Here’s the thing: In just about everything I review, “the monkey,” sooner or later, needs to escape from his cage and cause a bit of monkey business.
And this was the episode of No Ordinary Family in which the monkey needed to come out.
The monkey manifested himself in JJ where he “jocked” around with the football team at school and — purely on his super mental abilities — ended up making the team.
The monkey made himself known in Daphne selfishly wanting to get into that oh-so-popular party, thinking she could fake her way around the upperclassmen and wow everyone with pizzazzal. Instead, she fell into the usual trap of trying to impress, but fell flat on her face instead.
And that same monkey has been out of his cage on several occasions where Jim is concerned. Jim’s been embroiled in more dippy, dopey new-power flubs over the course of the first four episodes than he should have to put up with. It’s all about the growing pains, however, with him.
But, here’s the thing. This episode gave us a shot of empathy that hasn’t been seen before. You saw the confusion on the kids’ faces, didn’t you? JJ knew he shouldn’t have lied to his folks about his powers and he was on the edge of spilling the beans. But he’s going to milk it a bit more. No confessions just yet for him. (Especially being he ended up the star of the ball game in the final minutes of the show.) Daphne? She may have learned her lesson about fibbing and trying to be cool, but she’s still got a lot of growing up to do. And her powers aren’t making things any easier for her.
The Powells themselves have come down from the previous episode’s romantical ending where Jim offered Stephanie her ring back at their dinner for two. They’re having problems with identity and roll playing … moreso, they’re having issues with who wears the pants in the family. Jim sniped at Steph that he wants to be the man of the house and “bring home the bacon,” so to speak, and it’s causing tension. Normal, ordinary, everyday, average familial tension.
I found this episode a bit more down to earth. Everyday emotion you and I normally feel creeped into the lives of the Powell family. Sure, it’s still a bit slow for a superhero program, but the teaser for next week hints that the time is nigh (well … “nigh” meaning “next week,” anywho) for some of the baddies come out and play.
So … the monkey is back in his cage. We’re a nice chunk into the season thus far and the fireworks are about to launch. How do you feel about No Ordinary Family to date?
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Oct 20, 2010 @ 08:11 EST5EDT
If you personally ask me, I do think that is out of the ordinary. But, it’s also down to earth, and can understand the theme of the show. Just imagine if we were all born with super powers, to fly, to move objects with our minds, to do so much more at once would be wonderful too! And…lol @ “monkey back in his cage” !
I dunno, I’m getting annoyed with the show. Call me an old grump, I guess. I just roll my eyes when the two passes we see JJ throw just so happen to be amazing, not to mention it still takes a good amount of strength to throw a pass. The kid lacks any scrambling ability, too, so if he lasts much longer on the team, I’ll be a grumpier old man about it.
I also still scratch my head over why this family is supposedly challenged. Where are the familial problems? It’s like watching the Cunninghams on ‘Happy Days’ (RIP Tom Bosley)! It’s kinda sickening actually.
But, I know lots of people like wholesome family fare, I’m just saying it’s bugging the hell out of me.
What would have made this episode better is JJ fessing up to his parents. Not finally breaking down and telling them just made him an even less likable person in my book.
*POST AUTHOR*
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I agree with you, Keith: JJ should have fessed up.
It might have made for an interesting dynamic in this episode. I don’t see any detrimental effect coming clean could really have on him. What … he’s going to verbally get his hands slapped? Grounded? Come on … are you really going to stop JJ from mentalizabilifying, even if Jim and Stephanie demanded he stop?
No. Because he’s a kid and a teen high school kid at that. He’s programmed to push the envelope right now … it’s what kids do. And he’s getting off on it. Thus, the hesitation to confess.
This train just keeps a’chuggin’ along, no real destination just yet …
My only thought now about JJ not telling his parents at this point is that, before, he wanted them to be proud of him because he’s doing so well, seemingly without powers. Now that they are willing to accept he’s doing well without powers, he’s afraid to tell them the truth to disappoint them.
Oh, here’s another thing I didn’t get. The mom notes at one point how she’s been testing the family’s blood in the lab: dad, mom, daughter. But why the hell would she just figure not to test JJ’s blood? Just because he so happens to not exhibit powers? Sloppy.
I am enjoying the heck out of it. I don’t see the point in zoning in on the least implausible thing about J.J.’s predicament and making that the sticking point. To me that’s just being critical for the sake of being critical. Given the fact that we’re expected to suspend belief to the point that J.J. can determine the precise mathematic equation necessary to pinpoint the most accurate pass ever, much less that any of these characters can do what they’re now capable of doing, I’m not gonna quibble over whether or not he’d physically be up to the challenge.
Just my two cents.
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
We don’t ‘zone in’ on things and we don’t critique, Jeff. Then we’d just be called a bunch of ‘whiners’ …
Don’t we all pick apart a piece or pieces of a show that bug or thrill us? Don’t we go on and on and on about what we love? Aren’t we annoyingly pain-in-the-assish to somebody out there who doesn’t understand going on about the least implausible thing about a predicament to make it a sticking point?
I do. I’m sure you do to. It’s what we do. (Damn. There’s a Devo song in there. Two, matter’n fact.)
I’m a bit of a math/science geek, and would love to think that analyzing the motion of a football would allow me to turn into the best QB ever. But it’s just not true. (I’m also ignoring the fact that all the math and science mentioned in the show is grossly inaccurate. You can’t model a football with that kind of accuracy using only a 2nd order differential equation, and even if you could it certainly isn’t “graduate level Newtonian mechanics”; it’s what any decent student who’s interested in physics learns in high school.) His actual ability is quite interesting; he seems to have the ability to absorb mathematical knowledge almost instantaneously. But more importantly he is able to analytically model the real world instantaneously, an ability that should allow for more intriguing plots than super strength or super speed. Basically, I’m not sure why the writers felt the need to equate his ability to “can be good at anything without practice”, when they could have had him doing something more interesting like outdoing the coach, (his ability helps his recognize what needs to be done, but doesn’t allow him to do it) and any possible resulting conflict that would entail with members of the team and the coach himself. (It at least would be less ridiculous than JJ’s current conflict with the caricature of an evil math teacher)
Actually, yes! That would have made for a more believable and plausible story, that JJ comes onto the team as the “manager” and slowly begins to outdo the coach’s abilities to use mathematical predictability to figure out what the other team will do next, take in wind variables for the passing game, calculate the speed of every player on the opposing team. That way I’m not groaning at the thought this skinny kid can take a hit from a linebacker and can throw 50 yards with noodle arms.
*POST AUTHOR*
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In a less ‘geeky’ frame of mind, I thought some of the same things, tarlinian.
I, too, rolled my eyes a bit at the equations able to make JJ the star of the show. The thing that instantly came to mind was the fact what he did was all well and fine … but the variable in the equation is what ‘Jocko Quickfeet’ might possibly do … say, stumble and fall, mucking up the end result. Or what ‘Jocko Gorilla’ who is guarding JJ on the right might possibly do … say, slip on a recently spit upon patch of sod letting some of the defense bully their way on through. Either of those things happen, no dice.
Guess what? Everything worked out.
Coming in and outdoing the manager? Nah. Ain’t gonna happen. Sure … it would’ve made for a one-off story line, but how quickly would that become rote?
JJ’s ability is quite interesting. His potential, I hope, will manifest itself in a direction that comes out of left field … pun intended. That would thrill me and, I’m certain, would satisfy Keith and his grumpy old self.