Melissa & Joey – Episode 1-20 Review

Reviews, Shows

When Mel realizes she might have to settle for Mr. Right Now, Joe wonders why she’s suddenly given up her habit of dumping dates at the first sign of a flaw. Well-meaning Lennox tries to fix Ryder up with his latest crush.

Joe enjoys teasing Mel for dating Fletcher McKay (Jordan Belfi), a boring guy who doesn’t get any of Mel’s jokes. Though willing to date Fletcher for a free meal, she agrees with Joe and realizes she has to dump him. But then a night out with her BFFs, the ‘Foxy Five,’ traumatizes Mel when the only other single friend announces that she’s engaged. Desperate Mel tries to convince herself that she should give Fletcher a chance, but Joe isn’t buying the act and gets Stephanie to tell him what caused the abrupt change of heart. Meanwhile, Mel invites herself along when Fletcher tells her he’s going to a big family party, but halfway there she panics and jumps out of the car at a rest stop after picturing her life with Mr. Boring. She calls Joe to pick her up, and the end up going out to see a comedian they both love. Yes, going on a ‘date’ because their actual dates don’t work out, yet another sign that Joe and Mel are ‘meant to be.’ At least that’s slightly less obvious than shoving wedding cake in each others’ faces.

Shy, unpopular Ryder has no chance of getting a date with Kirsten(Savannah Jayde), his latest crush. At least, according to Lennox, who enthusiastically makes her little brother’s love life her latest project. Knowing of Kirsten, Lennox insists that Ryder won’t get a date unless he dresses like a hipster, which results in way-too-skinny skinny jeans that make him walk funny. When Kirsten stops by to drop off Ryder’s books, Lennox finds out that Kirsten is turned off by the new look, and forces the two to talk.

Though I preferred the teens’ storyline, as usual, it was interesting that the show dedicated an episode to explaining why Mel isn’t married yet. While not a pressing issue, it is one of those background details that would’ve been brought up eventually. We’ve been introduced to Joe’s ex-wife, so this makes me wonder about the past significant others in Mel’s life, and if we’ll ever meet one of them, maybe even an ex-fiance. It’ll probably be an old high school flame who shows up right as Joe is finally ready to ask Mel out after five or six seasons of ‘romantic tension.’

And of course, I adored how Lennox was so concerned about Ryder and genuinely wanted to help him. Too often in sitcoms, the teen siblings are the type who childishly argue all the time, only getting along when there’s a common enemy. Lennox and Ryder seem to be real friends, as sometimes they argue but for the most part they get along and help each other out. This may be the result of the scandal and how they’re the only members of their immediate family left, and if so, I’d love for that to be highlighted in a future episode.

I apologize for the delay in posting this review, I’ve been out of town for the last week and wasn’t able to watch “Waiting for Mr. Right.” Next week, uh, tomorrow, there’s another double premiere night – “Young Love” and “Mel and Joe’s Anniversary” both air on August 17th.