The Mick Review: The Dance (Season 2 Episode 19)

 

On The Mick Season 2 Episode 19, “The Dance,” younger cast members shine in a way they haven’t in the past.

In fact, I’d say this is one of the best-acted episodes of The Mick this season.

Kaitlin Olsen and Carla Jimenez are always brilliant as Mickey and Alba. Scott MacArthur, too, is consistently strong as Jimmy.

The adults carry the show and give it a consistently believable and hilarious anchor. But they don’t take over the show.

The Pemberton kids never feel like after thoughts or devices to further adult storylines.

The kids are great.

“The Dance” allows each of them to showcase themselves without being overshadowed by Mickey, Alba, and Jimmy.

Sofia Black-D’Elia, for example, kills it as Sabrina in the dance montage. I cannot even handle how ernest and hilarious she is at the same time. She takes herself seriously but is still so likable. That’s hard to do. It’s hard to create a character the audience loves who also says things like, “You don’t know what it’s like to be beautiful, and smart, and popular.”

Black-D’Elia does it.

Plus, the fact that she is practicing for amateur night at a strip club is just absurdly funny.

And it’s so Jimmy that $2500 bucks ends his speech on regret.

“The Dance” perfectly pairs Sabrina and Jimmy as partners in crime. Black-D’Elia steps right up as MacArthur’s equal.

And then there’s Chip. Chip used to get on my nerves, but now I love him. The extra layer of darkness that Thomas Barbusca is bringing lately seals the deal for me.

I mean, Chip literally daydreams about killing people. And his only motivation is winning Prince of some dumb dance. Murderous ideations is the perfect way to take a clueless, self-centered rich kid to the next level.

He’s violent and he has no moral compass. What could possibly go wrong?

Which brings us to Ben.

Ben is, and always will be, my favorite.

Guys, Jack Stanton is nine years old. 

And he totally holds his own.

The scene where Mickey makes him swear on her life that he didn’t take the apple and he just stares at her while taking a bite of cake (or, um, the proverbial coke)?

Someone give this kid an Emmy, already.

I really, really love that The Mick manages to present fully developed child characters of various ages and personalities without being a kids show. Or a show about kids. Or some tool to teach viewers important lessons.

Kids and adults stand shoulder-to-shoulder in “The Dance” and it works so well.

Plus, “The Dance” is chockfull of brilliant quotes, as always:

• “His mom was a choreographer for the ice capades” – Mickey
• “Looks proverbial, doesn’t it?” – Alba
• “Then I guess we’d better stop bitching and start dancing” – Jimmy
• “Get your fat ass off the ground and show me first position” – Jimmy
• “I just wet the toothbrush and stand there” – Ben
• “Make a note; there’s always one in the chamber” – Mickey
• “I’m a naughty little bad boy that needs to be punished” – Ben

What did you think of this episode of The Mick? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Mick airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

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