♪♪
Oh, come on. How hard is it? There's three letters left.
"Walk in the pool".
[ Ding ]
"Walk in the park"?
The club we were playing at
had bad electrical and a-a leaky roof.
Yeah.
As soon as my bass player started screaming,
I thought he was just rocking out.
Turns out he was being electrocuted.
No. No, he's fine. He's fine.
He kind of enjoyed it.
Okay, Mom, I gotta go.
Bye. Bye.
You had to be talking to my mom.
Your mom is dead.
Still more likely to call you than your mom.
Yeah, it's like once every 10 years.
But, you know, ever since my brother Aaron died,
she's been reaching out more.
Wish I'd gone first.
Then she'd be bugging him.
I'm glad your tour brought you home for a couple of nights.
I've been missing you the last three weeks.
Yeah.
I can't believe it's only half over.
And the next eight weeks are all these clubs in the boonies.
Wow.
I've never heard you complain about the road before.
Usually, you come home all jacked up from performing
and try to have your way with me.
[ Sighs ]
Where's that Louise?
[ Chuckles ]
She's burned out.
You know, I still love playing music,
but being away from home and driving all those miles,
trying to get deadbeat promoters to pay us --
it's getting old.
Doesn't sound like any walk in the pool.
It's a very common expression.
Oh, God.
I haven't seen you in weeks, and I come in
and the first thing I do is complain.
Hey, honey, you don't have to apologize.
You've been out there busting your ass
most of your adult life.
Everybody hangs it up at some point.
Mm.
Not Willie Nelson.
Well, Willie doesn't even know where he is.
He thinks there's 3,000 people in his living room.
[ Chuckles ]
♪♪
-- Captions by VITAC --
"The Conners" is recorded before a live studio audience.
Where'd you get all these decorations?
I stole them from Dad's house,
'cause that's what Christmas is all about.
It's the season of giving, even if you don't know you are.
Well, next time you're at Dad's,
steal something good for Emilio's wedding this weekend.
I haven't gotten him a gift yet.
Oh, well, do you think his new bride
will like an old heating pad or a chipped bowling ball?
Look, since you're going,
just put my name on whatever crap you find.
Oh, but wrap it nice. He's the father of my child.
Just you showing up should be enough.
You got him a green card and a kid.
You're not gonna top that with an air fryer.
I'm sending Beverly Rose to go without me.
It's humiliating going to your ex-husband's wedding
without a date.
If I did go, you know that that bouquet
would hit me right in the head and everyone would say,
"Maybe she won't die alone after all."
I threw mine at you hoping that they would say that,
but all they said was,
"The hot one should be marrying Ben, not the sad one."
People are still saying that.
Beverly Rose, come on!
Time to go to school!
[ Panting ]
Why are you dressed like that?
Woof! I'm a dog.
And you're a cute one, but you can't wear that to picture day.
Woof!
I'm serious, Beverly Rose. You gotta go change.
[ Growls ] I'm not Beverly Rose.
I'm Pancake.
Aww, that is such a cute dog name.
Good girl.
Stop that!
Look, this is your first school picture, sweetheart,
and it's got to tell the world
that Mommy's doing a great job raising you.
Otherwise, there's no point in it.
I thought the point is that Pancake
will have an enduring memory
that she can show her puppies when she's older.
Beverly Rose, go change.
[ Whimpers ]
Beverly Rose, we're going to be late.
Not her name.
Fine. Come on, Pancake.
Let's go for a ride.
Open the window so she can stick her head out.
They like to feel their jowls flap in the wind.
This was so nice. Thank you.
That candle smells really pretty.
When did you get it?
It's my bathroom candle.
[ Knock on door ]
Who the hell knocks on the door at this time of night?
[ Groans ] If it's a burglar,
stall him until I can get renter's insurance.
Oh, my God.
It's worse than a burglar.
It's my mother.
Surprise!
Mom, what are you doing here?
You sounded so down about your career
that I thought you might just need
a little bit of Mom's famous Apple Brown Betty
to cheer you up!
