The Grinder Review: Grinder Rests in Peace (Season 1 Episode 9)

This week, The Grinder  is all about family.

What’s so different from every other week, you ask? Well, much more than you’d think.

Dean and Stewart have always been at the center of this show. In such a short time, Rob Lowe and Fred Savage have managed to craft a truthful and relatable relationship between two brothers who really, really love each other, despite the fact that, most times, they don’t understand one another.

I have a sister. I know what it means to have a person in your life who you love even when you hate. I understand how a relationship like that can sometimes be fraught with resentment and insecurity. But I also get the other side: The love, the trust, the overwhelming desire to see that person be happy, no matter what.

Stewart clearly loves his brother – and he clearly thinks that the best place for Dean is far, far away from him. He doesn’t want Dean in his house, advising his kids, pretending to be a lawyer. He wants to love his brother from afar, even if that means he never truly gets to love his brother.

Dean, on the other hand, wants a new life, but is afraid of what that means. It’s easy to take three steps forward when you know you can always go back. And yes, the family is all there for him as he tries to make a decision, but in a way, they always are. Dean’s support system is great, but he doesn’t seem to need them all. He never has. Sometimes, Dean just needs one person.

He needs his brother.

I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve stopped waiting for The Grinder  to let me down. Instead, I’ve started to look forward to it. I enjoy the laughs more now that I’m sure more are coming; I let the tender moments get me emotional. That’s what happens when you get attached. You can look at Dean and Stewart hugging on-screen and appreciate not only the acting, and the writing, but the whole package.

Because that’s what The Grinder  is. The whole package.

If you’ve already seen it, you know what I’m saying. If you haven’t, well, the holidays are coming. It’s a time for family. It’s a time for cheer. The Grinder  has a bit of both. What better way to spend the hiatus than binge-watching?

Other things to note:

• Finally, we got a little more Natalie Morales, and she was awesome. Now I just need more of her WITH Dean.
• Hana Hayes is still criminally underused.
• Jason Alexander is George Constanza. I just can’t see him as anyone else.
• Todd is growing on me. If you’d asked me a few episodes ago I would have told you he was the weakest link, but either these writers are geniuses or I just wasn’t giving him enough credit.

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What did you think of this week’s episode of The Grinder? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Grinder  airs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on Fox.

Lissete Lanuza Sáenz

Lawyer. Writer. Columnist. Geek. Falls in madly in love with fictional characters. Hates the color yellow, misogyny, and people who are late. Can always be found with a book. Watches an absurd amount of TV every week, often, while eating coffee ice cream. She has no regrets. You can check out her blog here: Absurday. Lissete is a senior writer for Tell-Tale TV. Follow @lizziethat