Episode 519 "We Don't Stand a Chance"

[Dallas]

One Day at a Time has released episode 519 "We Don't Stand a Chance"

In this episode:
- Shelley takes Dawn to a clinic so she can abort her baby
- Jeff's news shocks Meggan
- Robbie and Victoria have a heartfelt goodbye
and MUCH more

Episode theme song: "Too Good at Goodbyes" Sam Smith

Enjoy!
Dallas

[Bre]

Hey Dallas!!!

I must say that I love those updated cast photos.

Poor Dawn! It seemed like she wanted to go through having the abortion but being told she can't have it because she is further along in her pregnancy. I'm wondering how she is going to deal with this going forward.

I like that Helen told Adam basically to stop being an idiot and tell Robin about his impotency.

I thought Bob would have a stronger hesitation to the man who knocked up his wife and stole the formula to his facial cream coming to work at the company. Although, it seems he is doing to piss off Dominick even more. Tyler also seems like he wants revenge on his father which makes it a game of tit for tat. I wanted Felicia to come out of her slumber when Eva was trying to act as the Robertson's matriarch lol

And Poor Meggan!!! The man she wanted to be with wants to be with Leah. I got a suspicion on how Brad will come into this pregnancy storyline. I like the interaction with Brad and Cheresa. I like how you're introducing the Lawson clan slowly onto the canvas. I know you aren't a fan of the Rosales either so I take it that you're using as inspiration for you to show them without them taking over the series.


To the tune of Ingrid Michaelson's Girls Chase Boys "Boy chase Boys chase boys" Lukas wants Andy but Donovan wants Lukas but Craig seems like he would settle for Andy. It's a tight quad. I had a feeling that Andy didn't necessarily would want to move on with Lukas. Sometimes it's good to have a hook up and acknowledge "No, I'm good"


Great Episode!

Bre


Victoria telling Robbie "I love you, but I love me more" is something I will never get tired of hearing that. Robbie wants his cake and eat it too. Nevertheless, I hope Victoria's psyche can handle all of this change.

[Michael]

I really like this dangerous game of shifting alliances going on with the Robertson and Calimo clans. The ONLY way I could see Kim (or Bob!!!) ever trusting Tyler is in the wake of something as dramatic as Blake's death, but I'm actually buying that they'd want him at Roboto now -- more to spite Dominick than anything, but I thought Bob having security concerns and making them clear was a good way of skirting the insanity of it all.

Is it bad that I started laughing when Felicia woke up and immediately blurted out that she'd started the fire? I just think of her as perpetually deranged, which made it funnier.

Lukas actually impressed me this episode! I thought he was going to throw a tantrum when Andy, who was being super responsible and respectful, bought him breakfast and actually told him in plain terms that he's having complicated emotions and isn't ready to dive headlong into something new. But Lukas was reasonable about it and didn't make it all about himself, which seems like major growth. Oh, and I really liked how you had the unlikely crew of Victoria, Craig, and Robin in a scene. It was interesting to have Craig talking to Victoria, given his current dynamic with Donovan, and then for Robin to bring up Victoria and Adam's past as a way of trying to gain insight about her own situation with Adam.

Two quibbles with this episode:

1) What the hell day is it? Lukas and Andy are still having their New Year's morning breakfast, but everyone else seems to be days further down the road, referring to New Year's like it was a week ago. Is James E. Reilly consulting?!

2) Will Dawn go to a doctor or abortion clinic that actually follows the law? She could get an abortion up to 24 weeks in most places. And I didn't entirely buy that she wouldn't be hyper-aware of the exact date this baby was conceived and how that falls as far as legality of abortion. I know you probably want her to go through with the pregnancy for dramatic purposes, but it felt really weird to throw in this random non-law just to get there.

Anyway, always looking forward to seeing what goes down next! I love that both Felicia and Barbara appear to be flatly confessing to crimes, which is kind of fresh. And it was nice to have Brad and Cheresa's relationship revealed/explained -- it's helpful that they've both been introduced via known main characters rather than just at random.

[Dallas]

Bre said:

I must say that I love those updated cast photos.

Thank you! It is one piece that I always look forward too at the start of each year; it's nice to give everyone an updated look or age people accordingly if they need to be.

Bre said:

Poor Dawn! It seemed like she wanted to go through having the abortion but being told she can't have it because she is further along in her pregnancy. I'm wondering how she is going to deal with this going forward.

Michael said:

2) Will Dawn go to a doctor or abortion clinic that actually follows the law? She could get an abortion up to 24 weeks in most places. And I didn't entirely buy that she wouldn't be hyper-aware of the exact date this baby was conceived and how that falls as far as legality of abortion. I know you probably want her to go through with the pregnancy for dramatic purposes, but it felt really weird to throw in this random non-law just to get there.

