Jimmy grapples with being an empty nester and feeling torn about Alice's major life choice. Paul faces fresh challenges with his Parkinson's. The gang unites to support Paul during a health setback. Jimmy and Alice help Louis take a big step. Liz and Derek make a tough choice.
"My Bad" was written by Brian Gallivan and directed by Randall Keenan Winston
Paul refuses to let Parkinson's dictate his life. His life is so much more than what he dictates it to be though. He spent far too much time alone. He's brilliant in his profession. Even when Sean is skeptical about his philosophy with the Field, Paul is ultimately proven right. He just needs to be winning to see and embrace the signs the universe is sending him as well. Getting married to Julie is more than a matter of convenience. It's a celebration. One he must reluctantly accept. He is surrounded by people who care about him. He extends that grace too. Sure, his menacing stare at the Wesleyan coach probably wasn't helpful. It doesn't prevent Alice from accepting a spot on the college team. She has her own issues to overcome. She's lucky to have a big and frighteningly loyal support group. They can be intimidating to those on the outside. The narrative has to carefully manage how the group expands and the dynamics within it. The show does so masterfully. It knows how to blend the perfect amount of comedy and drama. It's serious when Paul realizes he has had a hallucination of another Parkinson's patient. He can't live in that denial. It's not going to stop him from living either. He and Julie were fine with a courthouse wedding. Gaby wasn't going to let that happen. She got everyone in the spirit of this celebration. That eventually found its way to Paul and Julie too. They just had to let their loved ones express their appreciation in their own unique ways.
Paul refuses to let Parkinson's dictate his life. His life is so much more than what he dictates it to be though. He spent far too much time alone. He's brilliant in his profession. Even when Sean is skeptical about his philosophy with the Field, Paul is ultimately proven right. He just needs to be winning to see and embrace the signs the universe is sending him as well. Getting married to Julie is more than a matter of convenience. It's a celebration. One he must reluctantly accept. He is surrounded by people who care about him. He extends that grace too. Sure, his menacing stare at the Wesleyan coach probably wasn't helpful. It doesn't prevent Alice from accepting a spot on the college team. She has her own issues to overcome. She's lucky to have a big and frighteningly loyal support group. They can be intimidating to those on the outside. The narrative has to carefully manage how the group expands and the dynamics within it. The show does so masterfully. It knows how to blend the perfect amount of comedy and drama. It's serious when Paul realizes he has had a hallucination of another Parkinson's patient. He can't live in that denial. It's not going to stop him from living either. He and Julie were fine with a courthouse wedding. Gaby wasn't going to let that happen. She got everyone in the spirit of this celebration. That eventually found its way to Paul and Julie too. They just had to let their loved ones express their appreciation in their own unique ways.
This marks a confident return for the show. It's also fundamentally aware that it can't remain in safe places with these characters. That robs them of life. That doesn't maintain growth. And so, Jimmy and Alice are scorned when they play the dead spouse and dead mom cards. They have to receive permission to do so. Alice has the skills to survive at college. She doesn't need her crowd of adoring fans to thrive. Jimmy can't force her to stay because he's not ready to be alone. However, he's much more comfortable with the thought than he lets on. He doesn't see a future where he gets married again. He had a wife. They had nearly twenty years together. That was enough. He doesn't need more. Paul doesn't want him to give up and be stuck in his ways. He knows the pain that causes. He wants the next generation to do better. Jimmy will still get in his own way. The characters need that self-awareness in order to grow. Brian and Liz are pleased with themselves for not breaking Ava's heart. They can't force her out of the family even though that's what they want. She's sad and alone. She's about to give birth. Life will change. Time is running short for these big conversations to occur. Nothing changes. Yet they find a way to believe in their inherent goodness to believe they're right. So much laughter can be found over the course of this extended premiere. But the character growth is what keeps the narrative functioning as it throws new opportunities at the entire ensemble instead of allowing them to ever get too comfortable.
