When That Damn Promo 4.9 Tells Damn Promo 4.7 “Hold My Tequila” (Stat)

 

                                                    

WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED

^^^That was the first thing I tweeted upon seeing that post-"Parenting” promo Monday night-- a promo that had remained a mystery until that moment, as TGD had not yet even supplied a title for the next episode yet, never mind a synopsis (As I write this, they still haven’t-- perhaps taking full advantage of the fact that said episode won’t air until mid-February.)

You may have tweeted things too. Lots, and lots, and LOTS of things. Or ranted in a TGD group on Facebook. Or just stared at your TV, long after the late news started on your local ABC affiliate, the words just forming over your head in a silent cartoon bubble: What was… who was that… I’m sorry, Shaun’s crushing on…? WHY IS HE ALMOST KISSING ANOTHER…?!?!?!

I’ll put it another way: During the course of Monday’s “Parenting” episode, I received 17 notifications on Twitter that were related to the episode (not including multiple RTs and Likes).

Since 10:59 E.S.T. on Monday-- when that promo made its debut-- Those notifications for me on Twitter shot up to well over 100. JUST about the promo. And also not including multiple RTs and Likes. 

Plus, several eager-to-vent readers made use of the comments section of my previous post. (You don’t have to be as succinct there as you do on Twitter.)

Which is why… much as you and I want to talk about the NEARLY 12 MINUTES of #Shea content in “Parenting” (including Shaun’s hotel lobby scene and the Lea/Glassman exchange)... I’m posting about that damn promo that many #Shea fans are taking very, very personally. 

(But I’m not SHOWING said promo here because I’m not into torture. You’re welcome!)

In order to actually get something out to you a little sooner than usual, I’ve decided to bring y’all in and employ a sampling of those comments/notifications I’ve read thus far. There were too many to seek permission to use this time, so I’m posting them without attribution. Maybe you’ll see your words here; maybe you’ll see words that match your thoughts completely… 

That was uncalled for.   I’m just hoping that looks worse than it is…

It is totally disastrous that after this episode they give us one like that, it would be better if nothing happens because it is very unfair. Also, Shaun is not that kind of guy.

What was that shit?

Lea could’ve used this humble pie in season 2 but not now.  Too bad they just didn’t let us enjoy this episode.

I honestly didn't like the promo at all, it gave me a heart attack. But I trust Shaun and Lea's relationship.

Here I was thinking the next phase for Shea was going to be marriage and starting a family… now I’ve got to deal with him breaking Lea’s heart. I can’t wait 3 weeks.

I will be disappointed if they break them up.

I’m sorry but wtf are they planning to do???? Make Shaun a cheater suddenly in 1 episode???? After a beautiful episode like tonight where Shaun fought to hard to gain Lea’s parents because of her... it’s just not who Shaun is...

Breaking her heart just seems too much for me. We don’t need this after the bummer coronavirus year we went through.

Shore punched me in the face at 10:59 pm.

Remember when Shaun started dating Carly, and without any care towards Lea’s feelings he told her she had to move out. I don’t think Shaun thinks of Lea’s feelings... he doesn’t have empathy.

(I vocalized my objection to that last part of the statement right away, FWIW.)

So he might not realize his actions (i.e., he tells Lea he is attracted to someone else because he is honest) could be breaking her heart..

What if this new woman doctor is kind of like a sleaze and wants Shaun just for sex. Or wants to take advantage of him somehow? 

I’m willing to be positive but then I can’t help to wonder why they ( producers/writers) would use that storyline and promo... it only make fans anxious.

That last one tagged me a few days later, which is also when ABC put the promo onTwitter (and, in turn, numerous #Shea fans expressed outrage all over again). I’ll show you my response to that Tweet later, but first, here are some of the longer-form reactions that turned up in my “Comments” section…

From Faghost: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROMO FOR 4x09, PLEASE????! I mean, Andreas and I, and I hope other bunch of us Shea fans, kinda agree that a little bit of jealousy will do Lea and her relationship with Shaun good. Also, especially Shaun will get the chance to learn more about life, specifically lust and love.. but boy the cowbell really has me nervous. That and we're approaching 10... still so many episodes remain and lots of possibilities will happen down the line. 

