Family Bonding: Life In Pieces "Recovery Discipline Psycho Labor"/"Lost Math Art Glam"

From bonding while walking to dealing with labor during a birthday party and trying to take a family photo. Here's a recap of the last episode of Life In Pieces.

"Recovery Discipline Psycho Labor"

Still, in their recovery from their health, Tim gets Joan to walk with him, but as they walk, they bump into a skeet ball arcade. As soon as they play a game, they get hooked every time they go for their walks. But a few days later, they see that the game has been picked. You,p, and Tim killed the meaning of walking with Joan. That ended when Joan came back the next day and got Tim to join her to walk with her to an air hockey game. 

Matt and Colleen have difficulty with their new adoptive son, whom Dougie influences. They soon learn from Heather that being a parent doesn't mean being their child's best friend. After Dougie showed the kid a video of an autopsy of an alien, the kid went to Matt and Colleen because he couldn't sleep, probably due to the autopsy he watched. After getting into bed with them, all seemed fine for Matt and Colleen.

John befriends the creepy janitor at school. Sophia worries that this could be a problem until she sees that her pop pop is depressed and that he's not his friend anymore. Soon, Sophia confronts the janitor and learns he's not so bad and has a heart. But when she shows him off to her classmates, they get freaked out. 

Trying to celebrate Lark's birthday a few weeks before the baby is due, it turns out the baby is ready to come. Jen tries to make it through with the party as Greg tries to rush along as quickly as possible. But they can't make it as Jen's water breaks, and she and Greg tell Lark that her baby sister is coming and tells her that she will have some gifts when she meets her new sister. Soon, they walk out while Matt and Colleen walk in late, forgetting Lark's heritage. 

"Recovery Discipline Psycho Labor" was an excellent episode. The Tim and Jona story was good, with good character development, and watching these two bond together was just hilarious and heartwarming. Matt and Colleen's story was good, as it was fantastic to see the return of Dougie once again. It's funny watching the kid bond with Dougie as Matt and Colleen try to be good parents to both of them. The Sophia story wasn't as strong as the previous one, but it was okay and probably the weakest storyline in the episode. But the Jen and Greg story brought home the funny as they tried to make Lark's birthday the best, but the baby had plans. I think it was Zoe Lister-Jones' best performance so far this season. 

Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10. 

"Lost Math Art Glam" 

As Greg brings Lark to meet her new baby sister, Lark goes on an adventure in the hospital. Greg goes crazy searching for her, thinking that maybe she got on the right floor to see Jen, but when Heather learns what happened, she gets Greg to search. After bumping into a singing teddy gram to a child with the flu, Greg finally finds Lark and brings her to meet her sister, who she loves. But when Greg and Jen take the moment, Heather appears so happy that Lark is okay, giving Jen the idea that Greg lost Lark, but she learns that it happened when a Code Adam was being called on the intercom. 

When Sophia is having a hard time with her math homework, Heather and the family try to figure it out, but with it being the new math that it is, it's not at all as easy as it once was. After grabbing Tim, Jen, Greg, and even Colleen to help, Heather was determined to get this work done. She eventually learned from Sam, who paid and let her go to the new rave. 

Matt gives John an artwork from his new grandson and places it on the fridge. But Matt sees that John accepts his son's artwork and gets him to bond with him. But when Matt comes over to check in, he learns that John took him to the golf course but learns even more than his son doesn't like art but rocks. There's a solid case to make as the kid picks up rocks, talks to them, and kisses them. Soon, Matt gets John to join an art class with Heather but learns that he must put his alcohol in a water bottle and not in a wine glass. 

Colleen wants to do a family portrait, but Joan does not want one. She fears how she looks in photos and that it all began in school. Colleen finally gets her to do one after telling her she can fix her appearance, but that doesn't go well with the rest of the family, including Lark. Colleen and Jen get Joan to sit down at the family table, and as she holds the new baby, they finally get the family photo, even though she doesn't smile very well. She still got it!

"Lost Math Art Glam" was an excellent and robust episode. From Greg losing Lark in the hospital to Heather and their family, learning new math was hilarious and hits close-to-home moments with more on the new math. Even the Family Photo was the icing on the episode cake with good character development with Joan and Colleen. The Matt and John story was good and had some moments but didn't follow through, I thought. Overall, I give this episode an 8/10.

You can catch Life In Pieces on Thursdays at 9:30/8:30 on CBS.