Mel and Lennox get what they want… Or do they?
When Mel decides to throw a work-related dinner party at the house Joe offers — or, I should say, tells – Mel that he’ll do the catering for the $1,500 she was willing to pay a caterer. Joe is definitely one those jack-of-all-trades type of guys. In each episode it appears that there is nothing that he cannot do. At the party, Mel opens the door to a late-arriving and casually dressed young George, who of course looks totally out of place at the suit and tie event. Unaware that Mel is the host of the party and the city’s councilwoman, he assumes that the host is an old stuffy councilman.
She plays along with him until Joe blows her cover while she is tying one of Joe’s favorite ties around George’s neck. You can already see some innocent flirting going on between these two. At the end of the party, while Mel and Joey are cleaning up, Mel gets googly-eyed about George. Joe delivers one of the best lines of the show here inferring that Mel is a cradle robber and that George’s soft spot in the back of his head is still soft. And, in perfect comedic timing, George returns ringing the bell on his bike to get Mel’s number.
After initially lying about her age, which is 28, Mel comes clean to George and tells him that she is really 32. He is cool with that and they continue to date. Joe does attempt to dissuade Mel from pursuing the relationship telling her that their age gap is too large and that they are both on different life paths. Sometimes those friends who offer the voice of reason can be such party-poopers. At first Mel disagrees, but by the next day she’s agreeing with him. Saying everything he said to her verbatim back to him, as though she never heard him in the first place. Yes, not only can Joe cook, but he dishes out great advice as well… Jack-of-all-trades! Joe ends up finishing Mel’s speech for her by saying how ridiculous she and George look together. Just then, the doorbell rings and a young woman is there for a date with Joe. You have to love double standards! Ultimately Mel continues to date George, even planning to blow off her nephew’s soccer game to go skiing with him. She’s enamored with the idea of being his snow bunny. But, George comes through at the end gaining major brownie points by understanding Mel’s responsibilities and decides to blow off skiing to go to the soccer game with her.
Meanwhile, not all the young love in this episode has to do with Mel and George. When the editor position of the school blog becomes available Lennox is determined to get the position. Her only problem, Roman, a boy she cannot stand. The feeling is mutual with Roman. They square off shooting insults at one another, before and after they learn that they are both in the running for the position. The sparks between these two are just flying off the television screen. Ultimately they are named co-editors. Will any work really get done with these two in charge?
In the second new episode of the night we pick up right where we left off in “Young Love.” George has decided to throw a Come Meet My New Girlfriend party at Mel’s house. Seriously? Who does things like this? Oh yeah, a young minded individual. Mels feels that it’s kind of premature since they have only been dating for twelve days and she can’t come to grips with saying girlfriend. Which is kind of ironic because in past episodes she has always been trying to capture the eye of some guy. Maybe she really does have a problem with his age!
Joe actually gets a storyline in this episode as opposed to just being the king of one-liners and cheap shots. The anniversary of him and his ex-wife Tiffany is coming up and he wants to give her a card. Mel tries to reason with him and offers to send the card for him. Always remember your ex is your ex for a reason. He learns that Tiffany is keeping the anniversary reservation they always made at their favorite restaurant. He’s determined to find out who the new man in her life is. And they say only women do crazy things!?!
It’s the night of the party and the anniversary dinner and everything comes full circle. The party becomes the typical house party where people you don’t know show up and end up having more fun than you. Mel still can’t wrap her head around the title of girlfriend. She disappears to go save Joe from himself. Every episode I ask myself this same question, when are these two going to get together? For all of their snarky comments to one another they are always there to save each other. Joe has gone to the restaurant to see Tiffany and long and behold there is no other man. Just a friendly get together with a couple that didn’t want her to be alone on what was her anniversary. And remember that card Mel was supposed to send; needless to say she didn’t send it. Everything works out in the end… George shows up and he and Mel end up having dinner at the restaurant and she comes to terms with being his girlfriend. And Joe and Tiffany end up in the bathroom for old times sake. You have to love thirty-minute comedies.
As for Lennox and Roman, well, the insults between them get so intense that they end up kissing and their teacher walks in on them. He tells them that they cannot be co-editors if there is a relationship going on because he cannot trust them in a room by themselves. Neither one of them wants to resign, so they do the next best thing. Continue to argue in public but hold hands under the table.
I think we need more of these silly feel good comedy shows on television and less reality that’s not so real.
Next up… Will Mel follow her young love to Italy?
Some stats and info about Melissa & Joey, “The Settlement”
TV SHOW – Melissa & Joey
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – Freeform
GENRE – Comedy, Relationship Shows
CREATED BY – David Kendall, Bob Young
CAST – Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence, Taylor Spreitler, Nick Robinson
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.