The Conners Review: Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub (Season 2 Episode 11)

Sometimes a sitcom can just really miss the mark. Unfortunately, it seems to have happened to The Conners Season 2 Episode 11, “Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub.”

There are honestly only two moments this entire episode that are amusing and enjoyable. One of them being Jackie’s moment at the very end where she paints “Dawn at Dusk.” 

The play on words is cute, and the pure magnetism of Jackie’s joy for her newfound friend is palpable. It’s a moment that is a long time coming for this highly unlucky woman. 

Jackie has spent her whole life falling in and out of love and failing to make lasting relationships outside of her own family. She needs this win and for that reason alone this episode is salvageable. 

It isn’t enough to completely save it, but it does redeem the episode from a one-star rating. Jackie is a fan favorite, yet she always gets shunted aside for other Conner family members. 

This is her moment to shine and she really does. She doesn’t let her small moment of doubt shake her apart completely. Instead, she proves to Becky but also herself that she is lovable and worth the time for someone out in the universe.

Let’s hope that this opens the door for many more appearances by Cheryl Hines. This woman is a gem and can make everyone laugh for days, which she definitely brings to the character of Dawn.

The only other moment of this episode worth mentioning is Dan being the supportive patriarch that he is. Once again, this moment comes toward the end of the episode when he tells Darlene point blank he’s going to support Harris whatever she does and so should Darlene.

It is nice to see this conversation play out because Darlene’s “poor me” routine is getting to be very old and tiring. So her daughter can’t afford that college, why must she crap on the decision her daughter did make?

For Darlene to flaunt her “I went to art school” attitude as a means to denounce Harris’ decision to get a business degree because it is offered through a job is very privileged and somewhat unlike her. 

One of the greatest things about Darlene is her ability to create a stirring about anything that is unfairly offered between the different economic levels. However, this episode takes it too far and turns it into self-pity.

Dan is always good for a piece of sound advice hidden amongst some backhanded compliment or passive-aggressive snipes. “Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub” does a solid job of strengthening that character trait with his unfailing faith in Harris.

It’s the polar opposite of how Darlene feels about her, and Dan’s championing opens her eyes and helps her to see that she is being a bit petty about her daughter’s situation. Why is a business degree not a decent move for Harris?

Darlene gives off a bit of a vibe that she resents her daughter somewhat. Maybe she feels that Harris is throwing away her shot at really getting free from the life they lead in Lanford.

Unfortunately, this jaded look doesn’t allow her to see past her own nose and her own frustrations with her missteps professionally. Let’s just hope her change of heart at the end will gear Darlene in the right direction for an honest repair of her relationship with Harris.

Speaking of tired story-telling, can we please get Dan a female friend who isn’t so pushy? Louise has her moments of being good for Dan. She looks out for him like a friend should, but dammit if her pushy ultimatum attitude isn’t annoying.

She acts as though she understands what Dan is going through with losing Roseanne, but then she turns around and tells him that if she stays it has to be for a full relationship. So basically, Dan needs to agree to have sex with her and date her or she’s gone.

To that, I say good riddance. Katy Segal is a great actress, but her character can take a hike.

Dan doesn’t need someone there to boss him around. He already had that for many, many years with Roseanne — he could never even begin to replace that nor would he want to.

He deserves someone who can be a companion to him and still give him the space he needs to mourn and re-evaluate his identity without the woman who meant the world to him.

Sure, it’s been some time since she passed, but that short amount of time could never equate the decades he was married to her. Dan is slow to change anything why would someone who claims to care about him think they could hurry that along?

That’s because The Conners has made it abundantly clear that Louise doesn’t truly care about him the same way he cares about her. It’s probably best she does go out on tour, Dan could use the break.

My other biggest complaint is that it doesn’t feel like this episode is a single unit. Instead, it functions as three moving parts — Dan and Louise, Darlene and Harris, and Jackie and Becky and Dawn. 

These guys are all part of a tight-knit family, and yet this week they are choosing to be independent despite having similar relationship woes.

What did you think of this episode of The Conners? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Catch up with our review of The Conners Season 2 Episode 10, “Throwing a Christian to a Bear,” right here.

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The Conners airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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