Family and Education: Single Parents "Every Thursday Should Be Like This"/"A Place Where Men Can Be Men"

"Every Thursday Should Be Like This"

"Every Thursday Should Be Like This" was one of the season's best episodes. The episode had hilarious moments, and Tony went at it to cook the turkey to the kids trying to figure out a play to put together for their parents. And while Miggy and the kids' school teacher are a thing, the moment with Doug was also perfect. 

But it was Angie, Amy, and Will who had the moment. As Angie tries to bond with Amy, things get out. Amy tells Angie that she thinks that Sophie is annoying and soon realizes and leaves. Angie tries to fix it by telling Will and taking him to her at a local restaurant where singles go on holiday. But Angie never told Will what Amy said, and the three got back in time for turkey. 

But it was the final moment as Angie sat at the table that Amy thanked her for not telling Will about what she had said but also for keeping Angie's secret. I'm guessing she has feelings for Will. 

This episode was so well written, with moments of emotions and hilariousness. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10. 

"A Place Where Men Can Be Men" 

It's time to tell the birds and the bees after Graham got suspended from school after bringing Doug's porn magazines for show and tell. Will and Doug try to help Angie give Graham the talk, but things get complicated when Will learns that his father had cheated on his mother after seeing a secret letter and photo in a math book. Doug tells both Will and Graham the meaning of how sex can be curious and confusing. 

Meanwhile, Poppy Miggy and the girls see Rory's new look. But after he reveals the new look, it looks like one of the girls wants to look different, too, but the other sister isn't for it. Poppy tries to help find each other with their look while Angie and Sophie bonded. 

"A Place Where Men Can Men" was a beautiful episode of learning about life, role models, and finding your looks.  The cat gave an outstanding performance that was funny and heartwarming. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch Single Parents Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30 on ABC.

Scary Reunions: Single Parents "Welcome to Hell, Sickos"/"Xander and Camille"

"Welcome to Hell, Sickos" 

Happy Halloween!

"Welcome to Hell, Sickos" was a hilarious Halloween episode. As Will tries to be there for Sophie's Halloween party at school, he gets distracted by his girlfriend's birthday party and her family at one of those locked room games. As Doug takes the kids to their party at school, he forgets to decorate for the party but gets surprised when the room is all decorated ten times scarier.  But Doug learns that his twin girls decorated the place for him.

Meanwhile, Angie and Poppy have a night after their kids tell them they don't need them to trick or treat. They drink Doug's wine and soon invite teenagers to the place to have a party to see if they could be fantastic. But after a fun time, they learn that those kids have stolen all of Doug's liquor and gotten them back just in time for Doug and others to get around.

I immensely enjoyed this episode, but it's par with last season's Halloween episode. It had some perfect moments of humor and heart, but overall, I give this episode a 7.5/10.

"Xander and Camille" 

As Angie and Poppy have a night out, Angie spots a man and soon gets a one-night stand. But Angie learns that the man she slept with is Doug's son. Soon, Poppy gets them together for a reunion, and the two handle their hard feelings to one another while playing golf.

Meanwhile, Will teaches Miggy how to discipline after taking their devices away from them after stealing Miggy's credit card for things. But soon, the kids pull a fast one, and both Will and Miggy discuss with the kids their demands. But as they get their phones and the kids get their devices, Will and Miggy pull a fast one with the Wi-Fi shutoff.

"Xander and Camille" might be one of my favorite episodes of the season. I thought the shocking news of Doug having a son was so good and funny. But I couldn't get enough of Will and Miggy in this episode, along with the kids. It was just too amusing and with memorable moments. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

You can catch Single Parents Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30 on ABC.

Friendships and Secrets: Single Parents "Big Widow Wives"/"Sport"

"Big Widow Wives"

After the fire, Angie had a hole in her wall. So she and Will try to patch it up. Angie tries to get Will to help her with other things. But when an opossum is left in the house after the wall gets patched, Angie decides to deal with it herself. Afterward, Angie decides that with the hole in the wall again, she and Graham will stay at Doug's house for a while. 

Meanwhile, Poppy learns that Doug is having a night with the guys, but after she decides not to go with him, she does and learns that Doug doesn't meet with his guys but a grief group of widows. A bit jealous, Poppy talks to Doug about it, and she becomes part of the group. 

