‘Extended Family’ Recap: ‘The Consequences of Sushi’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

EXTENDED FAMILY -- "The Consequences of Sushi" Episode 104 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jon Cryer as Jim, Donald Faison as Trip, Abigail Spencer as Julia, Finn Sweeny as Jimmy Jr., Sofia Capanna as Grace -- (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 104 of ‘Extended Family’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

When the day comes that we enter into a deeply committed relationship with a partner, one that leads to marriage and building a family, we are more than eager to bring something special to life. Specifically, tradition. Because there are things, we did when we were growing up that we would love to pass on to our children because of the meaning it carries in our family line. Not to mention, now is the time to start our own proud traditions. The kind that will add depth and new meaning to the ones we already intend to honor. Because traditions, when healthy, are indeed special and important and help us to honor so much. But of course… what we are not prepared for with this hope, is what we do if our family unit and dynamic changes. 

Because divorce is a very real possibility in our lives, as is seeing our family dynamic grow and change when someone new comes into either our life or the life of our partner and well… then we must learn, how to navigate our old traditions with new traditions. Which is undoubtedly no easy task, since we don’t know how our traditions will go over, nor are we sure we will be comfortable with theirs. But there is a way forward on such matters, as evidenced by the next episode of Extended Family on NBC. For ‘The Consequences of Sushi’ took place during a very important day in the Kearney household. In that, it was Grace’s birthday and on birthdays in the household, a proud yet unsettling tradition took place. Wherein the family would go out to a local Italian restaurant that while tasty, caused intestinal distress, but it was a tradition regardless. Since it was about the moment and being close.

But alas, Trey had other plans. Because he was able to secure a table for the family at a prestigious sushi restaurant in town, and really wanted to make Grace's birthday extra special, and well, that put Jim at a crossroads. Because he really wanted to do things as was tradition, but he also wanted to make other parties happy and feel included, since Trey was part of the family now. But he didn’t know which path was right, nor did he know if something he was proud of and loved about birthdays in his household was about to be ruined forever. So, he left the decision to Grace, who chose the sushi and for a time, it just seemed as though compromise was the key to making that kind of magic happen. Since compromise does so much for us in life, in general. But alas, Jim was miserable, and Jim really didn’t feel as though the family was doing something close, and Grace noticed this and well… worked some magic to bring about balance since she knew it wasn’t present.

In part by having Jim Jr. get an idea of where his dad was mentally on this night, to help her use hunger and the right moment to her advantage. Because eventually, they ended up at that Italian restaurant and while there, Trey was able to see how much that moment meant to Jim, and the kids. And just like that… he and Jim came to learn… that compromise isn’t the key, but communication. To understand why those traditions really matter and what they mean to the person that set them up in the first place. So that we have perspective and understanding… and then… and only then can we find real common ground, and properly invite others into that aspect of our world. As Jim and Trey did in this particular tale, and while that was indeed an important lesson to learn, there was more subtext to be found… in that lovely moment.

In that, such an act goes both ways, and we should be open to inviting others’ traditions into our lives as well. Because if the alternate party is courteous enough to accept ours, communicating and doing the same in kind is only right and that led… to one beautiful episode. One that once again spoke to how divorce doesn’t have to be the worst thing in the world and filled with bile and vitriol. It really can be productive. Granted, it will take some work, but all worthwhile things do, and of course… such lessons were handled in a hilarious manner. Because the moments with the portable massager allowed for some great gags to come into play and the sushi jokes worked because let’s be honest… we’ve all had a meal like that… only to go get a burger or some big meal elsewhere later. But what mattered most, is that once again, this show spoke to how our better angels can accomplish wonders for us, if we let them shine through. Until next time.

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