Splitting Up Together – Devil May Care

By: Taylor Gates

Lena (Jenna Fischer) updates Martin (Oliver Hudson) on the kids’ schedules for the week. Lena wants to take the comforter to the garage with her, but Martin won’t allow it—he’s excited to finally have a real blanket and sleep in a nice bed again. The two reminisce on the fact that, once they put a second blanket onto the bed, the marriage started going downhill.

Martin starts wrestling with Mason (Van Crosby) and Milo (Sander Thomas) when Mae (Olivia Keville) calls him out on his sexism. Martin disagrees, saying he’s always treated her and her brothers exactly the same, but Mae points out he never wrestles with her and she would like a chance, too. Martin tackles her to the ground, but Mae isn’t super into it. Martin feels awkward and stops, causing the boys to say that girls ruin everything. Martin tells them it’s not cool to generalize about all girls but it’s fine to blame everything on Mae.

Camille (Lindsay Price) visits Lena in the garage, disgusted at the dampness and centipede infestation. Lena tells Camille she’s happy and can see the arrangement lasting even more than a year. She looks forward to the garage weeks and having time to herself. She wants to have sex that week and break her two year dry spell.

Mae gets fed up with all the testosterone in the house, especially when her dad and brothers start leaving the toilet unflushed, eating dinner shirtless, and saying “bro” all the time. She asks Lena if she can stay with her instead, but Lena convinces her Martin would be heartbroken. Just then, Martin shows up at Lena’s door and rants about how annoying Mae acts.

Lena tells Martin he should try and talk to Mae about more things she’s interested in, such as her budding feminism. Martin thinks Lena just doesn’t like that he doesn’t parent the same was she does, but Lena assures him that’s not true. Martin tells Lena she blocks his sunshine.

Camille still has hope that Martin and Lena will get back together, but Lena is adamant they’re over. She tells Camille about the cute doctor she’s been talking to, showing her their texts. Camille is sickened at the amount of emojis Lena uses, but Lena says she wants someone who will tear her clothes off—not a platonic marriage.

Camille confides in Arthur (Bobby Lee) about how upset she is that Lena is dating again. If divorce could happen to this couple, it could happen to any of them. Arthur assures Camille his life would be over if they ever split up, and Camille thinks his deranged love is what it takes to keep marriages together.

Mason spies Martin looking through Lena’s books on gender, trying to get to know Mae better. Martin and the boys don pink pussy hats in support of Mae’s cause, but it doesn’t have quite the effect they wanted. Martin tries again, cooking dinner, and Arthur compliments him on how sensitive he’s being. When he spies Lena getting dressed to go out outside the kitchen door, he tries to give Martin a long hug in order to distract him, but Martin sees her anyway.

Lena and Dr. Kasper (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe) go on a date. When Lena gives precise instructions on how she likes to be kissed, Dr. Kasper notices she’s a bit of a control freak. They share an awkward lip lock before he gets called into the ER.

Once he leaves, Wes (Trent Garrett) tells Lena she’s a nightmare, saying nobody can succeed when given that much direction. Lena overshares, saying she haven’t had sex in two years and that she and her husband fought all the time. Wes flirtatiously says maybe she needs someone that knows how to push back gently. Lena gives the disclaimer that she has three kids, but Wes says that motherhood and sexuality can coexist. She just has to chill out a little first.

Martin ends up making a dinner that looks disgusting but tastes great. Mae is especially thrilled, as if she hadn’t pizza-shamed him, this never would have happened. Martin tells her that when she was little, he knew how to play with her. Mae says she still likes to play Boggle, and Martin makes a plan to play with her the next night.

When Lena gets home, Martin thanks her for her books and advice. Lena accepts the apology and says she’s sorry for blocking out his sunshine. She congratulates him on making dinner, and Martin tells her to tell the new guy he has big shoes to fill. When she gets in the garage, she sees that Martin has made her bed with the comforter.