A new phase in Robin’s grieving process takes the widow and the council of dads by surprise.
Council of Dads episode 4 mentions the five common stages of grief. Robin surprises herself and the dads when she arrives at a sixth stage, which the episode calls ‘desire’. The mom of five has reached a point where she is craving the idea of intimacy. I say idea because she may be imagining being intimate with every man she sees, but what she really seems to desire at this point is feeling a connection again.
Best friend and council dad, Ollie, takes it upon himself to help Robin explore her feelings. Robin is not the only one wanting something, though. JJ really wants to go to Ivy’s birthday party, but Ivy’s mom is Larry’s daughter. The two have been estranged for years. Lauren refuses to invite JJ to Ivy’s party because of his association with Larry.
Oliver desires to smooth things over with husband Peter who he believes has been feeling neglected. Anthony begins feeling desired when senior girls at school begin paying more attention to him now that he is scoring points on the football field.
Luly and Evan’s dream of fixing up a house in the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood takes a big hit when they find out just how many repairs are needed
Let’s review our “council meeting notes” for Council of Dads episode 4 ‘The Sixth Stage’.
JJ is ‘puzzled’
The dads come to JJ’s rescue when he risks falling by reaching for a puzzle high on a shelf. It’s quite an ambitious puzzle and JJ explains that he needs something to do since he is not invited to his classmate Ivy’s birthday party.
Ivy is the granddaughter of Larry. Larry recently encountered Ivy with her mom Lauren while looking after JJ at the Crab Shack. Lauren keeps herself and Ivy out of Larry’s life due to his alcoholism that tore their family apart.
The dads offer to take bowling instead. JJ lashes out against the idea.
This is not the first time JJ has been excluded from a birthday party. He recalls two times last year that he was not invited to friends’ parties after he became a boy. JJ is transgender or more simply, “just JJ”, as the show describes him. The young boy says his friends’ parents “freaked out” about it and left JJ out of the festivities.
Now JJ wants to know what Larry “did” to make his daughter so angry with him. Larry describes his alcohol problem as making him like a bully with his family. He tells JJ he is sorry he was not invited to the party and JJ says the same to Larry. Larry gives JJ some help on the puzzle and a cookie.
Honesty and cookies are the way to get to JJ. pic.twitter.com/xcReR92wQe
— Council of Dads (@CouncilofDads) May 15, 2020
Theo faces initiation
Theo is pleasantly surprised when two senior girls approach him saying they hope to see him at the upcoming pep rally. They want to initiate him. Theo tells Anthony about the girls’ interest in him and Anthony wonders if Theo has had the “sex talk”.
Robin and Anthony talk to Theo about sexual relationships and the importance of respect, consent and protection. Larry throws in the option of abstinence. I like Larry’s position but definitely agree that being educated on all aspects of sexuality is important.
Theo is horrified by the awkwardness of the discussion but listens to what his mom and Anthony have to say. Itd Theo (and sister Charlotte) to be part of their “Dead Parents Society”. They visit a grave with a child’s statue named Eloise and tell the Perry kids how it helps them with their grief to talk to Eloise sometimes.
Oliver learns a secret
Oliver knows Peter has been longing for a boost in their relationship. It has no doubt been challenged given Oliver’s extra time spent on the council. Oliver makes reservations for he and Peter to enjoy a couple’s massage.
Peter is not super excited about the massage. He claims it will just be the two of them on tables next to each other without talking. He is wanting to feel more connected. They proceed with the massage anyway.
The husbands continue to bicker during the massage until a stray fart (maybe they are all considered strays?) interrupts their discussion. Neither claim ownership and they begin laughing knowing it must have been one of the therapists.
All seems well back at home until Peter casually brings up a recent encounter with a drunken friend, Eric. Peter says he vented to Eric about Oliver being away so much. Then Eric kissed Peter and apparently he kissed back. Peter says it made him feel desired again and that it was just a kiss. Oliver is naturally upset and questions whether it would have been more if Eric asked.
Oliver refers to Peter having cheated during the early years of their relationship. So, I guess the fart did not have magical healing powers after all. Is it possible that Peter’s criticism of Oliver was really about him being mad at himself? It’s too soon to tell as we are just getting to know these two.
Sounds like a challenge. #CouncilofDads pic.twitter.com/Hi2HmuH6Ms
— Council of Dads (@CouncilofDads) May 15, 2020
A firm foundation
Luly and Evan are excited about their new venture on Council of Dads. They arrive at the auction to purchase the house in Cuyler-Brownsville. Fixer-upper, here we come! The young couple outbids everyone with all the money they have saved. Now it’s time to see what the house looks like on the inside as the bidding was a blind one.
Luly cannot make it through the entire house before she needs to vomit. The smells, the mold, the damage and the lack of a toilet, functional or otherwise, is too much to bear. They used all their money to buy the house and have barely anything left to refurbish it.
The couple asks Robin and the council for a $20,000 loan. As much as the other adults admire their dream, they refuse to give them the loan. Luly and Evan are crushed. Luly tells Evan she’s is going home because she has to pee (remember, no toilet at their new house!).
Back at home, Luly encounters Anthony. She assumes Anthony thinks she and Evan made a bad decision. He agrees that it was not very smart, but if it is truly their dream, why not take that as motivation to prove everyone else wrong.
Luly returns to the house to talk to Evan. Evan surprises her when he lifts a rug to expose gorgeous oak floors. He tells his wife that the house has a solid foundation to work with. They agree to make a go of it!
Robin needs something
Robin talks openly to Oliver about the desires she is feeling and how she has begun looking at all men (even her gay best friend!) as a potential partner.
Being the informed doctor, Oliver does some research and finds a blog for newly widowed partners. It talks about how the founder asked for help finding someone to kiss again for the first time. Robin seems to be craving some sense of that intimate connection she shared with Scott.
One of Robin’s colleague’s, Henry, stops by her office to say goodbye as he heads off to a new job in another state. She thinks he may be the perfect candidate for trying a kiss of her own. He’s moving, so there would be no strings attached. She asks him and he accepts.
Robin comes down the stairs looking way too dressed up for the PTA meeting she claims she is attending. Larry and Anthony’s jaws drop as Robin glows from the top of the stairs. That’s it. Robin runs back to her room and changes into her casual gear.
She gets a call from Henry who is waiting outside for her. She joins him in the car. Robin talks openly about her situation and Henry shares a story of his own that is a comfort but also a reminder of Scott. She cries, they talk and they decide to hold hands. It’s a connection and they do eventually kiss.
Robin comes inside feeling renewed. She sought out what she needed and feels better. All seems well until Theo arrives home with Charlotte. Theo saw his mom and Henry kissing in the car. He is angry and wants to know how that is an example of being intimate with someone you love.
Robin points out that it was only kissing. She also tells him honestly that she will date again at some point. It’s not an easy thing for Theo to hear but his mom is being truthful.
In other news:
- When Luly and Anthony are sparring about her purchasing the house, she tells him “You sound like my Dad!” Well, if she knew what we knew . . .
- Robin talks to Anthony outside about Theo and moving forward. Later, Larry cautions Anthony about getting too close to Robin.
- Anthony and Margot have a culinary contest in the restaurant kitchen. It’s fun and flirty. Margot wins! Margot later invites Anthony over to open a bottle of wine.
Council of Dads has been masterful at resolving some story lines and leaving others dangling. Such is the case with episode 4 as well. We have to wait a couple of weeks for the next installment from Council of Dads. Tune in Thursday Ma!y 28th for an all new episode.
Revisit the events of episode 2 and episode 3.
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