The main plot was about Mike, after being told not to let his grandson Boyd play dodgeball by both of Boyd's parents, he goes against their wishes. He does this because he comes home one day and sees Boyd and three other boys being babysat by Eve, and all of them are lethargically watching TV. Mike wants to introduce them to "The outdoors" and takes them to the backyard where, with Eve's help, they start to play dodgeball. Initially, they have no idea how to play the game, but they learn.
Soon, lots of other boys are now at the Baxters as they heard about the "club" and want to join. Boyd is having difficulty learning the game-basically he doesn't ever duck the ball and keeps getting hit, including just as Ryan comes into the yard. Of course, he is furious as is Kristin, that Mike went against their wishes.
Mike does, in his own way, apologize, and promises Kris that he will do better at letting Boyd's parents make the decisions for their son. Kris sees how Mike is right that playing a real game where it isn't easy, gets Boyd to go out back and practice dodgeball by himself, trying to learn how to duck the ball after throwing it off the fence.
This episode brings out many of the best qualities of this series. Mike is not shown to be a dimwit who never knows what to do without consulting with someone. Nor is he shown to always know just how to act, as he clearly was wrong to directly go against what Kris and Ryan had directed him to do. And he was man enough to admit that he needs to change in following their wishes with Boyd.
It was also nice that Kristin saw that despite being conked on the head repeatedly in dodgeball, that her son was now determined to learn how to play the game better, practicing on his own.
On the road to the lessons learned, there were lots of laughs including Eve's way of dealing with the kids sort of like a drill instructor, also with the sub-plots of Mandy's dating a high school quarterback, that is, talking about it-we never see the QB, and Kyle and Ed teaming up in a rescue team and both finding it hard to keep up with the other-but unwilling to admit it. Not one of the great episodes, but a solid 8 out of 10 from me.
Soon, lots of other boys are now at the Baxters as they heard about the "club" and want to join. Boyd is having difficulty learning the game-basically he doesn't ever duck the ball and keeps getting hit, including just as Ryan comes into the yard. Of course, he is furious as is Kristin, that Mike went against their wishes.
Mike does, in his own way, apologize, and promises Kris that he will do better at letting Boyd's parents make the decisions for their son. Kris sees how Mike is right that playing a real game where it isn't easy, gets Boyd to go out back and practice dodgeball by himself, trying to learn how to duck the ball after throwing it off the fence.
This episode brings out many of the best qualities of this series. Mike is not shown to be a dimwit who never knows what to do without consulting with someone. Nor is he shown to always know just how to act, as he clearly was wrong to directly go against what Kris and Ryan had directed him to do. And he was man enough to admit that he needs to change in following their wishes with Boyd.
It was also nice that Kristin saw that despite being conked on the head repeatedly in dodgeball, that her son was now determined to learn how to play the game better, practicing on his own.
On the road to the lessons learned, there were lots of laughs including Eve's way of dealing with the kids sort of like a drill instructor, also with the sub-plots of Mandy's dating a high school quarterback, that is, talking about it-we never see the QB, and Kyle and Ed teaming up in a rescue team and both finding it hard to keep up with the other-but unwilling to admit it. Not one of the great episodes, but a solid 8 out of 10 from me.