From Andreas, who compares the theme of the promo to the Greek mythological tale of Calypso and Odysseus: The latest episodes appear to lean heavily on revisiting themes already played in the previous season and jealousy was a big one in season 3 as all on team Shea probably remember vividly. Now, recall what Morgan had to say about it: “It's flattering, stimulating, it means you're committed, and you care. […] like all things, a little is good, and a lot will kill you. My advice: Admit you're jealous, give in to it, and then get over it.”

What Morgan was trying to say to Carly was that working through the jealousy would provide a new perspective to the relationship, enforcing the pros and cons and - if overcome – might strengthen the relationship because the couple knows better why it matters.

Lea has issues with commitment and self-esteem, we all hope and long for the show to address that specifically.

From Tony Payne: The "next episode" promo was just that - an ABC promo designed to get a rise out of people and spark discussion. I've seen some people get VERY worried (almost irrationally so), and I truly feel that ABC got its intended effect and then some! I don't believe for a second that the show's going to have its main protagonist give into temptation, lest he lose the sympathy and support from such a huge portion of the audience. This is not DEFCON-1; this is not a Doomsday siren. Even so, it'll be interesting to see just how it DOES play out on February 15.

From Mary: I agree with Tony. The promo for the next episode aims to spark discussion and create a strong suspense in these two weeks off. I don't think Shaun will kiss the new radiologist, it's just his imagination, because he says "I am having thoughts I don't want to have". He has always been honest, so he will tell Lea how he feels and that will surely hurt her. This makes me think of Glassman's words "It's rarely intentional" that he addresses to Lea, but, out of all expectations, Shaun will hurt Lea. In my opinion, moreover, this dynamic will serve to counter Lea's haters who say that sooner or later she will hurt Shaun, without thinking that it could be the opposite, as it seems to be in fact. Anyway, I'm sure Shaun and Lea will overcome this challenge too.

And from Vale (co-creator of the “Shea: Endgame” IG account: My question is, yeah Shaun will be honest but how do you think that Lea will handle this situation, how are they going to overcome this? Because to know that your partner is having thoughts with another woman, even if he doesn't act upon them, hurts and it will hurt Lea's self-esteem even more. You don't feel good enough, you feel like he has to be looking out for something you can't give him bla-bla-bla. So, how? How you move on after such a painful declaration?

I'm leaning to the whole almost kiss as a daydreaming or thought from Shaun, the whole situation is so unlike him, he is sitting so close to a person he barely knows and he is allowing her to touch him. Seems like a product of someone's else imagination to be honest.

The lack of physical content between Shaun and Lea is killing me, sincerely I miss their interactions to be sweeter and loving beyond words. 

Boy do I hear that last part. Yes, we were blessed with a smidge of kissing and holding ahead of the winter break-- and the tangent on shower sex a couple weeks ago was fun-- but THIS (Lea’s hand on Shaun’s arm during a few moments of the rehearsal dinner in “Parenting”) is almost the only physicality we’ve witnessed in January… unless you count the in-the-distance birthday hug during the “Lim” episode. (And, honestly, I don’t. Still a little ticked about the whole birthday thing. But that’s for another time.)  

We all blame pandemic protocol, heightened perhaps by the fact that Richard Schiff (Glassman) had just been hospitalized for COVID in real life around the time these episodes were shot… but maybe that made the promo all the more upsetting for us. Why do we have to see him having and/or acting on feelings of attraction for another woman when we can’t even see him lay a finger on the woman he loves?

WHY GO DOWN THIS ROAD AT ALL? Some may still be wondering.

I say “still” because I know, for some, the visceral reaction they had at first sight of the promo on Monday night has subsided somewhat. But if you still need to be talked down from the proverbial ledge, take heart. You’re not alone. And you’re among like-minded friends here. Take a breath, and then read on.

THEORIES… WE’VE GOT THEORIES

As with the previous time TGD jerked our chain with the revelation that Lea has an ex-husband, there are several theories out there as to Shaun’s POTENTIAL (trying to emphasize that word as much as possible) betrayal of his relationship with Lea. A few of them:

• He was dreaming it (evidenced by his line “I’m having thoughts I don’t want to have…”)

• He was daydreaming/fantasizing (same evidence as above)

• She (the mystery radiologist for whom we now call “SHE” with narrowed, accusing eyes) was putting moves on Shaun that he will ultimately reject in that same scene

• He was conducting an experiment, much as he did when he was trying to gauge his feelings for Lea a year ago by way of taking his pulse (as Andreas reminded). Except the stakes this time are a LOT higher. 