Others: Miggy is now learning the meaning of a hard day at the office. When babysitting the kids, he gets them to do chorus for him with a point system that worked. Rory helps Graham, afraid of the fire accident, by pulling a Grey Gardens look that doesn't go well. Graham did ace his fear when helping Angie with the opossum. 

"Big Widow Wives" was an excellent episode. I couldn't get enough of Angie and Will's friendship chemistry in this episode. Whether or not they get to be together in a relationship or keep being friends, I'm okay with it. This episode was one of Brad Garrett's best episodes, with solid character development and excellent moving performance. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

"Sport"

As Will gets the Gator soccer team ready for the short season, Poppy asks if Rory can play, even though he has never played soccer. That is, until he can kick the soccer ball like a pro. Will saw the opportunity that using him could take them to the championship, but there's a cost; Rory is not nine but ten years old. 

After Poppy begs Will, he keeps Rory on the team as the team goes to the championship. That is until Poppy takes him out by telling everyone his actual age. It left a lovely moment between Poppy and Rory about hiding his age, and ended up with a birthday party the next day. 

Doug is getting tired of Graham coming up to him like a dog. Angie tries to help by telling Graham to give Doug some space but instead tells him to be himself and let it be. But that pushed Doug to a moment when he talked hard about not wanting to bond with him. Angie hears that, and she tells Doug why Graham has been acting like that because he wants a male role model.
During Rory's birthday party, Doug helps Graham to learn how to tie a necktie. It was so moving that it got Angie eating more of Doug's Jag snacks. 

"Sports" was a hilarious episode. While the Rory, Poppy, and Will story was probably the funniest story of the episode, the best happens between Graham, Doug, and Angie. That story between Angie, Graham, and Doug was so good and showed a lot of heart. And I couldn't get enough of Doug's JAG snack moments. I got to figure out snacks for my shows. Anyway, overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

You can catch Single Parents Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30 on ABC.

Growing with Love: Single Parents "Graham Fought the Bones and the Bones Won"/"Derek Sucks"

"Graham Fought the Bones and the Bones Won"

It's the first day of second grade, and while Will is excited again, it's not turning out how he had planned. Will sees that Sophie has pretty much matured since coming back home from space camp for the reason because she didn't rely on her dad.  Meanwhile, Will wasn't too pleased that he couldn't be the second-grade room parent who happens to go to Doug instead. Both tried to fix it but faced the fact that it is what it is.

Meanwhile, Angie helps Miggy get work at her job to help make more money for his kid for school. Angie shows Miggy and even tells him the ins and outs of why she hates the job, as it's boring. But apparently, Miggy has been enjoying it; he even left Poppy a message that he quit the wine library. But as Angie worries about not receiving a message back from her ex, Derek, soon he pops right back.

"Graham Fought the Bones and the Bones Won" was a hilarious episode and had a genuine and robust character development from a lot of the main characters. Sometimes, growing up is a pain and tough to take. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

"Derek Sucks"

Derek shows up at Angie's house to discuss the long, long, long, very long message about her son. Angie asked Will and Miggy for help in fear that her old feelings could show up. Well, it didn't turn out how she had hoped, after magically getting into bed with him after he played one note on his guitar. She tries to tell him she doesn't want Graham to see him just yet. That is until the fire occurs from Angie's cheap printer.

Angie sees that after Derek rescues Graham's stuffed animal from the fire, she wants to build him up to see Graham and send him a photo album.

Meanwhile, Doug and Poppy planned for their first date night without having a heart attack. But their kids believe something is wrong with them and ruin their dinner after sneaking out of the weirdest sleepover. But once they get there, Doug lies to tell them that they're planning for Rory's party. Poppy isn't too pleased about them lying, and Doug admits that he didn't want their first date to be about the kids, but she does and leaves to be with her son for movie night. Soon, Doug apologized and came over to Poppy's house along with his girls to watch The Goonies.

"Derek Sucks" was hilarious and fun. The Doug and Poppy story was so fun and well-developed. Angie, Miggy, and Will were hilarious as Angie dealt with the return of her ex, Derek. But I still worry about how Sophie and Graham were at that sleepover, being left behind like that and that creepy owl that deserves attention. Yikes! Overall, I give this episode an 8/10.