[ Chuckles ] Well, okay. Uh, come on in.
Dan, this is my mother, Doris.
Uh, Mom, this is Dan.
He's the guy I married at that wedding you didn't come to.
I wanted to, but your father wouldn't let me.
He said, "If we're gonna drive all the way to Chicago,
we're going to go see the Bean
and not Louise shacking up with some drywaller."
Charmed, I'm sure.
It really is nice to finally meet you, Doris.
And Betty and I go way back.
So, Mom, w-what -- what's going on?
You didn't drive all the way from Wisconsin
just to bring me dessert.
Well, I can't just stop by?
Uh, it's only a few hours away.
I know my night vision is not as good as it used to be,
but I find if I stay to the right
of the oncoming headlights, I'm fine.
What about pedestrians and bicycle riders?
You feel any bump-bumps on the way over?
[ Chuckling ] No.
I could drive over a marching band
and not feel a thing in that RV.
You and Daddy got an RV?
I mean, you were having so much trouble on the tour
that I made him buy it so that I could
make your life a little bit better on the road.
You're giving me an RV to drive on tour?
No.
I'm gonna keep you company.
I'm driving so you can relax.
Oh. Oh.
Nothing more soothing than a blind woman
trying to keep a small house out of oncoming traffic.
Yeah, so, uh, after all this time,
you and Daddy are finally okay with my career?
Well, I am.
He's not. I don't care.
After your brother died, I did some soul-searching
and I realized I should have
stood up to your dad and supported you.
And if he didn't like it, too bad.
Just think, no more crummy hotels,
and you won't have to worry about promoters.
I'll make sure you get paid.
[ Laughing ] That's a sweet thought, Doris,
but some of those club owners can be pretty rough.
How are you gonna get the money out of them?
[ Chuckles ] No problem.
[ Exaggerated elderly voice ] "Oh, somebody help me.
Oh, this man won't give me my money,
and if I don't have money for my medicine,
they're going to take my foot."
Whoa. That was really good.
I really thought she was gonna lose her foot.
[ Chuckles ] You know, this is crazy.
Dan and I were just talking about me getting off the road.
Yeah, Louise is kind of over it.
Unfortunate timing.
Yeah, but if I could just play and not hassle
with all this other stuff, it might go back to being fun.
Y-You know what's super fun?
Is caroling and Christmas puppies and rum.
I could get a candle that just stays in the living room.
You wanna see the RV?
Yeah, I do.
Honey, don't worry.
I'll take a break from the road and come home for Christmas.
This is crazy.
I got my mom back, Dan.
♪♪
[ Knock on door ] Hi.
Oh, hey, Jackie.
[ Door closes ] Wow.
Word of mouth really got out about this place.
Well, Lunch Box is closed on Mondays
and Neville's at a vet conference.
He's presenting a new tool for expressing anal glands.
So if you still use your fingers now, you're just a weirdo.
What are you doing here?
I'm avoiding our mother-in-law.
Oh, man. Oh, she must be some piece of work,
'cause Neville would rather squeeze a dog's ass
in Des Moines than be here while she's here.
All I know is Louise has only talked to her mother
like four times in three decades
since they fought about her music,
then out of the blue, the woman shows up with an RV
to go on tour with her.
That's weird, right?
Oh, yeah. Something going on there.
I don't know.
I've seen you ever day for years and you never get me anything.
Some people would say that's weird.
There you go. Dry your eyes with that.
Where's Beverly Rose?
I got her a flower girl dress for the wedding.
Look how cute it is.
Yeah, that's really sweet.
I don't know if she's gonna put it on.
She's still a dog.
I think when she sees this, all that dog nonsense will be over.
Pancake! Come here, girl!
[ Whistles ]
[ Panting ]
Hey, sweetie.
Look what I bought you to wear to your dad's wedding.
Isn't it gorgeous?
[ Sniffs ]
You want to try it on?
[ Growling ]
Beverly Rose, stop that!
