‘Extended Family’ Recap: ‘The Consequences of Making Yourself at Home’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

EXTENDED FAMILY -- "The Consequences of Making Yourself at Home" Episode 102 -- Pictured: (l-r) Abigail Spencer as Julia, Donald Faison as Trey, Jon Cryer as Jim, Sofia Capanna as Grace, Finn Sweeney as Jimmy Jr -- (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 102 of ‘Extended Family’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
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When one thinks of divorce, one tends to think of… finality. After all, divorce means the end of a lot of things. The end of a marriage, for starters. But also, the end of a friendship forged with one’s spouse and the end of a way of life. As though a reset button is about to be hit and a new chapter awaits, and it makes sense why we hold to such concepts regarding divorce. Because that is what it entails for a lot of people that take part in it, since they bid farewell to so much and don’t look back, and that can be quite healthy in nature. But that is not the only word or concept we should associate with divorce. Because it doesn’t always equate to finality. In fact, sometimes it equates to change. 

The kind we must be ready for and eager to face, so we can properly navigate the difficulties of a new normal. Such as say… what Extended Family on NBC explored during this week’s episode. For ‘The Consequences of Making Yourself at Home’ took the time to examine how sometimes… divorce will bring about fascinating new family dynamics and how best to navigate those when they arrive, and it accomplished this feat by making a reality known to Jim. In that, when a spouse remarries, or prepares to remarry… and there is a friendly and amicable relationship with one’s ex… one will have to deal with the fact that the new spouse will be around and will be part of the family’s life. 

Because Trey was starting to stay over with Julia during her weeks at the house and that truly confused and befuddled Jim through and through. Because such a move made it clear that Jim was going to have to reconcile the reality that Trey would be close to his children and an influence in their life, and that left him wondering how best… to accept him into such a role. Because like it or not, Trey was marrying Julia and Jim had to figure out how to keep this peace and that prompted Jim… to take a high road in this story. Which was stunning and refreshing. Because this could have been handled a very negative manner, one that played up the laughs. But this show really wants to look at divorce in a positive manner. So, the consequences of making oneself at home turned out to be… learning the family dynamics and integrating oneself into the family.

Which involved Trey contributing to the household through and through. In part by purchasing lovely new products for the house, such as a new bed since Jim’s desire to sleep akin to a tiny puppy made the old mattress a little tough to sleep upon, and it also meant… being guided through what makes Julia happy and what she cherishes. By Jim no less. Because Trey was the new guy here and didn’t have the decades of knowledge of likes and dislikes that Jim harbored. Bur he did need to know, and Jim’s help allowed for Trey to navigate some missteps and of course... begin to properly slip into the role of stepfather that awaited him. By giving to the family and fitting in and well… all of these elements brought forth a very powerful message about this particular situation.

In that, class is how we navigate a changing dynamic. Because if we’ve had an amicable split, and life is changing around us, and new members of the family are on their way, we must embrace all of it. Because there’s no need to go sour when peace is what we wanted in the first place. So, we figure out how to make it work and make those new members feel welcome. For they will be around a good long time, especially when children are involved, and that lesson brought forth… one delightful and uplifting tale. One that truly showcased once again, how divorce doesn’t have to be ugly. It can be about growth, change and learning, if those involved choose that, and that lesson also made for some endearing moments, and some darn funny ones as well. After all, who knew that Jim was all about that skin on sheet contact when he slept, and that it could backfire through an app? But that aside, this really was a delightful story through and through, and it leaves us eager to see what other beautiful lessons about divorce await, as season one of this magnificent show continues along. Until next time.

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