2002

S1.E1 ∙ Pilot

Mon, Sep 23, 2002

Newly wed Matt Landis and his wife Alex visit her parents and explain Matt needs $30,000 for his life-long dream, a reputed cooking course and starting a restaurant. Her rich, haughtily domineering pa, Victor Pellet, offers them the loan, provided they save rent by moving in. Alex's ma Marlena is starting a career in real estate and neglecting housekeeping, for which Victor also blames Matt. Thus starts Matt's ordeal of constant criticism and manipulation.

0 /10

S1.E2 ∙ Fleetwood Matt

Mon, Sep 23, 2002

Matt and Victor are happy to keep physically apart, but the girls force them together. Victor must let Matt drive him to and from the optician, in his beloved Fleetwood car. Despite his excessive instructions that goes well, but while parking it Matt smashes the garage. Victor is furious, but Matt discovers the car was already smashed and repaired behind his back.

0 /10

S1.E3 ∙ The Mattress Kings

Mon, Sep 30, 2002

Matt complains about Victor's worn-out guest bed. When Matt and Alex want to buy a new bed, Victor persuades him to get one from his friend Chester, the Mattress King. Victor gets a deal on a luxury model that Matt can't afford. Now they rival as to who can choose and pay for the bed, leading to sneaky exchanges.

0 /10

S1.E4 ∙ Love Is the Key

Mon, Sep 30, 2002

After a year, Matt still has to climb in through the window because Victor never gave him a key to the house. What's even worse is that the catered private wedding anniversary dinner he was planning with Alex, is on the very Saturday of a box finale that Victor invited his garage friend Reno to. When Matt tells him about it, Victor assumes he and Marlene are also invited to the dinner. Worst still, he does what he did at the wedding: overrule every choice the couple made.

0 /10

S1.E5 ∙ Monopoly Report

Mon, Oct 07, 2002

Matt's latest ordeal are 'Pellet day' traditions. He's blamed for ruining apple picking by washing the car 'guaranteed to cause rain', in this case a storm. Next the rainy plan B: Monopoly, with crazy pellet rules such as 'all blue for ma'. Alex ends up insisting they turn to regular rules, next they play his games, Celebrity guessing. The Pellet insider hints and team-unconditional hints for relatives make it even worse for Matt, who gets a crushing nocturnal surprise on top.

0 /10

S1.E6 ∙ Crown Vic

Mon, Oct 14, 2002

In their regular restaurant, the Pellets bump into Charles 'Sand' Sandowski, the one man standing in Victor's way to become the town's 'king of kings', star of the annual parade. His son Chip is a college friend of Alex, and befriends Matt. Victor is tickled pink when Matt learns Chip is to take over Charles's business. Alas, Matt's brave dream-pursuit inspires Chip. And the curse strikes again.

0 /10

S1.E7 ∙ Love Thy Neighbor

Mon, Oct 21, 2002

After neighbor Henderson's death at 97, Marlena is to sell his house, her first sale ever. The in-built giant bird-cage scares potential buyers off. Victor orders Matt to write a eulogy for himself. Victor expects an old, pet-free client, so he chases Ricky away, the only bird-owner who might buy it. Matt tries to mend the mess and save the deal.

0 /10

S1.E8 ∙ Halloween: Resurrection

Mon, Oct 28, 2002

Surprised that the Pellets have no decoration at all just before Halloween, Matt hangs a witch on their door. Before his in-laws can undo that naive error, it rekindles an old rivalry among the street's five families for the most ornate house, rewarded with a local newspaper mention and picture. Even mat's well-meant words at a 'peace conference' hosted by Victor fails to avert another 'war'. Matt surprises the family by opting out, Marlene Alex by pointing out she should side with her husband, and he again.

4.4 /10

S1.E9 ∙ Games People Play

Mon, Nov 11, 2002

When Victor's softball partner can't play, Matt volunteers, despite hints from the girls that's unwise. Sour loser Victor is even sorer then the winner, but both solider on for days. Finally Alex convinces Matt to let Victor win, but she's overheard discussing that with Marlena, staring a whole series of reproaches and confessions.

0 /10

S1.E10 ∙ Lucky Charms

Mon, Nov 18, 2002

Matt lets Alex persuade him to postpone their plans to accept an invitation from Victor to join him at the horse races, normally family-only. The men soon are on grim terms again, but Matt's winnings make up for the usual abuse. Next weekend, he's invited again, only to find Victor is after an imaginary luck-bringing routine.

0 /10

S1.E11 ∙ If You Can't Stand the Heat

Mon, Dec 02, 2002

Victor is delighted that Matt is out constantly for his intensive gastronomy course, but Alex gets insanely jealous when she discovers that his partner 'Danny' is in fact foxy Latina Daniela. With Marlene she pulls a scene, while even Victor admits Matt couldn't be dumb enough to be caught pants-down in the Pellet home. But Danny walked out, so Matt is greatly relieved when she agrees to remain course partners, but only if the homework venue shifts to her apartment. A misunderstood phone message sends Victor on a jealous check-up trip there, soon followed by his ladies, but the only vamp is libertine painter neighbor Sabrina, who fancies Victor.

4.1 /10

S1.E12 ∙ Married Christmas

Mon, Dec 02, 2002

The Pellets' Christmas joy is soon spoiled when Marlene's grumpy Polish father Howard alias 'papo' arrives. Mat initially enjoys seeing Victor suffering his usual fate of defenseless verbal abuse, then sympathetically tries to mediate. Unlike the evasive girls, who just fail to do so, he gets them to discuss their deepest grudges. It turns out Marlene owes them a major rectification.

0 /10

S1.E13 ∙ Matt Goes Into Labor

Mon, Jan 06, 2003

When Victor needs a temp urgently to man the phone at his security firm's reception, Matt volunteers. Although not amused he must hide his identity to avoid nepotism suspicions, 'Vince' soon proves himself a model worker and popular colleague, to Victor's surprise. Matt's self-confidence is dented however by meeting the perfect man for Akex in Victor's eyes, as he can't think of any flaw himself.

0 /10

S1.E14 ∙ Two Rooms

Mon, Jan 13, 2003

The Pellet and Landis couples each book a double room in the same hotel for a trip to Dixieland. An argument over the girls being spoiled rotten gets so bad that the men end up bunking uncomfortably in one room, bickering but becoming closers, their wives in the others. Marlena refuses to have her holiday spoiled and drags Alex to a nocturnal Confederate victory reenactment participants party, enjoying Dixie flirtation and booze, until drunkenness renders her melancholic.

0 /10

S1.E15 ∙ Mother's Nature

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Matt's Jewish mother Rochelle Landis visits. As if a revolutionary tree-hugger weren't bad enough in Victor's book, the seasoned activist opposes his pet project, a faster car service chain, on environmental grounds, all the way into the municipal council. Yet when Matt bitterly turns away because she repeats a bright guy like him should do law rather then 'just' cooking, Victor pleads filial piety.

0 /10