the way from Colorado without stopping to meet Tom, and Marina was definitely far too focused on the name and not the safety of her husband. Casting Casey Wilson in anything is usually a good way to elevate the zaniness, as she did on “Black Monday,” and it didn’t take too long for everyone to piece together the fact that she didn’t just want Tom as a brother, but he actually was her half-brother. That’s a big game-changer that’s sure to make him doubt much of his own narrative, and I’m curious to see whether Wilson officially joins the cast or if she’s just around for a short time. I was happy to see Karan Soni, a terrific and very funny actor from “7 Days” and “Miracle Workers” as Tod, whose best moment was pointing out to Connor that they didn’t have a bathroom attendant he could have tipped $100 or even a bathroom for that matter. Sarah realizing that Connor just wanted attention from his older sister when Shamiah called was funniest for how she just put it together and then hung up on her upset daughter, and I like that the big scare she was finally able to execute on her brother came at the least effective possible time.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 5 “Live With Kelly and Ryan Hoodie, Complimentary” (B)

It’s always a gamble when shows feature real-life celebrities playing themselves, since it can often be over-the-top and unnecessary stunt casting that doesn’t add much to the series hosting them. In this case, Kelly and Ryan were merely there to experience and fuel the antics of the Hayworth clan. Connor and Marina got a little too into suggesting the kind of light ribbing that Kelly and Ryan might aim at Tom to settle him into the show, and then he ended up doing okay before both his coaches ended up getting pulled on air and truly embarrassing themselves. Marina expressing just how obsessed she was with Kelly was the most cringeworthy part, and this crew really needs to get its marketing strategy together. Causing a scene in an airport bookstore is one thing, but Tom forcing the cashier to refund the purchaser’s money since he didn’t deserve to read the book is hardly what they need to boost sales. I’m curious to see which person from Tom’s past has him in his sights following that thriller-like ending. Sarah and Denise staying back at Connor’s house while he was away didn’t seem like it could go all that wrong, especially considering Denise got the need to clean the place all by herself out of her system a while ago. Learning that Shamiah was pretending that Connor’s house was her own and that her family was very wealthy was most worthwhile for the way in which Sarah and Denise flailed when they tried to argue that they were breaking into a house that they well knew was not their own.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 4 “Wedding Bouquet, $125” (B+)

I’m always a bit wary of flashback episodes like this one since they tend not to reference some of the important moments from earlier in a show’s mythology that aren’t immediately relevant at the time the episode airs. But, fortunately, that wasn’t the case here since this show is relatively insular and all of its players were on hand to play their parts. While it might have been nice to see what Connor’s relationship with Emily was like back then, instead we saw a much less impressive and merely boneheaded version of Connor who during the wedding got a business card from Sarah’s date Dennis that catapulted him into his life of monetary success. I liked seeing “Saturday Night Live” regular Alex Moffat as Dennis, who was absurd and excessive but also had a humorous reaction to being introduced to Denise. She came at Sarah quick when she realized that she still wasn’t out, and that ended up being a very sweet story that played out well, especially with Denise drinking with Marina, who was then quite happy to learn that they were going to be family. It’s also fun to see how the Lulu nickname came into being. The priest dropping dead and Tom trying not to panic was pretty typical, but that’s what makes this show endearing. It was great to cap it all off with Lupe providing multiple descriptions to the police of Tom. My favorites were “a real-life Flat Stanley” and “if string cheese was a man.”

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 2 “Sushi for Twelve, $482 Plus Delivery” (B)

Connor is someone who’s used to being in control of his own place, and having his entire family there made him feel like he had no ownership of his space. His parents showing up because they had heard everyone was all together only added to it, though they have even less sense and self-awareness than their children, who definitely couldn’t comprehend how they were making Connor feel. Having the sushi finished before he got there when he went for a walk to get some air and having to eat chicken fingers by himself in the driveway was the last straw, and Lupe took fifteen minutes out of her own free time to counsel him on what he needed to do. It was funny that no one took the hint and left when he told them they needed to go, and he was very quick to utilize all seventeen of the hour-to-himself coupons at the same time. Tom and Marina got unnecessarily freaked out when all their busy relatives told them that not having sex twice a week was a real issue, and the best part of that plotline was how Marina used Tom talking about ordinary house-related things to get into the mood. It was obvious that the vase Sarah and Denise were buying from Zara was going to cost closer to $2,000 than $200, but after all their panicking, Connor’s initial reaction to the apparently high price of $18,000 made their problems seem quite starkly different from their wealthy brother’s.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 2 “Melatonin 10 Mg Tablets, $14.99” (B)