Pancake! Leave it! [ Growling ]
Leave it!
Sorry, I'm just trying to work with what I got here.
You cannot be a dog at your father's wedding.
You're a little girl,
and it's time for you to act like that.
It's enough now.
[ Whining ]
Anybody want a kid?
She's been doing this for days, and the wedding's this weekend.
I don't know what to do.
Worst comes to worst, she doesn't go.
Tell people you left the gate open and she got out.
Would you guys knock it off?
It's really upsetting when you can't control your kid.
She could have distemper. Has she had her shots?
[ Laughter ]
Aw.
I think we might have crossed the line.
Well, yeah.
That's where all the fun is, on the other side of the line.
♪♪
Boy, that is some beautiful RV you got out there.
That's a big investment for eight weeks.
You and Louise could go for months in that thing.
Mm-hmm. From your mouth to God's ears.
Every parent's dream.
I hope you don't mind, but I got the keys from Louise
and went inside and took a look.
I really like that captain's chair.
I felt like a white trash Captain Picard.
I also found something interesting in there.
It's the registration for the RV.
You said you and your husband bought it together,
but it's only got your name on it.
It's the 21st century.
Women are allowed to own things, Hagar.
Yeah, but why did you put it in your maiden name?
Oh, God, tell me what's on your mind.
It couldn't take long.
You're lying to Louise.
You didn't come because you wanted to support her music,
and you never stood up to your husband.
You're here because you killed him.
I love cop shows.
I just always wanted to say that.
Seriously, what the hell's going on, Doris?
Okay, if you have to know,
my husband left me, and it's none of your business.
I know that you and her dad splitting up
is definitely Louise's business,
and you got all up in my business
by trying to take my wife away so you wouldn't be alone.
I'll admit it.
I tried to make the wrong relationship work
and now I'm alone.
You've had her for a few years, Dan.
I haven't had her for 30.
Can't you spare a few?
I get being alone. I lost a spouse.
But at my age, time is precious,
and I want to spend all of it that I can with Louise.
At your age?
Did you have your third birthday party
ruined by the Hindenburg disaster?
Did you ever try to get kids to pin the tail on the donkey
when some yo-yo on the radio is yelling, "Oh, the humanity"?!
Look, we both know what's going on.
Do the right thing.
Hey.
If you have more jokes about
what a terrible mother/dog owner I am,
save them.
I know.
Look, I just wanted to let you know
that every parent goes through something like this.
I mean, Mom went through almost the same exact thing with me.
Remember when I kept barking in fifth grade?
Yeah, I remember.
I kept asking people, "Who's that weird only child
that happens to share my very common last name?"
Well, I remember Mom asking me why I was doing it
and I said it was because I was bored in class, but I lied.
About what?
Well, everybody had to get up and give an oral report
on what their family did for summer vacation.
Was that the year that Dad put the plastic liner
in the back of the pickup and filled it with water?
Yeah, and then he drove it to the park and said,
"You kids enjoy the lake."
[ Laughs ]
So I pretended to be a dog
to avoid having to get up in front of my entire class
to tell everybody that my family spent their summer vacation
in the back of a truck.
Okay.
So what's Beverly Rose avoiding?
I don't know. I just had the story.
A good mom would figure that out.
Alright, it wasn't school,
because she went and took the picture.
Mm-hmm. Um, she's never had more playdates.
The only thing that she didn't like...
was the flower girl dress.
Holy crap.
It's Emilio's wedding.
Hmm.
She doesn't want to see her dad get married
to someone other than her mommy.
Oh, my God.
It would kill Emilio if she wasn't there.
I got to talk to her.
I gotta tell her it's okay to have two mommies.
One that loves her,
and one that's Daddy's sad little consolation prize.
And that's when Louise almost got on "Star Search".
[ Laughs ]
Wow, Doris, we have really taken a stroll down memory lane.
But I would love to hear that story
you started telling me earlier.
Oh, that old thing?
I-I don't think anyone's really interested in that.
Uh, I am.
I could tell it,
but I don't think I could do it as good as you.