Grade: A
"Happiness Mission" was written by Brett Goldstein and directed by Zach Braff
Good things will only happen if you're willing to take the first step. It doesn't perfectly align with Jimmy's "fake it till you make it" mentality. However, that showcases the limitations of jimmying. Louis is on the receiving end of that attention. He recognizes that it's basically just Jimmy annoying people until they relent and listen to him. He nevertheless takes that first step. He sees Sarah. He was holding himself back. He couldn't move on even with Jimmy and Alice trying to help him. They chose to forgive him. It weighed heavily on them throughout the second season. They don't even recognize the effect that's had on their friends who also cared for Tia. The animosity radiates off Gaby. She's justifiable upset. It culminates in a powerful monologue about all the missing happy memories with Tia that were taken away. It's selfish for Louis to not live his life. That's the message that actually communicates what he needs to do next. It's not the small steps of acceptance offered by Jimmy and Alice. Even seeing that Sarah has moved on doesn't derail Louis. Instead, he takes it as a sign to no longer wallow in the misery. It's an obvious ending for the character. It's a sendoff that occurs early in the new season. It wraps up business that dominated the previous batch of episodes. It's still alarming when others hear about the backstory of how Louis met Jimmy and Alice. Julie would have liked a heads up from Paul. It's alarming. And now, Louis has decided to return to his career as a graphic designer. He doesn't know what will happen next. He's no longer frightened to discover what possibilities await.
Good things will only happen if you're willing to take the first step. It doesn't perfectly align with Jimmy's "fake it till you make it" mentality. However, that showcases the limitations of jimmying. Louis is on the receiving end of that attention. He recognizes that it's basically just Jimmy annoying people until they relent and listen to him. He nevertheless takes that first step. He sees Sarah. He was holding himself back. He couldn't move on even with Jimmy and Alice trying to help him. They chose to forgive him. It weighed heavily on them throughout the second season. They don't even recognize the effect that's had on their friends who also cared for Tia. The animosity radiates off Gaby. She's justifiable upset. It culminates in a powerful monologue about all the missing happy memories with Tia that were taken away. It's selfish for Louis to not live his life. That's the message that actually communicates what he needs to do next. It's not the small steps of acceptance offered by Jimmy and Alice. Even seeing that Sarah has moved on doesn't derail Louis. Instead, he takes it as a sign to no longer wallow in the misery. It's an obvious ending for the character. It's a sendoff that occurs early in the new season. It wraps up business that dominated the previous batch of episodes. It's still alarming when others hear about the backstory of how Louis met Jimmy and Alice. Julie would have liked a heads up from Paul. It's alarming. And now, Louis has decided to return to his career as a graphic designer. He doesn't know what will happen next. He's no longer frightened to discover what possibilities await.
Jimmy agonizes over a decision as well. He and Sofi have a connection. She creates a reason to see him again. They are perfectly awkward and charming during their 14 minutes together. Liz, Derek and Sean blast Jimmy for not asking her out on a date. It's painfully obvious to them. They would work well together. They wouldn't feel embarrassed upon reflecting in hindsight. That's a huge step up from Jimmy's past relationships. That includes his time with Gaby. Yet Jimmy can't seem to get out of his own way. He walks up and down Sofi's driveway trying to muster the courage to talk. It doesn't happen. This step can't be avoided forever. Jimmy has to be the one willing to take it. That's the overall lesson of this episode. Similarly, Derek can't continually rely on Liz to be the bad guy. That's not fair to her even though she's good at it. She enjoys telling Paul what to do. She'll carry the burden in parenting. Derek must own up to his mistakes and rectify them now. That's the only way to offer the support Matthew needs. He can't be coddled any longer. Meanwhile, Sean can't hide whenever his ex Marisol calls. She's persistent. Gaby and Liz like her when they see her harassing Jorge at the food truck. The playful teasing of Sean is amusing. It's not too serious. It's impressive how that occurs in direct contrast to Gaby's heightened emotions. It works. Plus, Sean returns Marisol's call. He needs to see what she wants instead of hiding over the pain that was caused when they broke up when he was in Afghanistan.
Grade: B