• Lea got her brave on after Shaun confessed his feelings (because he’s Shaun; you know it’s inevitable he’ll do that) and encouraged him to conduct an experiment

• One of the other St. B-Vites (Jordan? Park?) encouraged him to conduct an experiment

• SHE herself suggested “an experiment”

I’m borrowing from reader Erin on that last one, who still had the promo on her mind 4 days later (don’t we all?): 

I’m wondering if anyone else has come to this conclusion about the kiss in the promo. Maybe they are both ‘testing’ to see if the attraction is actually valid? Although I still don’t like the idea of what’s her name touching Shaun....

One thing that’s NOT in that list of theories is the possibility that Shaun is giving in to temptation outright-- we just don’t see it, much as we object strongly to seeing Shaun even entertaining the idea of kissing another woman when his love for Lea is so steadfast. 

But maybe that’s the point. Shaun is still getting up to speed with all things love, lust, and relationship-related. He’s clearly confused and upset (“Shouldn’t loving Lea make (the thoughts) go away?”), but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s capable of feeling attraction to someone else-- something WE were expecting about as much as he was. 

Another reader mentioned on Twitter that Shaun’s held “the moral high ground” in the relationship up to now, and I get that. He’s the ultimate late bloomer after all-- he’s had a lot less time to make mistakes. And the presumption, stated as recently as this past week with Glassman’s convo with Lea, is that Shaun’s the one most capable of getting hurt in this love relationship. Maybe it’s time to challenge that mindset? (Trying to step into the shoes of a TGD writer here...)

On top of Shaun’s relative “innocence” is the fact that he has a developmental disability that allows him to bring many unique qualities to a romance, not the least of which is for-better-or-worse transparency. Whatever does or doesn’t happen with SHE, we presume he will tell Lea about it. And let’s face it-- Lea likely has him on that moral pedestal herself. He’s not like other guys she’s dated, and to her, that surely means he won’t cheat on her either. She may be right about that, but what about that grey zone where attraction-without-action lies? And (yep, we’re asking it over and over again) how will this impact her self-esteem… the fragile, barely-there kind that might immediately leave her wondering if she’s “enough” for Shaun after all?

In short, if that’s possible at this point in a lengthy post… I think a lot of #Shea shippers are hurting because they feel this deeply from both edges of the sword. We are Shaun, bewildered by this sudden invasion of unwanted thoughts, not realizing such was possible. And we are Lea, unprepared and unsure what this might mean for “us” at this point and time.

Wait- can there be a third edge to this particular “sword”? If so, it’s this: Shaun and Lea already know (wink) what really goes down in TGD 4.9, while WE still have about two weeks of waiting and wondering ahead of us. Poor us! 

So in that interim, might I suggest the following:

1. Skip watching the promo again, no matter how many times it shows up in your social media feeds. Keep it muted and scroll on by. It’ll pass. Literally.  

2. If you insist on watching it, and/or can’t get it out of your mind anyway, remember that U.S. promos for TGD love taking things out of context and out of sequence in order to build a more compelling 30 seconds. 

3. Shaun and Lea’s journey-- all of Season 4, in fact-- is only now getting into the second of three arcs of storytelling (assuming 18-20 episodes in the season with 6-7 episodes per “arc”). In other words, still a long way to go… especially with the COVID episodes pushing plans back a bit. 

4. Whatever happens with all this, I’d bet you a bag of Hershey Kisses (the cherry cordial kind, even!) that #Shea will emerge stronger. As they do with every test thus far.

5. Get yourself some ice cream or a bucket of wings (or whatever works for you) and meditate, or watch all the #Shea videos on YouTube that you can reasonably make time for, or go for a daily walk with “Send the Rain (to Everyone)” on repeat. Whatever self-care you need to employ during the first two weeks of February, DO IT. 

6. Because... #Shea are going to keep getting tested in one way or another, which means we are too. February, March, April (and maybe beyond?) still await! We’ve got to at least try to toughen up our tender #Shea hearts a bit, don’t you think? 

Here’s what I told the viewer who Tweeted I’m willing to be positive but then I can’t help to wonder why they ( producers/writers) would use that storyline and promo... it only make fans anxious…

--

Reasons for the storyline are not as simple as reason for the promo: to give #TheGoodDoctor viewers an extremely memorable reason to stay tuned for new episodes. Suspense (ALL kinds) is a time-honored tradition... wagering our need to know what happens will override any anxiety.

