702 Health Insurance: Feedback, Analysis and Opinions

admin

Retired Administrator
As yet I haven't watched this episode, but I have made this thread to gain others thoughts on this episode.

According to a few of you, the episode wasn't fantastically good, being rather average, compared to last weeks Burning Man episode.

Any opinions, feedback or analysis of this episode?
 

CJman327

New member
Yeah, this episode was probably:
4.gif
!:D

I agree this episode was rather average. But you could get one or two laughs from this one.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
I thought this episode was much better than Burning Man. I really thought Burning Man was the average episode. For me, it was fantastic because I was Malcolm-deprived all summer, but in comparing it with other great episodes, well, I didn't think it added up.

I really enjoyed Health Insurance though. I thought that the idea of Hal thinking he couldn't go a single weekend without health insurance, when he realized he had gone the last six months without it was hilarious.

I definitely enjoyed Lois' storyline, and the surprise birthday party was a real surprise to the viewer too. Excellent writing here.

But I do have some continuity complaints. With the new team at the helm, they probably aren't quite as familiar with the continuity of the series as a whole. The ep itself wasn't bad; there were just a few things that didn't match up with what we've been told in the past. The new team could probalby use to have a look at my timeline. :D

Probably the biggest boo-boo in this ep was how long Lois has been at Lucky Aide. I thought that in season six (although I haven't confirmed this yet) we had learned that she had been working at Lucky Aide for "more than ten years," so this maybe should have been a fifteen year birthday party instead. When you think about it, ten years would mean she started working at Lucky Aide three years before teh series began, which may actually work out, if she got the job immediately following Dewey's birth, but what did she do before Dewey was born then?

The next biggest (and confirmed) problem was Reese's age. Reese is 18, not 17. We're told he's almost 17 halfway through season six in Lois Battles Jamie, and there's no way a high school senior for the second time is still 17. It just doesn't work out.

My final problem is with the doctor kid. I thought it was funny, but the end seemed rather hasty--like, that's the best they could come up with? If he's so good, hwo come we've never seen him before?

But it really was an enjoyable episode.
 

packer-backer

New member
I don't think that this episode was that great. It focused to much on the parents as both main plots were about them using the kids as sort of a sideshow. I thought it was kinda good but I miss the quality episodes of season 1 and 2.
 

Wildcat

Retired Moderator
I like this episode too, it wasn't great, but it was good. Burining man was great for something different, but this was one in the classic style of MITM. We got to see more of the character interacting with each other rather than other people. I noticed that Dewey changed a lot since last season (taller, more mature face). I guesss I didn't see it last week because he had such a small part. And Jamie has definitely changed. He's walking around and everything! I can't wait until he says his first words. I can see some slight changes in Reese and Malcolm too, but not as much.

I agree that Cranston did a great job in this episode...especially the crying bit. I loved how they covered for him at the last minute so Lois wouldn't find out about the insurance. And now we know that they have been going to their own "doctor" when they get hurt so they don't get in trouble.:)

About Reese's age, some kids start school when there 4 if their birthday is in the Fall so he could still be 17 even though he was supposed to graduate last season. I know some people who gradated when they were 17. He should be turning 18 any day now though.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
Right, but last season we learned he was about to turn 18 in Lois Battles Jamie. According to my timeline, he turned 18 in July. Burning Man is at the end of August, and Health Insurance took place in fall, so he shoudl definitely be 18.
 

Wildcat

Retired Moderator
Oh! His birthday is in July? Sorry, I didn't realize that. :D Well, in that case you're right, he should be 18 by now. Must have been an oversight by the writers.
 

wando

New member
i thaught it was a good episode, not great, but i did laugh out loud more times than burning man.
as said earlier, hal plays a great role in the way that he hasnt been covered for the last 6 months but the weekend wait to be re-instated hes really concious of the boys and lois hurting themselves. i particularly laughed out loud that first of all he removed the cutlery from the draw, and then when he entered the bathroom there was a radio/cd player plugged in right next to the bath.
i do agree that i thaugh it was a bit too focused on the parents, an lois's storyline, i didnt think it was the best, but o.k i suppose.
with hal and that nail, i knew someting was going to happen when he knocked it in, and that did make me laugh a lot!! the ending ended a bit weird, not an ending i would have expected.
anyways, good ep, not great, but i suppose not all of them will be fantastic.
 

admin

Retired Administrator
Having read some of your comments there are quite mixed reviews for this episode. Would I be right in saying that perhaps this episode was a bit predictable, after all - the health insurance doesn't come till Monday, so everyone will require medical attention before them?
 

tjpeople

Site Administrator
Staff member
Well i noted the age thing and was like wat the hell? i mean we where specfically told that he was 18 last season. I think the Lois storyline was brilliant, amazing, the whole craig thing was brilliant and totally unpredictable, i dunno about how long lois has worked in the store. I agree the doctor bit was a little werid, but the scene of them convising lois nothing was wrong was brilliant - my poss favourite scene of the season so far.

