Reviews: Lightening Round!! Go, go, go!
Gloria's mother Pilar is in town and she keeps criticizing Gloria. Claire shows up to spend time with her so that Gloria can have some time off, but to her horror Claire and Pilar get along great, and now Gloria feels jealous. In the end, Claire reveals that she's jealous because her mother only ever sends her slippers for Christmas and won't come to visit.
Good: All of it! Really funny. I think the jealousies and insecurities between Gloria and Claire are always really fascinating to look at. I also liked how Pilar spun some crazy theory about Claire's slippers being a nostalgic memento from the past... that was hilarious.
Phil has been trying to go on an elliptical machine the distance from their house to Canada in a year. If he fails to do so, the machine will be moved out of the bedroom and down to the garage. As the Christmas deadline approaches, Phil tries desperately to complete his goal. Luke encourages him especially, since he's been failing to take the recycling out all year long, and it's all hidden behind a tarp in the garage. He doesn't want to be discovered. But just in case Phil doesn't complete his task, Luke hires Dylan to come remove the recycling. Dylan accidentally takes fireworks instead. Phil gives up, but Luke sees how depressed he is and encourages him to get back on the elliptical and finish the task, which he does.
Good: All of it again! Phil is sort of a project-starter type of guy, and it was nice to see him follow through and complete this task, with Luke as his helper. There's this really meaningful speech at the end about Christmas and memories and how old stuff becomes important.. and then we zoom in on Luke talking to Phil and Claire, explaining that this is the reason he didn't get rid of the recycling. So funny.
Mitch is very proud of himself for taking care of all the Christmas shopping early, but then Lily reveals that all she wants is a Puppy Pound. Mitch had gotten her a guppy pond, because she had spelled her request wrong on her wish list. So, Mitch must brave the mall. He also has to buy presents for their friend Pepper, who he only just realized wanted gifts for his party. Meanwhile, Cam and Lily go to a charity event for poor people, but it turns out that the charity event is for poor people, and he and Lily are mistaken for the needy. Lily even gets a Puppy Pound, but she later gives it to a kid who doesn't have any hope for Christmas presents.
Good: Mitch's stuff about the last minute shopping was hilarious. I loved the joke about "no presents please" said in Pepper's voice. Also, the clever way that "puppy pound" ends up written as "guppy pond" on Lily's wish list. Bad: I didn't so much like the part about Cam and Lily being mistaken for poor people. It seemed a bit insensitive to a real issue.
Jay wants to bring some real Christmas spirit into the house, and is horrified by the artificial tree that Manny is so proud of. The two of them go into the woods to cut down a tree for themselves, but all sorts of things go wrong, such as all of Jay's tools getting stuck in the tree. Eventually, they knock the tree down with the car, but not before stripping half of it of its greenery. They take the deformed tree proudly home and put it on display.
Good: All of it yet again. I love Jay and Manny bonding stuff. And it was so cute to see them both so proud of their tree in the end.
Haley and Alex are working at the Santa display at the mall. Haley is playing an elf and Alex is Mrs. Clause. The guy playing Santa is a loser who walks out partway through, leaving Haley and Alex to try to handle the long line of angry parents and children. Haley eventually goes into the little Santa house to see Alex, grumpily lamenting that even her fake husband left her. Haley comforts her and says that she'll find someone some day. Suddenly, the mob of angry kids and parents start trying to tear down the house.
Good: This was my favorite part of the episode! I was legitimately laughing out loud while watching. All of the stuff about Alex driving people away, and Haley being the cute elf with "unforgettable eyes..." aw man, I was loving it.
Okay, there you have it. I know that wasn't very in depth but it covered all of the plots. I really enjoyed this one. It was Christmas-y without being overly sentimental, and was actually one of the strongest episode I think we've seen yet this season.
9/10
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