The second episode of American Housewife revolves around a quest for one of the most elusive things a parent can have – a nap.
It was like the writers read my review from last week. Yes, they theoretically said, We understand your comments about the hectic pilot. They make the point in this episode is that Katie life actually is exhausting and she can rarely muster enough strength to be a 100% perfect mom the entire way through. Sometimes the kids will get a tough mom who makes them pick up trash on the side of the road. Other times they get one who can’t get through the school parking lot without being labeled a pervert by the judgmental crossing guard (played by a game Kate Flannery).
The second episodes of shows often end up reiterating their pilot, and “The Nap” follows a lot of the same beats as the episode before. Taylor is popular and oblivious. Oliver is greedy. Anna-Kat is anxious. Katie, meanwhile, is having a hard day already. After herding all the children to school, she complains to her friends about her difficult morning.
Katie’s two friends, Doris and Angela, get a little more depth this week. Doris is apparently fantastically wealthy and can’t imagine living without a household manager and nanny. Angela shares custody with her ex-partner and admits that divorce takes some of the pressure off her. Katie can almost bring herself to divorce Greg for some peace and quiet, but eventually nixes the idea.
There is a ray of hope in Katie’s day. Her old boss has emailed her asking if she wants to come back to her old job. Katie doesn’t seriously consider it at first, but the job opening sounds more and more like a lifesaver as she deals with pushy nurses and crossing guards.
Doris and Angela advise Katie to do something for herself and she decides to take a nap. To the soothing sounds of the Cranberries, Katie is almost in heaven until Greg comes home early because he feels like he’s maybe getting sick (Greg’s and Anna-Kat’s hypochondria seems like it will be a recurring theme). Greg immediately interrupts Katie’s attempts to nap by telling her she needs to take his place reading a book to Anna-Kat’s class.
It is in the classroom that Katie’s frustrations eventually boil over. The book about a busy mama cat strikes a nerve and she unloads on the unsuspecting class about her bad day and regrets over her old job. If her breakdown had a positive effect, it certainly seemed to net Anna-Kat some sympathetic friends.
Katie wants to run away and recoup from her breakdown, but it turns out that Anna-Kat needs a booster shot and Oliver has been suspended for using insider trading in the stock brokers club. She drags the two, along with Taylor because she doesn’t want to have to pick her up later, out of school. Before they can get away, however, Katie notices the boot on her car. This school just has it out for her today. Katie delivers a long soliloquy to the crossing guard, who couldn’t care less about her problems. Next time she’ll get towed.
In the car, the three kids’ obliviousness to their mother’s problems cause her to declare martial law and force Oliver and Anna-Kat to pick up trash. Taylor wants to pick up trash, but Katie demands that she stay in the car and actually study for once.
Back home, Katie is eager to share her roadside epiphany with anyone who will listen. She takes over Greg’s Skype session with his students to compare stay-at-home moms with SEAL Team 6 and warn everyone that both being a stay-at-home mom and a working mom suck, just in different ways. Katie didn’t realize as she is giving her rallying speech that she is not speaking with Greg’s close group of grad students but a huge lecture hall for History 101. It is this decision that shows Greg that Katie is in desperate need of some sleep. He offers to watch the kids while Katie finally gets her nap, but Katie decides that she doesn’t want to miss out on any of the fun parts.
I was pleased that “The Nap” slowed down somewhat from the pilot and Katie gets some character development. Her responses to the kids’ situations were more organic and funny than her war on the housewives in the last episode.
But what did you think of the episode? Let me know in the comments!