Connor getting into character with his clothing and glasses to work with Tom is certainly over-the-top and only going to lead to more resentment from his brother and current client. Connor may know business, but that doesn’t mean he has any clue about how to properly market a book. I do doubt whether the people who watched or listened to him on those shows or podcasts would actually go out and buy his book, but it’s possible that people do want to know more about those they see publicly humiliated. Calvin teaching him how to play video games was not a high point, and of course both brothers tried to take credit for the Kelly Ripa breakthrough that could change everything. Marina did throw herself fully into the assignment Connor gave her to update Gretchen’s bedroom, and she helped him make see that he was having trouble adjusting to her growing up when he was quite cruel about not liking any of her ideas. Sarah going away while Denise and their kids were staying at Connor’s was unfortunate timing, and Denise did get quite competitive with Lupe about cleaning. Lupe set her straight by pointing out that her job didn’t bother her, and Denise took her desire not to be a burden way too far. Having her kids wash the windows instead of the professionals Lupe had failed to specify were coming was an entertaining and embarrassing moment, and it was nice to see Denise interacting with someone she usually doesn’t since that’s always one of my favorite parts of any show.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics (Season Premiere)

Home Economics: Season 3, Episode 1 “Mickey Ears, $19.99” (B)

It’s great to have this show back, especially since I never imagined when it premiered that it would make it all the way to a third season. While its contained plot was expected and relevant, I wasn’t as fond of the clear product placement for Disneyland for a show on ABC, which just happens to be part of the same parent company. It does track that Connor would try to distract from a potential problem by throwing money at it, and therefore that offer made a lot of sense. Marina making an intense schedule that everyone had to follow was an entertaining subplot, and I enjoyed that no one really protested and just deferred to her militancy. Tom getting reports of how the company was changing while he was there did kill the vibe, and Connor probably didn’t need to be as strategic in his reorganization since it gave away his Hans Dutchman plan fairly easily, first to Marina and then to Tom. The Star Wars reenactment was fun, if not as impressive or memorable as an early season one scene from “Scrubs.” Sarah casually mentioning that she could get a huge tuition reduction at the fancy school where she was working nearly sparked a major conflict between her and Denise, but fortunately they moved past their “bad feminist” fighting to a much better place. It’s ultimately nice that the cousins will go to school together, and maybe they’ll manage to influence each other in productive ways that will be pleasing to all three interested parents.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics (Season Finale)

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 22 “Ticket to Space, $1 Million” (B+)

This show sometimes has physical comedy scenarios that aren’t all that sophisticated, but what makes it well worth it is the rich plot points that happen around them. Tom falling through the roof so that half of his body was stuck up there with Connor and the other half was under in the secret writing space that Marina had been preparing for him since she found the bats was an amusing setup for some serious conversations about what was important. Connor showing up with the intention to go into space since there wasn’t anything left for him on earth was just a catalyst to get him up to the roof, and he is usually able to solve most of his problems with money even if that’s hardly the healthiest of most long-lasting coping mechanism. The main heart of the episode was focused on Denise and Sarah, who, after all of the hurdles and jokes that happened en route to becoming parents again, had to contend with a disappointment that Denise asked to just be able to live in for a moment. It’s sweet to see how these characters have developed, and mostly, I’m just relieved that we’ll be getting another season since I did not think that was guaranteed at all at this point. Tom’s book coming out or not coming out wasn’t what this all was riding on, but Connor being the mystery funder who bought the publishing company will definitely complicate things in a season three that I’m very much looking forward to seeing when this show returns.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Karla Souza as Marina and Sasheer Zamata as Denise

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 21 “Book Deal, Terms Negotiable” (B+)

I’m never unhappy seeing Rhys Darby in a role of any sort, especially after I had the chance to interview him a few weeks ago for “Our Flag Means Death.” Tom getting multiple offers on his book did indeed merit a drum roll, though he wasn’t ultimately happy with Monroe’s non-negotiable stipulations that came with an extremely generous sum. While reshaping it to be called “The Lesbian’s Brother” and essentially writing him out of his own story might have seemed like the most egregious offenses, it was the fact that he wouldn’t get a physical copy that upset him most, and which Marina ultimately convinced him was a good enough reason to turn down the deal. I enjoyed seeing the predictable resentment that Denise, Sarah, and Connor felt at being thinly defined by a particular characteristic they did possess but didn’t want to freely admit was an element of their personality. Tom faking an earthquake to try to escape the awkwardness wasn’t terribly effective, but I like that Lupe offered to do it again later provided he was the one to clean it up. It looks like this is the last we’ll see of June Diane Raphael’s Lauren in this context after Connor suggested watching a limited series on the couch and she bolted, but I’d be happy to see her again, even if it’s in an adversarial context at school. Most importantly, this show has scored a season three renewal, which is excellent news, so we’ll get plenty more Hayworth comedy and drama!