You can catch Single Parents Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30 on ABC.

Commentary: Food Shows are the Comfort Food during this Crisis

For the last month, since the COVID-19 crisis has hit our country pretty hard; I knew that I had to change some things in my daily route that was for the best and not. Yes, stay home and stay quarantine is the best way to keep the situation contained. But I'm talking about how I have added less of news coverage and added more food shows that have really put a comfort.

You could ask my family members, friends, that I don't start off my day or morning till I watch my Today Show to get my news, weather, and pop culture news; but during this COVID-19 crisis going the news coverage has been one giant of a news cycle. So I've at least taken their own advice by staying positive and finding distractions and that's where I come to food shows.

Whether it's the Food Network, Cooking Channel or old show that you could purchase on Google Play; it is the utmost positive thing that I could have ever add in my daily route. While my weekend mornings are all Food Network shows from The Kitchen, Valerie's Home Cooking, The Pioneer Woman, and more. And I've added the fun and thrilling competition shows like Chopped, Guy's Grocery's Games and Beat Bobby Flay.

I've learned a lot from these shows and even cooked dishes as well. I've been pretty much the cook in my family since being my grandmother's home care aide.

While The Kitchen helps you show the fun, healthy, and excitement in cooking in your kitchen. The co-hosts of Jeff Maruo, Katie Lee, Sunny Anderson, and Geoffery Zakarian (aka G-Z) all bring their own method, techniques, and recipes that I've enjoyed so much.

 The Pioneer Woman, Giada Entertains and Giada in Italy, Valerie's Home Cooking, and Girl Meets Farm cook fun and simple dishes that you could do. Also, their family stories are so good. I've really connected with them.

I do get my education with the classics like Good Eats and Good Eats Reloaded (both you can watch on Food Network and Cooking Channel). Good Eats stats Alton Brown who happens to be Mr. Wizard of food and helps dissect and educate the process of how to cook something like a steak, eggs, or even making shakshuka (for which I have made and blew my family's mind).

But maybe fun and excitement need to turn it up another level for you. That's where Guy's Grocery's Games come to play when Guy Fieri brings in chefs from around the country to compete on three tasks to make outrageous dishes under the minutes while Guy pulls off his tricks of the trade to make things really spicy and good.

While hearing the stories of the chefs that come to play are heartwarming; you just want to root them on. I do get a kick when Guy brings his friends to play and sometimes plays with their minds during April Fools episodes. It might keep your toes at times but you'll get a belly full of laughs.

And if you want some good old thrills and OMG moments, that's' where Chopped comes into play. At first, I wasn't into Chopped too much but since checking it out it's pretty good and wild on how some of these chefs get a task with what's in the basket. Right now there are two shows; the original Chopped is bring back former winners and going up against one of the judges. Last week's episode was so good; as four chefs had to beat each other to go against Scott Conant.

And there are Chopped Sweets hosted by Scott Conant as chefs come in to make desserts out of the mysterious box. It's enough to get me to eat chocolate and cupcakes after 9 pm. But why to stop there, there's  Supermarket Stakeout hosted by Alex Guarnachelli; as four chefs get $1000 and try to make a dish by taking shoppers groceries at the local grocery stores. And there's Beat Bobby Flay. Now, who doesn't want to see Bobby Flay get beat by other chefs?

But during this COVID-19 crisis taking away our March Madness; Food Network and Guy Fieri brings in the Tournament of Champions in the style of March Madness. 16 best chefs in the culinary and food network world going against each other to win it all. I disappointed not to get college basketball march madness. But the Tournament of Champions was the perfect replacement; as it had twisted and turns and moments that I thought one chef would win but didn't. I got my march madness thrills!

I've probably gone a little bit long here, but I'm just telling you what has helped me through this COVID-19 crisis. I've cut half of my news time for something that I could find that is helpful: cooking. I'm not looking to make a seven-course dinner. I'm just looking for something that could take my mind off of this chaos crisis not only by watching television shows; but cooking shows can make you laugh, cry, and even have some fun. Because isn't that what we need right now?

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