To be honest, I'm not sure about any laws or regulations that prevent you from having an abortion. Maybe it is different from Canada to the US? I only threw in the 16 week aspect because that is what my sister was told when she was pregnant. Again, maybe it is different within the countries, I'm not sure. In any event, the thought process of the plot point was that she tried to end the pregnancy but she wasn't able too. She has to carry out the pregnancy to term.

Bre said:

I like that Helen told Adam basically to stop being an idiot and tell Robin about his impotency.

Helen I feel like is the one person who can always be as honest as she has to be with Adam. In this case, she is telling him to be honest, which of course he should be. But WILL he be?

Bre said:

I thought Bob would have a stronger hesitation to the man who knocked up his wife and stole the formula to his facial cream coming to work at the company. Although, it seems he is doing to piss off Dominick even more. Tyler also seems like he wants revenge on his father which makes it a game of tit for tat. I wanted Felicia to come out of her slumber when Eva was trying to act as the Robertson's matriarch lol

Michael said:

I really like this dangerous game of shifting alliances going on with the Robertson and Calimo clans. The ONLY way I could see Kim (or Bob!!!) ever trusting Tyler is in the wake of something as dramatic as Blake's death, but I'm actually buying that they'd want him at Roboto now -- more to spite Dominick than anything, but I thought Bob having security concerns and making them clear was a good way of skirting the insanity of it all.

Is it bad that I started laughing when Felicia woke up and immediately blurted out that she'd started the fire? I just think of her as perpetually deranged, which made it funnier.

I do like this game of back and forth as well. It adds some intrigue to the business story lines because it is all personally based in reality. At this point, Bob is wrapped around Kim's finger which is why was okay with Tyler coming to work for him and his company. This is a soap opera so a lot of people tend to have relatively short memories about whom has hurt them. That being said, how long will it last?

Bre said:

And Poor Meggan!!! The man she wanted to be with wants to be with Leah. I got a suspicion on how Brad will come into this pregnancy storyline. I like the interaction with Brad and Cheresa. I like how you're introducing the Lawson clan slowly onto the canvas. I know you aren't a fan of the Rosales either so I take it that you're using as inspiration for you to show them without them taking over the series.

Michael said:

And it was nice to have Brad and Cheresa's relationship revealed/explained -- it's helpful that they've both been introduced via known main characters rather than just at random.

To be honest with you, I am so far ahead in my writing that I had written the introductions of the Lawson's way before we knew that the Rosales were expanding. I've just always appreciated when new characters are introduced by pairing them with an established character as it is then easier to care for them. There will be scenes coming up with the entire family as a whole, but for the most part, I have the newbies with other characters.

Bre said:

To the tune of Ingrid Michaelson's Girls Chase Boys "Boy chase Boys chase boys" Lukas wants Andy but Donovan wants Lukas but Craig seems like he would settle for Andy. It's a tight quad. I had a feeling that Andy didn't necessarily would want to move on with Lukas. Sometimes it's good to have a hook up and acknowledge "No, I'm good"

{quote author=Michael] Lukas actually impressed me this episode! I thought he was going to throw a tantrum when Andy, who was being super responsible and respectful, bought him breakfast and actually told him in plain terms that he's having complicated emotions and isn't ready to dive headlong into something new. But Lukas was reasonable about it and didn't make it all about himself, which seems like major growth. Oh, and I really liked how you had the unlikely crew of Victoria, Craig, and Robin in a scene. It was interesting to have Craig talking to Victoria, given his current dynamic with Donovan, and then for Robin to bring up Victoria and Adam's past as a way of trying to gain insight about her own situation with Adam.[/quote]

I think Lukas reaction was pretty spot on; if someone had told me that they weren't ready to fully move on yet because of his dead spouse, that would make me not want to be upset with him/her. I think it shows that Lukas IS a human being, he's just often self-absorbed. But, I really liked Andy's reaction because I think it did ring true.

And, I'm glad you liked the Victoria/Craig/Robin scene. It seems sometimes like the characters only engage with those in their storylines, so it was nice to give Craig a "friend" who isn't a gay male. I also thought it was a nice way to bring up Victoria's history with Adam. Sometimes it's nice to have a refresher.

Bre said:

Victoria telling Robbie "I love you, but I love me more" is something I will never get tired of hearing that. Robbie wants his cake and eat it too. Nevertheless, I hope Victoria's psyche can handle all of this change.

This was probably their most adult discussion about everything that they have been through together. Of course, Victoria didn't change her mind about how she feels so it will be up to Robbie to try to move on now.

Michael said:

1) What the hell day is it? Lukas and Andy are still having their New Year's morning breakfast, but everyone else seems to be days further down the road, referring to New Year's like it was a week ago. Is James E. Reilly consulting?!

HA! This is a case of not having more than one episode per week and trying to stay in "real time". All the gays had sex NYE and so their discussions have been "morning after" type of discussions vs. everyone else moving along in real time. So in the wrapped time, it was Jan 1st for Andy/Lukas and later for everyone else.

Thanks for reading and leaving your commentary!
Dallas