Summaries

Synopsis

The Graysons are an extended family that lives in two adjacent houses on a quiet street in suburban Baton Rouge, Louisiana. RENEE (mid-50s, widowed, liberal & progressive, a serious but caring mom) lives with two of her three children: JOE (22, a cool-dude aspiring DJ) and VASHY (16, bubbly, wishes she were older). Grandmother GRAN-HATTIE (70s, cute-cranky but wise) also lives with them. Next door live DOC (50s, patriarchal, conservative successful dentist) and his wife AUNTIE DEE (ditzy, traditional housewife) and their two children: LISSA (20, a romantic, in local all-girls college but secretly wants to transfer) and MATTHEW (18, high school nerd, secretly a Buddhist).

But the star of the family is MAYA (24, brilliant & beautiful, a law-student in Boston, a hard-core progressive like her mom)... and all the Graysons are excited that she's coming home to visit for Christmas. Moreover, Maya is bringing her new boyfriend named "Trent". As Maya calls her mom from the Boston airport en route, Renee & Joe & Vashy excitedly speculate on who this undoubtedly stellar "brother" is. Maya's excited to bring Trent home to meet everybody, too... but the one fact she leaves out (because why should it matter, anyway?) is that Trent, is, well, white.

As Maya travels home with TRENT (25, blue-collar and course but energetic and big-hearted - and totally in love with Maya), she describes her complicated extended family... and we see that he's actually been taking careful notes on them all, because he's very keen on making a good impression. But when Maya & Trent arrive home, it's surprises all-round: the Graysons are surprised - and frankly disappointed - that progressive Maya is dating a white guy (Renee the most concerned)... while both Maya & Trent are surprised - and frankly disappointed - that her "progressive" family would even care.

While Trent unpacks over at Doc & Dee's house (he'll bunk with Maya's cousin Matthew), we reveal why Trent is extra-keen on winning over the Graysons: he's secretly planning on proposing to Maya on Christmas Day. Realizing their work is cut out for them, Maya & Trent hatch a plan to win over the family members, one-by-one, working their way up to the biggest challenge: Maya's mom Renee.

Their first "target" is Auntie Dee. Trent wins her over by relieving her of her cooking duties, and preparing a terrific meal for that evening. (He also discovers Dee's secret proclivity for sports gambling...). At dinner that night, Trent does his best to likewise charm Doc and Renee, with limited results - especially when he unwittingly tips off that Maya has accepted a job after law school at a stuffy Boston law firm. Renee leaves the dinner hurt and angry that daughter Maya seems to be abandoning her activist ways for corporate law. But the night is not a complete failure: Trent discovers that Maya's cousin Matthew has secretly converted to Buddhism - which Trent salutes and promises to keep secret, much to a grateful Matthew's considerable relief.

The next day, Christmas Eve, Maya and Renee argue about what Renee perceives as Maya's shifting - even devolving - values... and about Renee's assessment that Trent, a "symptom," can't really love or appreciate Maya as a black woman, because he just doesn't "get it." Hurt that her mother would so insult the man she loves (and her judgment), Maya storms off. As Maya & Trent commiserate while dropping off food for a local charity drive, Trent worries he'll never be good enough for Renee... while Maya tries to explain Renee's expectations for her, especially in light of the sacrifices Renee was forced to make to her own activism (needing to take a job as a CPA) following the death of Maya's father/Renee's husband three years before. His optimism returning, Trent tries to assure Maya that all will be well... because his charm-offensive will double when her family sees his athletic prowess in today's tradition neighborhood Christmas Eve touch football game.

In a field behind a neighbor's house, the Grayson cousins plus Trent plus a few neighbors gather for the game. Unfortunately, Trent's grand plan to impress everyone seems decidedly thwarted when it's revealed that Maya's ex-boyfriend ERIC shows up (invited by Joe). A Rhodes scholar and part-time model, Eric is stunningly handsome (if someone conceited), charming, African-American, a superb athlete... and ultra-competitive. Many is surprised and disappointed, while Trent is irked and intimidated. However, Trent quickly devises a different tactic for "winning" - by choosing the least athletic folks for his team ... and making sure his teammates are fully involved and have a blast, even while they lose the game miserably. This tactic works, winning over Maya's cousin Lissa. But Eric, jealous of Trent's joyful inclusiveness, angry flattens Trent, breaking his phone, drawing blood and knocking out one of Trent's fillings.