I missed the last few mins/seconds of the ep, i got to the bit where hal say 'hey look at that....'

wat happens next? or is it the end?
 

Ryebeach

Moderator
tjpeople said:
I missed the last few mins/seconds of the ep, i got to the bit where hal say 'hey look at that....'

wat happens next? or is it the end?
That was the end and I agree it was abrupt. Perhaps it had to be trimmed for time.:confused:

I have to say I felt this episode was better than "Burning Man." I can't exactly pinpoint why but I'd say I like seeing the characters in their home environment rather than travelling. Plus we got to see Craig, which was refreshing. He really brings a lot to the show, comedy wise.

The plotlines were well done albeit predictable in regards to the Hal situation. It didn't hinder my enjoyment of the show in the least though. I still found myself laughing out loud at Hal trying to make the house injury-proof.:D

I also liked seeing Malcolm, Reese and Dewey together for their scenes. They all play well off each other and the comedy tends to come across more clearly when they are in a group. The scene with them trying to go out the window after Hal locks them in is priceless.

The Craig and Lois storyline was well done also. I liked how we were never quite sure if Craig was the snitch or not and then when we found out what was really going on, it was very sweet. And whenever Craig started singing to Lois, I about fell off the couch.:D

As for the whole Reese is 17 or 18 thing. I would find it extremely hard to believe that was an oversight on the writers part. The show has to be screened for many people long before we ever get to see it. For the executive producers, the studio and finally the network. Someone would have mentioned the age difference. My guess is that for some reason, perhaps an upcoming storyline, they needed Reese to be 17 again. While it does cause a bit of confusion for us fans, I have faith in the writers and producers that there was a reason for having Reese be 17 at this time. Also the fact that he even said his age at all leads me to believe the writers wanted to reinforce to the viewers that he was 17. Again, I would guess due to an upcoming or long range storyline.
 

samboo1

New member
It was a quick ending and it could of dragged on for a while afterwards. I thought that some of it was cut of and wasnt sure wether or not it was the end when Hal said "hey look at that". It was a sudden unexcepted ending for me.
But overall id say it was an average 3/5 stars, which isnt bad but im excepting better yet from this season!
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
It did seem rather abrupt, but maybe it was a classic case of "Let the viewer decide the outcome," an ending used many a time in MITM.
 

MITM18

New member
yardgames said:
The next biggest (and confirmed) problem was Reese's age. Reese is 18, not 17. We're told he's almost 17 halfway through season six in Lois Battles Jamie, and there's no way a high school senior for the second time is still 17. It just doesn't work out.

If his birthday isnt until November/October/September than it works fine, he'd only be 17 until the fall.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
Very nice discussion everyone! I am so ashammed of myself in not taping it AGAIN. But, it can't be helped now, so I'd like to thank you all for giving me (and everyone who didn't see it) a closer look at the episode.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
MITM18 said:
If his birthday isnt until November/October/September than it works fine, he'd only be 17 until the fall.
But as proven in my timeline, he actually turns 18 in July. This episode must take place in late September or early October or it wouldn't be fall. And even if it were a few weeks before he's 18, most kids in that situation would round up 18, just to make themselves sound even older--thus making the point even more distinct.
 

Dabney

Deutscher Moderator
Nice episode, wasn't as good as Burning man, but i liked it. I especially liked that 'special door' idea in the boys' bedroom :D . I also think that there will be a special plot in the next episodes for which it's necessary that reese hasn't turned 18 yet, otherwise the writers wouldn't have mentioned it.
 

packer-backer

New member
Watching it over it was better than when I watched it the first time. Maybe it was just because when I first saw it I wactched it alone. For some reasonm I always laugh more and find it more funny when I'm watching it with somebody. Does that happen to anyone else??
 
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