An awkward run-in with Mark and Tina forces Maggie and Emma to go on a rescue mission deep inside enemy territory. Bruce and Mary-Pat prepare the Sauce of the Season. Emma coaxes a reluctant Maggie into the world of online dating. Zach and Bruce attempt to babysit Charlotte.
Playing House was a show that really grew on me last year. The first two or three episodes weren't all that great. But the show really found its voice in the middle of its first season and ended so strongly in a truly wonderful but emotionally grounded place. It just became so joyous to watch and join in the chant of telling USA that it needed to renew the show for a second season. Well, that worked. And now, the show is official back for Season 2. Maggie and Emma are still the great fun people they were last season. But now, they have the added complication of having a baby in the mix.The show certainly told stories about Maggie's pregnancy last season. But a baby is something completely different. Little Charlotte is a character who needs to have a certain amount of attention in each episode in order for these characters to seem like competent and responsible parents. That could take a whole lot of fun out of the show because it needs to tell stories with the added complication of addressing what the baby is up to. But that doesn't derail the show. Yes, Charlotte is on display a lot in these first two episodes back. But the show really got lucky and found a pair of twins who really are special. There are several moments where the camera just cuts to Charlotte's reaction and it's hilarious. This show knows how to write and edit around the baby in a truly funny and engaging way. That's a very encouraging sign that just because there is a baby it won't keep the show from finding the humor in a new and original way.
The main stories of these two episodes aren't unfamiliar to regular sitcom viewers. But the show's humor helps make them feel engaging once more. It's hilarious watching as Maggie and Emma have to avoid being caught by Mark and Tina when they go on a rescue mission for one of Charlotte's toys. And it's hilarious watching as Emma encourages Maggie to get back in the dating field. Even familiar stories can feel fresh as long as the humor is on point. Maggie and Emma complement each other in so many different ways. They are both allowed moments of outrageous humor. Sometimes that means one is acting outrageously weird and the other is trying to react to that - like Maggie and Mark trying to convince Emma and Tina that their run in was just a random coincidence or Maggie walking into Emma's room of potential suitors. And other times both are allowed to be hysterical at the same time - like trying to hide from Mark by sitting in his chairs and slowly turning around at the same time. They work so wonderfully off of each other. It's the true comedic delight of the show.
"Hello, Old Friend" does a respectable job at addressing the uncertain dynamic between Maggie & Emma and Mark & Tina. That was something that the season finale largely left open-ended. Mark's job offer away from Pinebrook was never addressed again. But there was still tension four and a half months after Tina first learned that Mark proposed to Emma. They all certainly made mistakes in their handling of the situation. Mark and Maggie knew they were doing something wrong in continuing to hang out while their respective counterparts were angry at each other. But that's what led to the hilarity of the situation. The rescue mission turned into a moment of true catharsis for all four of the characters. They all had to admit that they did crazy and wrong things over the last year. It allows things to be not as tense between them moving forward this season. They probably won't be best friends again anytime soon. Mark and Tina are nowhere to be seen in the second episode. But Mark loves being around Charlotte. And now, he is able to naturally be in Maggie and Emma's lives again.
Emma forcing Maggie to get back out there was also a story that was bound to happen. Now that Charlotte is out in the world, Maggie has that ability to truly be open to the dating world again. Bruce is still a huge part of her life. But he's no longer hopelessly pining after her. He is just focusing on being the best dad - which is a significantly better story arc for him. But just because Emma wants Maggie to start dating again doesn't mean Maggie is ready for such a commitment. She remains open to the possibility. Emma does a great job of making her case on why Maggie should consider it. The room full of evidence was simultaneously creepy and flattering. But actually being on the dates shows her that she isn't ready for such a commitment just yet. And that's fine too. The guys she met probably weren't the best for her. But they weren't completely awful either - except for the guy who only wanted to party and have sex with her. Plus, that set up the wonderful final act twist where Emma is the one who finds an honest connection with a guy. He may not be a great match for her in the long run either. But right now, it's an innocent flirtation. They have a nice banter in the middle of the street where she is fine with the large amount of bread he is carrying and he is fine with the human milk stains on her blouse. And isn't that the start of all the great romances?
The subplots in both episodes largely focused on Bruce and how he is at parenting. They never took away from the main focus of the episode. They had moments of really big laughs and genuine emotions. But they also didn't have enough weight to make them more than what they actually were. It was a big deal that Mary Pat was making her sauce again. But that story largely built up to the moment where she called her son "a good son, a lousy husband and a great father." It was a nice and genuine moment but one that didn't have a whole lot of meaning to it. It basically established that parenting is something that Bruce is genuinely good at. And then, the second episode happened and Bruce freaked out when his daughter popped in the bathtub while he was in it. Both his and Zach's reactions to that were hilarious. But wouldn't that have been something that Bruce has learned to deal with by now? This couldn't have been the first time he saw what his baby was capable of producing? Despite that though, these stories were fine and helped Playing House get off to a really strong start for Season 2.
Some more thoughts:
- "Hello, Old Friend" was written by Lennon Parham & Jessica St. Clair and directed by Stuart McDonald.
- "Sleepless in Pinebrook" was written by Anthony King and directed by Stuart McDonald.
- Maggie describing her sex dream with the Property Brothers was hilarious when she had to use different words to describe it. But then it got even better when the fantasy actually came to life for Emma. So fantastical and still so amusing.
- Bruce's insistence on having "hug mouth" is the exact thing that ruined that sweet moment between him and his mother. He's also the kind of person who would believe in something called "hug mouth"
- Maggie dancing to Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" was another solid piece of physical humor.
- Zach continues to be a character where his oddities make for a truly engaging performance. The people who are usually in his fantasies are "Geena Davis and her brother."
- Please don't let Kyle Bornheimer's casting as Emma's new romantic interest be the thing that gets the show cancelled this season. He can't be that big a show killer, right?
- Emma on Mark: "He has 44 episodes of Murder, She Wrote in various stages of watched. If that's not a cry for help, I don't know what is."
- Emma on Maggie's romcom aspirations: "Plus, Tom Hanks only makes movies about World War II now. We get it. We won. Get over it."
- Maggie on Emma's room of potential suitors: "It looks like a serial killer's basement in here."
- Jared on the bathroom situation: "We have to burn this house to the ground!"