At Doc's dental office, Doc fixes Trent's broken tooth (as Trent struggles to elicit Doc's blessing while comedically slurring his words under the influence of novocaine). In the waiting room, Maya confesses to her mom Renee that she's in love with Trent, big-time... which further worries Renee that Maya is making a big mistake.

That night, Joe & Matthew & Lissa take Trent & Maya sneak into their local high school (to give Trent a better sense of Maya's childhood, per his request). Vashy wants to come, but Maya forbids her, not wanting Vashy to get into trouble - an exclusion which angers Vashy. In the empty gym, Joe plays some of his music tracks and shows off his DJing skills, while Maya tries to woo back Trent, who is still upset by Eric's appearance and brutishness. Joe, himself growing suspicious of Trent's character, challenges him ... but Trent wins him over with a plain but wholly sincere profession of love for his sister Maya. While Maya & Trent dance in the empty gym, Lissa guesses that Trent is in fact really in town to propose! While Trent & Maya feel good that they've now won over everyone except Vashy & Gran-Hattie & Renee, Trent's sense of unworthiness and of Maya's stature magnifies when, as they all exit, they pass the "Maya Grayson Student Government Center" - named after the school's most promising graduate. Yikes. Meanwhile, Renee, pushing back on insinuations from a neighbor/friend and from brother-in-law Doc that her resistance stems, at least partly, from her own subtle racism, determines she better do something - something bold - in order to break up the romance.

Christmas Day starts with presents and good feelings... but Vashy turns the tides by showing an old home movie of young Maya (made when she was ten), playing Santa - and insisting that all white people belong on the naughty list. This revelation of the depths & length of Maya's passionate (if childish) activism renews Trent's insecurities, and he painfully confronts Maya, wondering why she's with him in the first place. She tries to explain what it really means to be a black person in America - even in the 21st century - while reaffirming her love and her belief in him & his big-hearted wonderful character. He says he liked it before, when he was "colorblind" to the issues of race... and we worry for the couple's future.

While everyone gets ready for Christmas dinner, Renee finds Trent's notebook, accidentally left on a couch - and discovers all the notes & (secret) details he's been writing about each one of them.

Right before Christmas dinner, Trent chats with Gran-Hattie, who gives him her blessing. And overhearing Maya push back hard on Renee's criticism of them, and hearing Maya's confession of devotion to him, Trent feels ready to propose... even if they've only won over six-out-of-eight Graysons. But even as he starts to give his Christmas toast, which we know will lead to his proposal, Renee interrupts him - and passes out of each of the family members the pages from Trent's notebook. Secrets are revealed, and character traits come across as insulting in Trent's short-hand. Immediately the family members turn on Trent, fuming. As Maya watches helplessly in tears, he tries to explain - but they're done with him. Trent leaves, heartbroken. Maya chases him to the street, begging him to return and work things out ... but he fears their romance is doomed, now that her family so hates him.

While Trent sulks at the airport overnight, preparing to fly home early, Maya quietly unleashes on her mom, rightly blaming her. The next morning, the other family members all argue with one another, since their secrets are uncomfortably revealed and they blame one another. Maya interrupts them and says good-bye, sadly but strongly, having chosen salvaging (if possible) her relationship with Trent over seeking her family's approval. Then Gran-Hattie chides them all, insisting that Trent took those notes only to try to win them over, so he could marry Maya - and they should all be ashamed. Ashamed they are, and quickly apologetic... but no one more so than Renee, who regrets terribly her actions and begs Maya's forgiveness.

In a desperate attempt to find Trent (whose phone is broken) and now win him over, the Graysons take to "black twitter" ... and locate him at the airport just as he's about to depart. He's dubious and wary, but they're convincing. And with their enthusiastic encouragement, Trent does propose to Maya, who joyfully accepts - and Trent is welcomed wholeheartedly into the family.