Life in Pieces – Reverse Burden District Germany

By starrymag | July 4, 2019

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

In the first story, Tim Hughes (Dan Bakkedahl) and Heather Hughes (Betsy Brandt) discuss the possibility of Clementine Hughes (Hunter King) being pregnant and Heather declares they’re too young to be grandparents. Tim tells her she would be a hot grandma and Tyler Hughes (Niall Cunningham) tells them it was a false alarm, as they read the test incorrectly.

 

Heather tells them she hopes they learned their lesson to be more careful, and Tyler tells them that they don’t want children. Clementine explains that they don’t identify as selfless and Tim insists that everyone wants kids. Samantha Hughes (Holly Barrett) tells them she doesn’t, calling kids a burden on the environment. In response, Heather calls Samantha a burden on the environment.

 

Tim asks them if she wants joy in her life, insisting that they bring joy to his and Heather’s life. Sophia Hughes (Giselle Eisenberg) tells them she wants a ton of kids, and Tim is thrilled she’s going to continue the bloodline. She tells him she plans to adopt, and he orders her to go upstairs and not come down until she’s pregnant.

 

Later, Tim and Heather agree that they really hoped Clementine was pregnant. Heather remarks that it will be awhile until they have grandkids and Tim suggests they have their own grandkids. She is confused and Tim insists they’re still young enough to have another child.

 

Heather insists that she’s in her early forties and he tells her she’s in her mid-forties. She points out that she’s forty-three, asking why he’s making her seem older. Heather reminds him he has a vasectomy and Tim tells her he can get it reversed. Heather asks why he’s so adamant about having kids and he tells her that he feels the three best things he did were the kids he made with her. He encourages her to go down the road with her and she agrees, causing to declare they’re having a baby.

 

Dr. James Changa (Oscar Nunez) tells Tim that his scan looks bad and that his vasectomy was botched. He asks who performed the vasectomy and Tim reminds him that he did. Changa denies having done it and explains that the process to reverse it will be like putting the insides of a pumpkin back inside.

 

Changa warns him it will be extremely painful but that it can be done. Tim suggests they wait to see what Heather’s egg production is, hoping that she’s barren. Tim comes home and Heather excitedly tells him that she has the egg production of a twenty-year-old. She embraces him and he reluctantly declares they’re having a baby.

 

In the second story, Joan Short (Dianne Wiest) explains to a caller that there was a misprint on a local restaurant menu and asks them not to place their order. Matt Short (Thomas Sadoski) and Colleen Brandon-Ortega (Angelique Cabral) ask if she can watch Lucas (Vivaan Bisoi) for the evening, telling her to decide quickly as their Uber is outside.

 

Before Joan can answer, Greg Short (Colin Hanks) asks Matt and Colleen what they’re doing there. Colleen tells him Joan agreed to watch Lucas to Joan’s surprise, but Jen Short (Zoe Lister-Jones) insists that Joan is watching Lark Short (Ana Sophia Heger) and Talia Short this evening to Joan’s surprise.

 

Matt argues that Greg should share, arguing that he’s had Joan’s babysitting to himself for years. Greg argues that it shouldn’t have taken him so long to have kids and Joan tells them to stop. Greg insists they shouldn’t make Joan choose and that she’ll babysit all of the grandkids. They agree and give Joan instructions as they leave the kids with her.

 

John Short (James Brolin) finds Joan babysitting the kids and reminds her they’re supposed to be going to the theater. Joan tells him she can’t say no to the kids and begs him to help her babysit. John refuses, but Joan reminds him this is what grandparents do and he reluctantly agrees. The next morning, John tells Joan that the newspaper review says the show they missed was amazing. Joan tells him the kids went home to sleep peacefully, but now they’re back. John wishes her luck, but Joan demands he sit down and help her.

 

Heather brings Sophia over, telling Joan that Sophia can help babysit. Joan is thrilled, but Sophia tells her she has pink eye. Heather gives John Sophia’s eye drops and tells them she loves them before leaving. Sophia asks what they’re having for dinner and Joan tells her John wants stroganoff. Sophia tells her she’ll have a side of anything else and John agrees that sounds good.

 

Amber (Maisie Klompus) tells Joan that she’s always felt ignored as Joan falls asleep in their session. Joan denies she was sleeping and tells her to pick up where she left off as Lark enters the room. Lark tells Joan that Greg dropped her off at the house and Joan apologizes to Amber while calling to John for help. Lark tells Joan that her eye is itchy, and Joan asks Amber to continue. As Amber talks about feeling ignored, Joan tells Lark not to rub her eye on a pillow. Amber starts again and Joan tells Lark not to rub her eye on a nearby blanket.

