The Conners Review: Brothers, Babies, and Breakdowns (Season 2 Episode 13)

The Lunch Box is finally open in Lanford, but that’s not even the most important discussion of the day. On The Conners Season 2 Episode 13, “Brothers, Babies, and Breakdowns,” both Dan and Darlene must have difficult conversations they would much rather avoid.

Let’s preface this discussion with the blanket statement that we stan Uncle Ben. He is every part fun and cool, yet commanding, which is needed in a parental figure without the official title.

If we are being quite honest, his display with all the “kids” is most likely what motivated Darlene to soften her stance even just a little bit. Who wouldn’t want Ben as their other in a parenting partnership?

To be completely honest, this whole topic kind of comes out of left field a bit, but still makes sense. Every relationship has to have that discussion about kids and settling down at some point.

This time around, Darlene and Ben are stronger and more committed to a partnership with each other, i.e. they’re building a business together. It’s beautiful to see Darlene finally have a man who loves and respects her for who she is after everything she’s gone through with David.

Even if it doesn’t make sense for Darlene to have another kid, stranger things have happened on the show and still worked out in the end. However, Beverly Rose is newly born at the start of this season, which is a little too much baby if Darlene adds another one.

This is why it’s nice to see Darlene resist the idea for the majority of the episode. Going into it gung-ho positive wouldn’t be in line with her character, but her early dismissal of the discussion entirely is concerning.

Never fear, The Conners knows what we want to see and gives us some meaningful Darlene character growth in the span of a half-hour episode. Darlene softening up a bit more quickly with Ben than she’s been known to in the past is a refreshing take — it shows that she trusts him.

It is also nice to see Darlene and Ben sit down and have an honest discussion about their wants and their fears. If they plan on making a better go of their relationship this time, these kinds of discussions need to keep happening.

That contract that Darlene cooks up is just icing on the proverbial cake. It allows her to show a level of compromise toward Ben while also retaining a bit of her own snark and charm.

If their interaction is what is considered top-notch for this episode, then the one between Dan and Ed Jr. leaves us wanting more. It’s a disappointing thing to admit, but there it is.

We are supposed to believe that there is twenty years of animosity built up between Dan and his father’s “new” family, which is actually very much the case when we first meet the grown-up Ed Jr. 

However, Dan gets over that issue extremely quickly and suddenly they are on his father’s couch together acting as if they just lost touch for a couple of months or a year. 

The talents of Noel Fisher’s emotional range are squandered on mediocre writing that doesn’t flow very well with the backstory we are given. If Dan really hates his father that much, he shouldn’t be so easily swayed to like his brother.

I’m not saying I don’t want them to have a relationship, just stretch it out a bit and make them both work for it. Concluding this conflict within a 24-hour window is rushed and a disservice. 

It’s been confirmed that Fisher will be back for at least one more episode this season. Why not leave things unresolved for the time being and re-approach once emotions are a little less heavy about Ed’s passing?

With how good Fisher has proven to be at tackling an array of emotions in one scene — based on his previous roles — it’s sad that how the interaction between brothers is handled; we barely get to see him upset about his own father’s passing.

That’s the part that really gets my goat; he tells Dan that he misses his father quite a bit and yet his demeanor says otherwise. There is barely an emotion to be found. The most we get the whole episode is a bit of sniffling and his voice cracks once.

He doesn’t need to break down and sob, just deliver a bit more so the audience can believe that Ed and Ed Jr. really did have a strong bond. Maybe this is just the beginning and we will see a bit more in the coming episodes.

One can only hope.

Further Thoughts:

• It makes me sad that Dwight is barely present. He’s a really funny guy and worth giving more screen time to.
• Darlene and Becky are both on fire with their catchy one-liners.
• “You said my cervix was where they filmed Golden Girls.” I don’t know why this line has me cackling so hard.
• I genuinely missed Mark this episode. His two seconds of screen time isn’t nearly enough. Give me more!
• Harris flirting with Ed Jr. is funny on two levels, one: because he’s her great uncle. Two: because Noel Fisher plays Emma Kinney’s brother’s husband on their other show Shameless.

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

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

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