Did the show place its bets correctly? Let me know where you're at with processing THAT DAMN PROMO in the comments. 

(We'll talk about "Parenting" in a few days, so come back soon.)

State of the #SHEA 26: Cowbells, Hurricanes, and Ex-Husbands, Oh My! ("The Uncertainty Principle")

Let’s dive right into the matter of Lea’s ex-husband, the heavily-promoted revelation on Lea’s part from “The Uncertainty Principle” (TGD 4.7):

-- The timeline checks out, give or take how soon out of high school she got married and how old Lea just turned at that birthday earlier in the month (Paige Spara is 31; they might be placing Lea a year or two younger). Lea indicated she left the ski machine with her ex 10 years ago-- is there a subtext here that she left him/moved out of their home? (indicating maybe it didn’t start as a mutual decision to split up?) Or did they leave on such good terms that he kept the machine as a favor to her when she moved to San Jose?

-- Her explanation as to why not telling Shaun? It was believable, because she probably doesn’t think of it often. Over a decade removed, living on the other side of the country in a demanding job, with new love in her life… why look back? 

-- However, l think most of us agree she still should have told Shaun before now (and I DO wish she’d have apologized outright for the omission; she did with her eyes, but not her words). And I can see her leaning on the “wasn’t important” for future news that might surprise and upset Shaun. I hope I’m wrong… that’s the kind of thing that’s going to require continued growth on her part...

-- … Because they need transparency for longevity, and just because it comes more naturally to Shaun doesn’t let Lea off the hook. This reminds me of something else that didn’t happen in this episode: Shaun asking Lea how they could build the trust she wants when she “doesn’t mention” things as potentially important as a prior marriage.

But then again, “The Uncertainty Principle” unfolded in ways that perhaps a lot of us didn’t really expect…

-- So far, the ex-husband story isn’t as dark as we thought it might be. No prison sentences, no anger issues, no abuse mentioned of any kind. One of the things I suggested in my last post was that TGD writers might keep the marriage explanation simple so that Shaun can wrap his mind around it fairly easily… and that they have. For Shaun was more distraught by the surprise of Lea’s revelation than the revelation itself; more upset that Lea didn’t even think about the ex than remotely concerned that the ex has her current address and is sending her things (even if it’s her own “thing” that was sent).

-- But rather than dwell on what she hadn’t told him, or ponder the idea of her being “bad at marriage,” he pivoted directly into big picture thinking (with a little help from the I’m-gonna-live-forever guy). For now that Shaun’s found love, it seems he’s thinking about the challenges of long-lasting love for the first time-- which is a terrific echo to his first “love challenge” of Season 4 (the challenges of temporary long-distance love a la “Frontline Pt. 1 and 2”). 

About those “shower scene” bookends...

In the promo for “The Uncertainty Principle,” it was tough to make a correlation between the shower sex dispute and the jaw-dropping news about

the ex-husband. So while COVID precautions presumably kept us (at least in part) from actually witnessing a moment of the “no soap involved” steamy shower love, the dispute itself was a fun metaphor throughout the episode illustrating the benefits of “adjusting course,” as Shaun might say:

Step 1: Outright refusal on his part (including a “brutally honest” note that intelligent Lea should have known better than to suggest such a thing)

Step 2: (Gather opinions on the matter directly from colleagues) Poll nearly 100 hospital staff in search of a majority approving/disapproving shower sex. (And might I say, SO hilarious that Shaun thought such an approach would come across as “abstract”... over on Twitter, ahead of the episode airing, I’d wondered if Shaun would bring the whole matter into hospital conversation and several pointed out how his ability to filter himself has improved somewhat (see 4.5 “Fault” for a reminder). I loved how Shaun’s early-morning poll represented heavy on the “somewhat” side! 

Step 3: Report preliminary findings to your (very amused) partner, who has already “fielded questions” on the matter (again, as with the “Newbies” discussion about breast size, Lea’s proving to be quite amenable to Shaun’s oversharing tendencies). Shaun’s cautionary “don’t get too excited, Lea” was especially endearing to me for some reason.

Step 4, after a pause to let the dust settle on the ex-husband bombshell: Figure out the necessary steps to a compromise (no soap involved, shampoo bottles moved out of the way, stay away from temperature controls), alert partner you’ve officially changed your mind… and that you’d like to test said compromise immediately.

