SkimIt
No matter how much you love someone, it’s sometimes tempting to lie to them. But unlike in real life, sitcom lies are almost always discovered.
Guys With Kids starring Anthony Anderson and Jesse Bradford airs on NBC Wednesdays at 8:30 pm ET.
Never Let the Person With No Sense of Humor Pick the Team Name
Gary (Anthony Anderson) is going a bit stir-crazy being a stay-at-home dad. As soon as Marny (Tempestt Bledsoe) walks through the door he begins peppering her with questions about everything from her day at work to what she had for lunch. This is a guy who desperately needs a break. Across the hall Chris (Jesse Bradford) is thrilled to discover that their favorite watering hole is starting a trivia night. The bad news is that Sheila (Erinn Hayes) shows up and agrees to join their team. No, I think the bad news is that she has come up with a team name and it’s “Let’s Get Quizical.”
Small Lies Spiral Out of Control
It’s the inaugural trivia night at Cagney's and “Let’s Get Quizical” is there. But it’s quickly apparent that the team is divided into two groups. Nick (Zach Cregger) and Sheila are equally great at trivia while Chris and Emily (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) are a bit less knowledgeable. In fact Chris’s last dumb answer costs them the contest and they lose to a team named “There’s no Quizness like Show Quizness.”
The next night Gary, his kids and Chris and Nick are walking down the street and Gary tells them how Marny has been working late and how proud she is. That’s until one of the kids spots her working out in a nearby gym. When she gets home he lets her ramble on before busting her and she manages to get out of it by explaining she was doing it to look good for him. Somehow that turns into them getting a sitter so they both can work out and she’s lost her alone time again.
That’s What You Get For Listening to Chris
Nick and Sheila plot to kick Chris and Emily off the trivia team, in part because Chris claimed that “true love” was one of the seven wonders of the world. Marny has plans of her own and fakes an injury to get out of the couple workouts. But of course he overreacts and he hires an acupuncture doctor to come by the house and heal her. But things are looking up at trivia night. Nick lied to Chris and Emily and claimed he had to work late so he and Sheila could win that night’s contest. Of course Sheila pushes the stakes too high and agrees that the losing team can never show their face in the bar again. Yeah, this is going to go well.
Where Else Can I Buy One Beer and Sit With My Kid For Three Hours?
Chris and Emily realize they were lied to when they both receive phone calls informing them their spouse (or ex-spouse) will be exactly 35 minutes late. Marny’s lie is discovered by Gary when she forgets which leg she is supposed to be limping on.
Back at Cagney’s Sheila and Nick are doing very well. So well in fact that Sheila explains that if they only answer one more question correctly, they’ll have an insurmountable lead; which is sitcom shorthand for “guess what happens next.” Chris, Emily and Gary all show up and begin shouting incorrect answers. It comes down to the final question and neither team knows it. Well, history major Gary does but he’s decided to give the answer to the opposing team. He does and Kevin and Sheila are banned for life from Cagney’s.
Best Lines
“I love my kids and I love my husband. But sometimes I see someone in a coma on one of those medical shows and I think, I could use some of that.” – Marny
“I want some alone time too and we’ll both get it. When those two jokers are in college. September 9th, 2023. I have the date already circled on the calendar.” – Gary
“And you kicked me out of my own group, like that ex-Beatle Pete Fish.” – Sheila
“I don’t mind being banned. I’m tired of having to throw away all my clothes after leaving this place anyway.” – Chris
