Home Economics Review: Round Trip Ticket SAN-OAK, $234 (Season 2 Episode 12)

Cheech Marin guest stars as Marina’s dad on Home Economics Season 2 Episode 12, “Round Trip Ticket SAN-OAK, $234.”

The storyline gives him a lot to work with both in comedy and heartfelt moments. Marin, of course, inhabits the role perfectly, and the result is a well-developed character that fits, seamlessly, into the comedic style of the show.

Marina’s father, Roberto, is a hard-working, no nonsense, man of few words type of parent. However, when he comes to stay and help out with the kids, Marina (Karla Souza) sees a nurturing side of him she didn’t know was there. As a grandfather, or Yayo, he’s a bit sunnier, hosting tea parties with Camilla and putting on shows in the puppet theater he handbuilt. 

When he’s not being the lovable Yayo, he’s fixing things around the house and giving Tom (Topher Grace) a hard time, still with few words, though; it’s mostly unimpressed glares and offering Marina money right in front of him. It could come off as pretty mean-spirited, but the dynamic Grace and Marin create between them lightens that tension up considerably.

Which is a good thing, because it makes the storyline between Marina and her dad hit a little deeper.

This isn’t the first time Home Economics made me cry, but Marina and her dad having a tea party (with wine!) in the play castle she had always wanted him to build for her as a child is a real heartwarming gut-punch to my feels. It’s just so darn sweet. 

The look on his face when he tells her that he sees a lot of Marina’s mother in her, followed by the look on her face when she hears it, conveys so much about Marina’s family and upbringing, and we get to know that much more about this well-loved character. 

With all the sentiment in the Marina/Roberto storyline, I expect the B plot to be something light and funny, maybe silly, but it’s loaded with heart as well. 

Connor: Look, the Justify This system, patent pending, is foolproof but only when it comes to financial value. It was never designed to handle…
Sarah: Emotions?
Connor: Your place isn’t packed because you’re weirdo hoarders, it’s packed with memories.

And those memories have me tearing up again. Gah, this show!

Extra Expenditures:

• “It’s like Marie Kondo except it kicks ass. Instead of asking if something brings you joy, you have three seconds to justify it, or it’s gone.”
• Benjamin Bearworth, Attorney at Claw
• I hope we see more of Cheech Marin as Roberto in the future.

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.

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