Was it a swing-and-a-miss on Lea’s backstory?

Honestly, I was hoping for more with Lea’s teen marriage tale. Many of us are chomping at the bit for new pieces to the puzzle that is Ms. Dilallo-- was this a missed opportunity for the writers? I think it’s too early to say. “The Uncertainty Principle” was not an episode designed to spotlight any single supporting character, regardless of how ABC tried to promote it. Within the framework of the episode-- Shaun’s case-of-the-week + his personal life = staring eternity and uncertainty in the face and coming up with a minor coping method (the cowbell)-- it wouldn’t have worked for Lea to even hint at a deep, dark story behind her divorce.

However, the upcoming “Parenting” episode has (dare I say it?) the potential to be pivotal in a wealth of ways-- Lea’s revelation being only one small part of that. The fact that the Ex was described as “literally the boy next door” and “it was expected (that we marry)” makes it very likely that her parents were a huge part of that “expectation”... is the reason they apparently dislike every guy she goes out with is because they compare him, inadvertently or otherwise, with Boy Next Door? And if so, maybe we’re likely to hear about “him” again (and again and again) on Monday? Or learn some additional details of that failed relationship that put Lea in a negative light?

Makes you wonder all the more what their take will be on Lea’s most recent Boy Next Door-turned-lover/best friend, doesn’t it?

Look closely on the left and you can see the lettering on the outside glass: "Lea Dilallo, IT Director"

How Lea stood out

Maybe it’s because she was wearing the same striped sweater she wore on their “Islands” road trip in S1… but the way Lea handled Shaun’s unspooling in her office gave me a tiny throwback to when Shaun put The Striped Tomato in a ditch. He was much more upset back then, and it took a number of “Shaun, look at me” requests on Lea’s part to get him calmed down.

You can see Shaun's profile...

        

...shift to look at her here

This time, she let him go on for about 30 seconds (unpredictable change, hurricanes before 1873, houses flattened, etc.) before a gentle “Shaun…” got him to pause and look directly at her (no prompting) before she came with the reassurance about their own relationship. Of course, the final minute of 3.10 “Friends and Family” is arguably the most challenging “calm down” Lea’s faced to date, and depending on what lies ahead, who knows how many more times we’ll witness this display of love from her. But big moments or smaller ones, this is the kind of thing that keeps endearing us to Lea, leaving us to wonder how anyone could harbor contempt for this character as they have (and continue to do).

And yes, Shaun’s circle-back to #Shea beginning in a natural disaster was duly noted… and hilarious.

How Shaun stood out

As I mentioned last week, I already expected/hoped that this challenge would carry him past his previous assessments of people being “good” and “bad” at marriage. But with the ex-husband news itself not even getting a mention by their final scene together, it was refreshing to see Shaun put that information in its own box-- one with the message I’m still learning things about Lea and that’s okay-- and leap right into What can I do to help ensure that what happened with Lea’s marriage doesn’t happen to us? 

That’s what’s at the heart of the matter, right? If their conversation in Lea’s office didn’t cement that idea, the one with the cowbell certainly did. And while I joked on Twitter that #Shea does NOT need “more cowbell” (referencing a certain SNL sketch from many years ago), I actually hope this kind of fun solution on Shaun’s part doesn’t go the way of Albert the Fish. “Only for emergencies,” Lea concluded after seeing Shaun’s strong reaction to its sound. But sounding it would certainly put things into perspective in a hurry, would it not?

Because… there’s going to be an “emergency.” Maybe this season (Could be as many as 13 episodes still to go!), maybe next, maybe both… but so far, their challenges have been relatively minor. Shaun and Lea are getting made of stronger stuff with every scene they share. The tests are gonna come. But that’s a large part of why we watch.

 "Shaun is coming into the realization that this cocoon of love he's in with Lea might end one day, as what happened with Lea's marriage. He learned that change isn't a problem as long as you change in the same direction. Good marriage fundamentals here. -- Guaind97 on Twitter

"That again gives me the idea that the writers are preparing the couple for some tough challenges in the second half of the season. Challenges that they only can overcome together." -- Andreas (via Twitter) 

Other tidbits from the episode

-- Did anyone else notice that right at the top of Lim’s walk-n-talk with the St B’vites, she mentioned it was “a three day weekend with a full moon”... leading into her lie about how she got the giant bruise on her forehead? I took note that Lim was saying that in an episode that aired on MLK day (third day of a 3-day weekend), making me think of times we’ve discussed TGD timespans vs. real ones... but in studying lunar calendars, I see that the next full moon is not until this coming Thursday (January 28)-- no three-day weekend there. Hmm.

