Man With a Plan – The Ex Files

By: Ujjyani Banerjee

Adam (Matt LeBlanc) and Lowell (Matt Cook) are at the office. Don (Kevin Nealon) comes in with an interesting fact about British pronunciations. Adam finds them arrogant. Lowell departs for the bank leaving his phone behind. He gets a text. Don checks it in spite of Adam’s displeasure and they soon learn that Lowell’s ex-wife wants to get a drink with him. Remembering Lowell’s nasty tearful breakup, they decide to delete the text. Unable to do that under stress, Don shoves the phone inside Adam’s pants right in time before Lowell walks in looking for his cellphone. Adam gets home for dinner and tells Andi (Liza Snyder) about how Joe (Stacy Keach) is behaving weirdly ever since his pacemaker got in as it’s like his parents don’t want him hanging out anymore. Kate (Grace Kaufman) comes to the kitchen, looking for dinner too and Andi starts to hurry. Adam asks Kate to go spy on Joe and fill him in with details later. Kate says no until she’s bribed with $20. She decides to drop by grandpa’s after school the next day and goes upstairs. Soon Andi notices Adam handling two phones. She learns about Lowell receiving his ex’s message and how the brothers decided to steal the device itself. Andi suggests Adam express the concern they have and return the phone. She wants Lowell to be treated like an adult who is capable of making his own life choices.

Don, Adam, Andi and Marcy (Kali Rocha) wait for Lowell to arrive. Don tries locating Lowell’s phone but realizes that they have it. Marcy wishes that they just got rid of the text like she deletes Don’s British pronunciation texts. Lowell arrives. When Adam asks about how he feels about his ex-wife Jen, Lowell says that he has moved on as his email hacking days have long gone. The group lets him know about the text. Lowell springs up in joy upon seeing that he’s been invited for a drink and considers it as reconciliation. In spite of everyone asking him to not get too excited or fall into Jen’s traps once again, Lowell confirms the date location, which apparently is the same place where they had their first date. He preps to make an early start. Also, Jen is already at the hotel. Andi finds it odd, but Lowell thinks that his lady love is busy preparing their love nest in advance. After Lowell leaves Adam decides to visit Jen at Bainbridge Hotel, along with Don, and get clarity on her intentions beforehand.

Kate visits grandpa’s after school and finds the whole house empty. She drops her bag on the sofa and looks around. Suddenly, she stumbles into the bedroom only to witness her grandparents having sex. Kate rushes out, so disturbed that she forgets to carry her bag back home. Meanwhile, Adam and Don are at the hotel where they learn that Jen is busy celebrating her Bachelorette party. Appalled, Adam gatecrashes the party to give the bride-to-be a piece of his mind, but unfortunately she’s not there yet. Jen’s girlfriends mistake the siblings to be their strippers but one of them wonders if Jen used a Groupon to get these grey haired men for the night. Adam stomps out. The brothers get home and tell their wives about Jen getting married but wanting to enjoy her last “single” night with Lowell. Don also speaks about the stripper issue which makes Marcy blush. Andi remains lost in thought. Adam looks displeased. They finally decide that the ladies will break the news to Lowell while the guys can render emotional support. Adam says no as it gets uncomfortable for him. Just then Kate arrives and goes straight to her room, only mentioning that her dad and uncle should gear up for a third sibling soon. Adam looks confused.

Soon, Lowell is called in for the big reveal. Andi and Marcy struggle with the news, so Adam ends up spilling the beans. He also adds that Jen is marrying none other than Ira Stone, their divorce lawyer. Lowell is left aghast. He wishes that Jen was on the receiving end for once. While the ladies feel bad for him, Adam suggests stooping lower and taking revenge. They decide to use Lowell’s email hacking prowess. Lowell leaves to get Jen’s login credentials when Bev (Swoosie Kurtz) walks in to drop Kate’s bag. She tells Adam about what her granddaughter witnessed and complains about how Joe has become a sex-maniac ever since the pacemaker. So much so that she has no time left to go on grocery runs anymore. She asks Adam to speak to his dad on dialing things down. Adam looks shaken as he returns to “Operation: Revenge.” Lowell returns with Jen’s password and Andi successfully hacks into the account. They find that Jen used a travel website to plan her honeymoon and decide to wreak havoc on her seat bookings by shifting the couple’s business class seats to next-to-the-toilet seats and modify the hotel reservations by changing their beachfront room to a ground floor, parking lot view’room. Andi asks Lowell to do the honors of confirming the changes on the website but he starts having second thoughts. Lowell wonders if Jen could ever rebound back to him from Ira Stone. Adam feels disgusted and shouts at him for allowing himself to be repeatedly used. He calls Lowell family and admits that it hurts to watch him get hurt over and over again. Andi looks proudly at her husband who has finally broken down that emotional barrier of his. Adam asks Lowell to push the “Confirm Changes” button but he says no. Lowell decides to let Jen go as he just got blessed with a family! He hugs Adam and everyone cheers. Don and Marcy leave to celebrate. Adam is still standing intertwined in Lowell’s arms, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. Lowell finally lets go and goes home smiling. Andi teases Adam for being head over heels with Lowell but genuinely appreciates the sneak peek at his sensitive side. In fact, she finds it hot. The couple starts to make out and Kate arrives, looking disgusted. Andi decides to go upstairs to continue with their love-making. Adam follows her but only after hitting that “Confirm Changes” button.

The next day Adam pays a visit to Joe’s. The old couple is nowhere to be seen in the living room. Adam stands at the door and makes it clear that he won’t come in. Suddenly, Bev comes out, looking disheveled and asks Adam to leave, claiming that she upped her B12s to match her husband. Joe smirks and concurs to his beautiful ruffled-up wife. Adam looks like he is going to puke anytime now!