 

Joan tells John she just lost a patient, clarifying that the patient left her. She declares that being a built-in babysitter is ruining what she does, and John reminds her that babysitting is what she does. Joan replies that was before they killed her career, and John insists the kids are killing his career too, questioning how he can be retired with all these kids running around. Joan insists they need to put a stop to this as she goes to confront Matt as he enters. She returns with Lucas and John tells his dog that Joan is strong except when it comes to her grandkids. Joan remarks they had luggage, and John tells her that her eye is pink.

 

In the third story, Greg and Jen tell Lark that they’re playing a game where they pretend to live at John and Joan’s house. As they enter the house, Joan asks if she’s babysitting and Greg explains that they gave their address to the school to help Lark get into a better school district. Jen explains that Principal Moore (Joni Bovill) is doing house checks today.

 

Joan agrees to help, and Greg tells Lark to throw her toys around the house. Lark points out she’ll get a timeout and Jen tells her she won’t that day. Lark is confused, but Greg tells her she’s going to do it if she wants art class. Joan tells them the bribe has to come with an immediate reward and offers Lark a calcium chew.

 

Jen explains the situation to John and John asks if the woman from the school will want to talk to Moore, who is already standing in the room. Moore glares at them and Greg insists they live there. Joan lies that she’s visiting from Tulsa and offers Moore a calcium chew. Moore asks if it’s a bribe and Lark throws her toys, causing Jen to tell her she’s getting a timeout.

 

Later, Jen comments on how expensive private school is and Greg remarks he can get a full body tattoo for the price before suggesting that one of them homeschool Lark. Jen asks who’s going to quit their job and Greg tells her she would before asking how much buying a teacher would cost. Jen suggests they buy a house in the good school district, as it would be cheaper in the long run.

 

As they come out of a house, Greg lists the pros of the house, but Jen points out the cons. Karen (Christina Ferraro) asks what they think, and Jen tells her it’s not going to work for them due to the fact that it’s terrible. Karen tells them there’s another place that isn’t on the market yet and Jen remarks that she likes things that are forbidden. Karen tells them that the house is slightly out of their price range but would be a good place to make memories with their kids.

 

As he stares at Joan and John’s house, Greg declares that they’ve already made memories there. He runs into the house and confronts them about selling their house. They explain that they were looking into it and that they found they could get a lot for it. Greg asks when they were going to tell everybody, telling them that the house means everything to the family.

 

Joan tells them that they’ve gotten good offers and that a couple told them the house was in a good school district. Jen points out they were that couple and Greg admits he thought the house would be in the family forever. Joan points out that it could be, but John tells them to have their offer in to them tomorrow, warning them not to lowball.

 

In the final story, Matt tells Colleen that he translated the email he got from the German company he applied for, telling him he got the job and to come to Germany immediately. Colleen embraces him and tells him she’s proud of him. She questions if they’re really moving to Germany but concludes that it would be good for them.

 

As they approach John and Joan’s house, Matt asks Colleen to hold off on telling the family until after his birthday party. Colleen looks nervous but denies there being a reason for it. Inside, Greg asks Matt why his birthday party is German themed. Matt denies that it’s themed, but Greg points out a banner that says “Mattoberfest.” Colleen argues that it’s common to have a geographically themed party, but Heather tells her she’s never heard of that. Colleen tells her to stop asking and enjoy the party.

 

Tim toasts to Matt as the best brother-in-law and uncle but Greg points out he’s sitting there too. Tim declares that he and Heather are having another baby, explaining it will happen as soon as he recovers from the painful reverse vasectomy. Heather declares it’s good that they’ll have help across the street, but Greg tells her not to count on it.

 

Heather asks their parents are dying and Joan explains they’re selling the house. Matt insists they can’t sell the childhood home, but Greg assure him he’s buying it. Matt declares that’s not any better and John tells them the offers for the house are very competitive. John tells them they received a letter that compared the house to the one they grew up in, and Greg points out they grew up in this house.

 

Matt questions why Greg gets to buy the house, arguing that he can afford it with his new job. He tells them about the job, and everyone is excited for him. Matt tells them he’s been working his entire life for a job like this but admits the job is in Germany. Joan can’t believe he’s moving to Germany, and Clementine comments on how his party decorations are such a coincidence. Colleen pulls Matt aside and tells him the social worker said that they can’t take Lucas out of the country until the adoption is finalized. Matt points out that’s six months away and makes the decision to not go to Germany.

 

Later, Colleen tells Matt he has to take the job. Matt reminds her they said they can’t go, but Colleen points out that he can’t let the opportunity slip through his fingers. Matt tells her that he’s not going to leave her and Lucas for six months, but she points out it’s only six months. She points out the job will be good for them and promises they’ll figure it out together as they always do. Matt asks if she’s sure and she tells him to get on the plane.

 

As Matt says his goodbyes to the entire family, Sophia warns him about a nightmare she had about his plane crashing and Clementine comments she had the same dream. Joan promises Matt they’ll be there for Colleen and Lucas and Matt says goodbye to Lucas. Colleen tells him that they love him in German and Matt embraces her before getting into the car. The family waves goodbye as he drives away.