Speechless – S-E-Seoul B-R-Brothers

By: Taylor Gates

Ray (Mason Cook), Dylan (Kyla Kenedy) and JJ (Micah Fowler) wait outside while Maya (Minnie Driver) and Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) refinance their debt. While they’re on the sidewalk, some lady on a bicycle drops some money into a cup on JJ’s wheelchair. The three kids chase her down in order to yell at her for pitying JJ. Once they’re done explaining, the woman apologizes and understands how what she did was offensive. However, they need the money back–and then some–in order to get back to where they were originally.

A barbershop quartet tries to get Jimmy to agree to do a weekly gig with them at a bar, but although he originally doesn’t want to, Maya and Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) eventually talk him into it. However, he quickly makes up an excuse about how he has to opt out due to having a demanding new boss.

Kenneth goes to a Korean wedding that Jimmy is playing guitar at with the Seoul Brothers and confused why he wants to play wedding gigs instead of having fun with his friends. Jimmy tells him he and Maya don’t really have time to have fun and that they keep their exciting things a secret from each other so there’s no resentment. Kenneth thinks that’s crazy, but Jimmy begs him to keep it a secret.

Kenneth refuses to follow Jimmy’s request, bringing Maya to the next wedding Jimmy plays at. However, both of them refuse to recognize the other’s presence, fleeing away out of Kenneth’s sight. The next day, Kenneth confronts them, demanding that Maya tell Jimmy it’s okay. Although she wants to give him permission, deep down she does feel like he should be at work since they have so much debt. Kenneth then brings up the fact that she and Melanie sneak away for a glass of wine once a week, and now she feels she can’t have her weekly indulgence since Jimmy knows about it.

Kenneth digs into their financials in order to prove that they can afford to have a little fun sometimes, but instead, he figures out they’re going to be bankrupt in two years. Maya and Jimmy actually find this to be good news, as they thought it would be sooner. They give each other permission to have fun for the next 24 months.

JJ gets a year’s worth of social security disability benefits, but unfortunately, he has to spend it on boring stuff. Although it’s not the most exciting, it makes JJ feel like a big shot, and he goes to a medical supply store to buy a microscope that Ray has always wanted with it. JJ lies and says he bought it with his own money.

JJ does a similar thing for the other members of his family, getting them gifts like saws and blankets and saying he won them at a raffle. Although Dylan knows the truth and reminds JJ the money is for him, JJ replies that he loves being generous and now he’s not just a taker since everything the family does is for him.

Though the family is appreciative, once the gifts start getting more outlandish, they get confused. Maya finally calls the social security office and finds out the truth. What’s even worse, he didn’t report his earnings at the grocery store the previous year. He shouldn’t have gotten any money, and now he has to return everything. JJ is determined to fix it himself and pay everything back since it can’t be returned, going outside with a cup to get charity.

Maya and Jimmy tell him that they are going to find a way to pay everything back and what they give him isn’t charity–they’re his parents, and that’s their job. They also expect JJ to pay them back eventually. JJ is thrilled they expect and believe in him to do that.

Ray competes on his school’s quiz bowl team, leading them to regionals. He promises them that he’ll remain laser-focused throughout the competition, but his ex Taylor shows up, distracting him. Ray’s friend Justin seems to think that Taylor is still into Ray, too, telling him to use this to his advantage to get the other team’s notes.

Ray follows Justin’s advice, and Taylor (Sedona James) shows him all her study guides. However, she’s suspicious of his motives–is he trying to win her or the tournament? Ray admits what he originally met up with her for before promising to throw the tournament so they can be together.

The last quiz bowl question is for Ray, and before he answers, he makes a grand proclamation about how he considered throwing the content but he and Taylor are too toxic together to work at the moment. Instead, he tries to answer the question…but gets it wrong, and his team loses anyway.