Man With a Plan – Yeah, Maybe

By: Ujjyani Banerjee

The episode begins with breakfast. Everybody is singing praises for Lowell’s (Matt Cook) biscuits. Don (Kevin Nealon) wonders how could Lowell’s wife leave him given he makes such fluffy biscuits while Adam (Matt LeBlanc) suggests he consider the biscuits as substitutes to a  bed for his home in the future. Lowell says cooking is the least he can do for them given that they gave him shelter in his darkest hours. Kate (Grace Kaufman) appreciatively admits with her siblings that they never ate like this before. Adam looks at them interestingly, given they are provided cooked food everyday, but Kate stands by her way.

While they’re all having breakfast Andi (Liza Snyder) realizes it’s her and Adam’s one week work-versary. Adam tells the kids about how their mom will show sample finishes for the flipped house and the kids understand nothing, pissing off Adam. According to him it seems he and Andi take pains to listen to their boring stories but they don’t do the same in return. While leaving Andi offers to give Lowell a ride to the office, but he needs to drop by the groceries to pick up buttermilk for Fried Chicken Friday. Now the kids want him to stay with them forever, but Andi feels settling independently would be good for Lowell. However, Adam doesn’t want Fried Chicken Friday to get ruined either.

At the office Andi shows the final samples, which Adam loves. While Don’s mind is still orbiting the fluffy-biscuit planet, Adam (his brother in the real world) is not sure about a Peruvian tile, which Andi feels would be for customers wanting a more elegant look. Adam is sure their locality would prefer Home Depot to Peruvian and this would be a gamble. He puts his foot down. Andi backs off but is offended by his tone. After she’s gone Don tells Adam that he should’ve said yes to the Peruvian tile.

The next day Adam and Lowell wait for Don as Andi’s driving herself and his truck to work. Lowell is worried his Beef Wellington didn’t perk her up and apparently she forced reruns of “Sex and the City” on Adam the previous night. When Don admits to finding the office hostility uncomfortable, Adam feels his wife needs to get used to hearing “No” from him at the office. Lowell relates it to how his wife wouldn’t take no for “May I sleep with other men?” Dusting off the awkward air, Adam points at a giant tricycle painting and realizes that since they’ve been married Andi hasn’t taken “No” for an answer and though he hates the painting she hung it up anyways.

Don suggests using “Yeah, maybe” instead of “No.” Its less harsh, works well on Marcy (Kali Rocha) and successfully dilutes topics gradually. After he leaves Adam is as surprised as Lowell that Don just gave a great idea and decides to use it the next time Andi discusses Peruvians.

In the evening Marcy and Lowell are in the kitchen. Andi comes in muttering about not finding cheaper tiles and pissed that her idea is better. She‘s worried as this will govern how her future ideas are accepted at Burn Brothers and feels that Adam has just not realized her potential yet. She remembers how she’s always had to make him understand that she’s right, like with the tricycle painting. Apparently he hated it back then but now he loves it and at times stares at it nodding both sides wondering how did he ever said no. Marcy agrees that men are weird. It seems last night Don handed her some biscuit crumbs asking her to reverse engineer it, like Jurassic Park! She asks Andi to go make love to Adam – the only way men can be lured in to saying yes. Lowell is alarmed yet silent upon listening to their plans and ideas. Andi tries Marcy’s advice, but Adam realizes in time that she’s using sex to get him to agree. When she refuses to give up he uses Don’s “Yeah, maybe.” Both parties smirk, thinking each of their plans worked and go upstairs.

The next day Adam delightedly fills Don in on how his trick worked, but soon Andi comes in asking where to direct the delivery man with the Peruvian tiles leaving Adam shocked. He explains “Yes, maybe” doesn’t equal to “Yes,” but to Andi only the first word matters. She departs to direct the delivery man herself leaving Adam perplexed and mad. Don says he never advised Adam to use “Yeah, maybe.” It was the reverse he’d suggested. Adam cannot believe his brother, but when Don adds that he’s part-owner of Burns Brothers too it strikes him that Don can go say “No” to Andi on his behalf. He’s not her husband and it’ll be far less complicated.

Don follows instructions, but Andi sees through instantaneously and asks if Adam put him up to this. She drives him to think what sort of brother would do such a thing and in no time she gets Lowell and Don on her side. They reveal to Adam in the evening that all three hate his office tone in unison. Adam and Andi start arguing. Lowell and Don take a leave to give them privacy.

Andi eventually understands she doesn’t like to hear “No” and Adam reveals to her how much he hates the tricycle painting. He later tells her she needs to choose between heading the decision wheel at home or at office. Before she answers he reveals how one time when he had to take the kids to the dentist he ended up losing the way and taking them to Dairy Queen instead. Andi says he basically took them to an anti-dentist place and understands it’s best to stick with the controls at house. She agrees to let Adam make decision related to the office. He lays down the fact that the Peruvians wouldn’t have been the right decision and hence he returned them. Andi respects his decision and asks what he’d like to do now. Adam suggests watching “Sex and the City.” Andi is elated and the couple happily watch TV in bed, content with each other’s areas of decision.

The next morning Adam and Andi are surprised to see Lowell all packed and ready to move to his new apartment. He’s forced to do so as he heard noises the previous night and was uncomfortable so now he is sleep deprived. The Burns are embarrassed that they were heard. Lowell reminds them that the guest room shares a wall with the master bedroom and takes his leave. Adam and Andi now have answer as to why they never got any other exchange student after the last one who stayed at their guest room!