Home Economics Review: Two Thousand Pounds of Sand, $240 (Season 2 Episode 8)

On Home Economics Season 2 Episode 8, “Two Thousand Pounds of Sand, $240,” we get a mixed bag of what Thanksgiving is really about—eating, fighting, drinking, and …steel drums? But above all, it’s family.

One of the reasons I love Home Economics is that it is filling the void Modern Family left when it ended its 11 season run, and that is none more apparent than a good ol’ family holiday episode. 

Tom: I guess the real tradition of Thanksgiving is eating.
Sarah: The real tradition of Thanksgiving is smallpox and stolen land. 
Tom: I guess I walked right into that one.
Sarah: Not all facts are fun, Tom.

Siblings fight, mom cries, the renowned Caribbean chef quits, the kids go viral, and there’s a minor kitchen fire. These are all great ingredients for a successful episode with lots of laughs and a few heartwarming moments (thank you, Marina).

Not only do we get the Hayworth siblings fighting and then coming together, but there’s the added bonus of Denise’s influencer sister shaking things up. It’s nice to see a different sibling dynamic.

Now we just need to get Marina’s “awful” brother over. 

The plan is to make it a nice Thanksgiving day for their mother Muriel (Nora Dunn) who has been feeling down because she didn’t get menopause—Menopause: The Musical, that is.

Muriel: I’m too old for Menopause? Then there are no roles left.

Often family members misinterpret the kind of cheering up their loved one needs and that’s what happens here.

Once they realize she wants to feel needed, they try to ruin the day but can’t even agree on how to do that. It’s the fighting they always do on Thanksgiving that leads to the actual ruining of the day and it actually cheers Muriel up. 

The Thanksgiving they all really wanted deep down ends up happening in Sarah and Denise’s tiny kitchen with Muriel whipping up some spaghetti casserole with a vegan corndog crust due to “limited options.”

The Hayworth kids manage some genuine, loving moments with plenty of fighting in between, but the big heartfelt moment that Marina (Karla Souza) was hoping for comes from Denise (Sasheer Zamata) and her sister, JoJo (Tetona Jackson).

Theirs is a natural and common sibling rift, but we get to know more about Denise in the process. They wind up reminding each other of the things they have to be grateful for, and it’s easier to be compassionate with others when you are thankful for the blessings in your own life.

Also, Marina’s investment in their reconciliation is really sweet.

Marina: We got our heartwarming family moment.

In the end, the Thanksgiving holiday has everything they all need: the eating, the fighting, the drinking, the bonding, and even steel drums—Steve the drummer makes the location change with them and plays dishwashing music from the loft. 

Extra Expenditures:

• “We’re worse than Christian Bale?” Ouch.
• Camila: It’s an Affenpinscher.
  Marshall: You’ve gotta be affin’ kidding me.
• “I’m a viral!”

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

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Home Economics airs Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.

Featured Photo Credit: ABC/Temma Hankin

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