S2E11 "N-E-NEW Y-YEAR'S E-EVE"
The episode begins with the DiMeos sharing with Kenneth their mixed feelings about their new dog. It's funny when Kenneth observes that the dog is a real DiMeo. The dog likes everyone in the family except for Dylan, who spends the episode trying to get the dog to like her. Dylan is really funny being desperate, and it's interesting to see her this way, because it is so different from usual. The dog somehow makes it up on the roof where Dylan is sitting later after she has given up, which is a sweet but strange conclusion.
Ray is worried about having sex with Taylor, which she implies that she wants, so he tries to surround them with other people on New Year's Eve. He works with Kenneth, who is trying to keep J.J's physical therapist away from him. The two have a great dynamic in this episode, leading to a lot of funny moments. The way that things go with Ray are fairly expected, at the end he is honest with Taylor and she understands. However, Speechless does put a spin on this, where Kenneth gets kissed by his date and changes his mind about her, and that leads to Ray more willing to do things with Taylor.
J.J's wheelchair has broken, which leaves him stuck sitting on the couch during the New Year's Eve party that ends up happening at the DiMeo house. Girls keep talking to him and thinking that he is a good listener and that he is wise. This allows for a lot of Micah Fowler's great facial expressions, though J.J's wisdom through his silence is a joke that The Good Place did last year. I like how J.J. was initially not a fan of the girls talking to her, but by the end of the night loved it.
Throughout all of this, Jimmy is trying to have a fun New Year's Eve that he spends with just Maya. Maya is initially opposed to this idea, feeling like she needs to be there for the kids, but she goes along with it. The two have some fun, but when Ray calls them, Maya reveals to Jimmy that she hasn't been drinking. The two hurry home, and throughout all of this drunk Jimmy is very funny. When they get home, Maya discovers that the kids have solved their problems all on their own. It was a sweet story, and very fitting to Maya's character.
This episode provided four great stories for the three DiMeo kids and Maya, and while they did have some familiarity to them, they were executed well, and the kids' stories put a slight Speechless twist on it.
Score: 9/10
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