Well, now that you've built it all up,
I don't think it could possibly measure up to that hype.
Okay, um...
your father left me.
You know, Elvis bought me a Coke once.
W-W-Wait.
Mom, what are you talking about?
Dad left me for a woman with both her original hips.
She also does Pilates, which is kinda slutty.
Well, w-when did this happen?
Last year.
Yeah, but we've been talking on the phone, and you --
you've been here for two days and you've said nothing.
I-I was going to tell you when we were out on the road.
You mean in the RV you used to trick me
into thinking you were supporting my music career?
I do support your career.
And now that Dad's gone, I've got the time to show you.
No.
This isn't about me.
It's about you.
And now that Dad's gone, you're lonely.
That's the only reason you're here.
Look, I know I handled this badly,
but I believe that you and I --
You and I are nothing, just like we always were.
Okay, why don't we take a breath?
I made a mistake.
Can't we move past it?
A mistake is, "Oops, I spilled something on the rug,"
not "I'm disowning my 18-year-old daughter
for wanting to play rock 'n' roll."
Here, let me return the favor.
Pack your stuff and get out.
Honey, I know you're upset,
but do you really want to throw your mom out?
What, now you're taking her side?
No, I'm remembering how excited you were
when you thought you had her back.
You only get one mom.
I regret to inform you that that's her.
Wow, Dan.
I'm speechless.
Maybe you go on tour together for a few months and --
and work everything out.
[ Sighs ]
Y-You know what makes your wife happy?
Keep it G-rated. Your mom's right there.
You.
And I want to spend as much time as I can with you.
But...you're right.
I'm gonna finish the tour.
But then it's you and me forever.
Oh, back off. You're so clingy.
And if you wanna drive me around
and cook for me on tour, fine.
But you're gonna have to carry my amps, too.
Sure.
If you're good, I'm good.
Yeah.
Maybe when you come back for Christmas,
you could stay at the house.
It's usually a lot more festive,
but my daughter stole all of my decorations,
which is weird, because she's an atheist.
They don't want anybody to be happy.
Oh, uh, I thought you were at work.
Ah, Darlene, this is Doris, Louise's mother.
Hi. Hi.
What's in the box?
I brought you some Christmas decorations.
[ Imitating Joseph Welch ] Have you no shame, Senator?
Nah, not much.
That's the beauty of being an atheist.
I don't have to follow your commandments.
I can lie, I can steal, I can covet till the cows come home.
Merry Christmas and goodbye.
I think I know why you're a dog.
You do?
Yeah.
A dog can't wear a dress and go to a wedding.
Are you upset about Daddy getting married?
Kind of.
Are you afraid that Gabriela is gonna replace Mommy?
No.
Are you sure?
Because Mommy had a big speech planned
about how no one can replace Mommy.
It's a great speech.
No.
Then why don't you want to go to the wedding?
Because I heard you say you didn't want to go to Daddy's wedding
because it would make you sad.
Oh, sweetie.
I didn't say that.
I didn't want to go because I don't have a date.
But the most important thing is,
Daddy wants you to be there on his special day.
I'm not going unless you go.
[ Sighs ]
This is why people take dogs back to the shelter.
I'll go.
But you know what I want you to whisper really loudly
when Gabriela walks down the aisle?
"You're so much prettier than her"?
I am raising you right!
Welcome to The Lunch Box.
We're having a special today for the holidays.
It's a sandwich that we call the Ho-Ho-Hoagie.
Jackie?
Yeah.
I'm Doris. I'm Neville and Louise's mom.
Oh. Okay.
Well, it's nice to meet you.
I don't know whether Dan told you,
but I'm going on tour with Louise,
and I thought when I'm done, Neville might be interested
in going on a road trip to see all the zoos in America.
Mm-hmm.
Um...
Don't you dare try and pull that crap with me, honey,
'cause I have danced with the devil in the pale moonlight.
You mess with my marriage, I end you.
So, uh...
you want me to call you "Mom" or what?