-- Dr. Enrique Guerin gave some of us some major “Gonzo on Trapper John M.D.” vibes with his van set-up in the St. B parking lot. OK, when I say “some of us” I mean those that are old enough to remember Trapper John M.D. (a medical drama that ran on CBS from 1979-86). As for him and Claire… I’m only interested if he really does become some sort of platonic friend whose relationship wisdom and laid-back vibes are able to help propel Claire forward in some manner. (Somehow I doubt this is what the writers have in mind.)

-- For the second time in two years (and almost at the exact same time in January as last year), Shaun came to Dr. Andrews with questions about love and relationships. And for the second time in two years, it came as a process of elimination. Last time Shaun had determined Glassman not a proven-enough success story to ask; this time, he disregarded three opinions (“Park’s marriage failed… Enrique doesn’t even try… Asher is an unknown quantity”) on his way to challenging Andrews again. The irony, though, comes in the fact that I don’t think we’ve seen Andrews’ wife on-screen since season one (with a minor story arc about fertility issues)! Since I tend to agree there’s no room on the current TGD canvas for Andrews’ wife to re-surface, I guess it’s nice that they keep finding ways to verify the marriage is still going strong. (They also did so, in a way, with the scenes of Andrews in his makeshift garage living space during the “Frontline” 2-parter.)

Glassy w/Mr. Rogers vibes... will he be more Mr. Rogers-like with Lea this season?

“PARENTING”: the meet-the-folks episode we’ve waited for

As you surely know by now, Monday January 25 is the day that Shaun-- I mean, we-- I mean, SHAUN will meet Pam and Mike Dilallo (Lea’s parents) for the first time.

Do you know what ELSE this means...!?!?! 

We’ll FINALLY get to hear Lea’s last name spoken on the show!😲

Anyway… as you also surely know (or figured, at least), none of the names that you and I floated last summer for the roles of Lea’s mom and dad were cast in the roles. But no matter, the show’s about to happen and that’s what counts. Here’s a crash course on who’s who:

Barclay Hope (Mike Dilallo)  is a Canadian actor (b. 1958) whose extensive TV credits include Riverdale, Eureka, and Stargate SG-1. 

Julie Warner (Pam Dilallo) hails from New York (b. 1965) and had starring roles in early 90s films such as Doc Hollywood (opposite Michael J. Fox) and Mr. Saturday Night (opposite Billy Crystal) before settling into a wealth of minor TV roles, a recurring role on Nip/Tuck among them. 

Pulled from the ABC promo for "Parenting"

What will happen once we get past all the introductions? Here are a few of my inside knowledge-free speculations, outside what I’ve already mentioned:

-- The initial encounter won’t go well (duh)... either Shaun will be so afraid of saying the wrong thing he’ll barely speak at all, or he’ll tilt the other direction, saying anything and everything.

-- Of her two parents, I’m going to guess that Lea has bigger issues with Mom than with Dad. I’m not sure how those will manifest themselves in this episode, but I’m curious to see if anything further gets said about Mama D and prescription medications (see “Fault” for the reference). 

-- Lea’s estranged (assuming it still is?) relationship with brother Donnie should crop up. It’d better crop up. Please? (C’mon, Dilallos, we need to know what’s happening with all that.)

-- Shaun’s ASD getting discussed is practically a given; how it gets discussed will be interesting to see. Will it be discussed openly in front of him, or will we have a rare Lea scene where Shaun is nowhere around? How will he react and respond to such a discussion? Will anything from their darkest days of season 3 be addressed yet? 

-- All discussions of the ex aside… how much grilling might Mama and Papa D do in the direction of Shaun and Lea getting married in the future? Will they bring up the prospect of future grandkids? What will Shaun and Lea’s reaction be if they do?

-- Finally… what kind of “note” will the episode end on, and what magic words will Shaun come up with if it ends on a good one?

The floor is yours! Whether you want to discuss “The Uncertainty Principle” or “Parenting,” please leave a comment and join the conversation!