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 20 “Mango THC Gummies, $18” (B+)

I enjoyed the series of instances in which Tom rushed quickly to pick up his phone when he thought his agent was calling and failed to catch a mug or something else as he did it. Answering Denise’s phone without realizing that it wasn’t his was also quite entertaining. Marina trying to keep herself sane from his constant yammering led to her taking both the gummies she brought for her and the ones she brought for him, and it was the perfect unfortunate opportunity for her to run into her boss Robert Richard. His enthusiasm and expressiveness is really impossible to notice, and his description of how he was being so emotional and they would have obviously been able to tell was a humorous ending to that plotline. Sarah’s big show did become a bit of a disaster, but Denise was able to help salvage it and it ultimately came together after a long and mildly disturbing scene featuring Julia Child’s bottom half running around silently on stage. What I liked most was the introduction of June Diane Raphael, a terrific actress from “Grace and Frankie,” as Vice Principal Lauren, who was able to provide some refuge for Connor from the woman trying too hard to set him up and was making out with him by the end of the show. I like her in this role and would love to see how this potentially unadvisable romance works out, and particularly how she interacts with the rest of the Hayworth family.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 19 “Animatronic Gorilla, $2,200” (B)

I will say, I expected that this whole Tom birthday plotline was going to end with something even more humiliating happening to him as an adult that would just cement his negative perception of his birthday and any way to celebrate it. But instead the trauma was shared with that horrifying malfunctioning animatronic gorilla, but he got to see that his family, annoyed as they may often be with him, did want nothing more than for him to be happy. He got to travel an entertaining detour as his father showed up to his class to share his erotic stories that impressed his students far more than his own novel, and to me it was humorous mainly because I mostly associate actor Phil Reeves with his role as Andrew Doyle on “Veep,” where he’s an absolutely terrible person who delights in ripping other to shreds with very crude language. Denise taking revealing photos of Marina could have crossed a line of some sort, but instead it went the predictable route of the most scandalous among them ended up left on the printer, to be found by Lupe and not Marshall, which at least was a bit of a relief. Denise leaned into the lies about what she and Sarah did and how much money they had, and Simon seemed perfectly willing to still go with them even after they came clean. That potential faded away very quickly when he outed himself as a major conspiracy theorist and flat-earther, an unfortunate end to a brief rollercoaster for the couple seeking to expand their family.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 17 “Workout Leggings, $29” (B+)

It’s fun to see the two more creatively-minded Hayward siblings try to work together and realize that they were only able to accomplish great things by being at each other’s throats, while the more business-oriented one got to bond with the two outlaws in a way that they didn’t find quite as endearing as he did. Tom doesn’t make things easy on Sarah when he jumps to correct her every grammatical error, and giving her a whole set of notes was definitely an aggressive way to approach their professional collaboration. Seeing them try to get along by being polite was fun, but ultimately it just didn’t yield the results they needed. Connor was quite intense as a trainer for Denise and Marina, who preferred gossiping and not putting in the full effort required. It’s not a surprise that he wouldn’t be able to read social cues and get that they didn’t want him to invade on their hangout time, something they required since they did appreciate being married to his siblings but helped them to decompress and just be normal. I was pleased to see Vincent Rodriguez III from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “With Love,” and it made sense that he didn’t just have a one-scene role as an instructor in the park but instead someone who told her about how he’s donated his sperm a number of times in the past to lesbian couples trying to have a baby. Even if that doesn’t end up happening, I have a feeling that Denise is going to become attached to the idea and seriously pursue it.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 16 “Keg of Light Beer, $180” (B)

This was hardly the most inventive half-hour, but it was still decently entertaining. The things Tom says never seem to come out all that well, and it wasn’t that much of a stretch that he would be mistaken for a college student and freely accept that so that he could feel young again. Marina was also happy to be taken in as one of them until Tom’s phone screen lit up and he was outed as a family man with multiple kids. That one of them had read – and liked – his book only boosted his ego, and it will be interesting to see if he ends up going for and getting this guest lecturer position. Marina may have also found herself a new babysitter, which would solve another issue that’s relatively pressing. Gretchen being terrible at singing was an unexpected plotline, one that helped Sarah to find a new way to combat the nepotism at play at her school and spare Gretchen’s feelings in the process. I hope this show doesn’t become too focused on the reality show that Jojo is going to be a contestant on, but I did enjoy that Denise baked Connor extremely salty brownies to make a point that people tend to be polite to those they care about even if they don’t like something. That she made him even one good brownie was nice since it’s not as if she needed to make him anything, just to help him realize that he should let Jojo do what she really wanted rather than what she was trying to do to make him happy.

What I’m Watching: Home Economics

Home Economics: Season 2, Episode 15 “FaceFlop App, $1.99” (B+)

It’s not surprising to me at all that Sarah would be extremely passionate about musicals, and that she would take the opportunity to potentially direct one for her school as a way to make up for a poor experience as a kid when her parents didn’t appropriately support her talents. Connor mentioning it to them so that they ended up coming didn’t help much, but her family members, for the most part, did a good job of regurgitating their compliments for the head of school. Of course that would be the time that Denise’s question to Tom or Connor about them being a potential sperm donor would lead to help ferociously competing, first to load a dishwasher in a way that drove Lupe crazy and then by slapping each other. This does happen a lot, but somehow it doesn’t get old because both Tom and Connor are so easily triggered into infantile behavior whenever either of them is challenged or wants to outdo the other. Fortunately, Sarah’s management of the people behaving like children about her was just the audition she needed to impress Allison and land herself the gig. I did enjoy Connor calling something a “mute point” and his obvious inability to explain the full meaning of DNA. As the two most reasonable Connor family members, Denise and Marina need to work on their communication skills since they were just keeping up appearances and nearly committed very strongly to things that they absolutely did not want or support.