Four months passed since season 4 finale. At some point, maybe in june or july, Daphne moved into the house, but since then, Charlie and Daphne, both unemployed, were not happy. He cares about her and the baby, but she struggled living a different life than her usual. Seems that sometimes they fought, they slept in different bedrooms (and other times she had sleepover with her friends) and other times were just pretending to be ok. She kept going out with her friends and having fun, despite Charlie's constant worrying for the baby. Claudia surely spent a happy summer with Jamie, and preparing everything for the boarding school. Julia surely spent a lonely time in the house, watching Charlie's problems with Daphne, spending some sister time with Claudia and having visits from Griffin sometimes. Kirsten, still unemployed and with Paul working long hours in the hospital, spent the summer babysitting Owen, taking him to the beach, movies, etc, while also being present for Claudia, and comforting Charlie over his problems with Daphne. Maybe that's why it was easier for both of them, Kirsten didn't spent a happy summer with Paul, while Charlie didn't spent a happy summer with Daphne. As for Bailey, he had the happiest summer with Sarah, living away from the house, managing the restaurant, and having visits from his siblings.
The episode resumes moreless what happened in summer and introduces Julia's new life in Stanford. She meets Maggie, her roommate and a good friend, Ned, Maggie's boyfriend and the troubled guy, and Josh, the good writer guy who asks her out. She confides in Griffin about her new life, despite they are not together anymore. For now, things started well for Julia, she is not in trouble so far and seems somehow happier than 4 months ago. An ok story overall. Then, Bailey's worries about his "old man habits" were strange, not necessarily funny. It's also strange that Sarah didn't feel uncomfortable with this, because in the future she will. They move to a loft, and also take Claudia to her boarding school, where Bailey shares a nice farewell with his younger sister. On the other hand, Claudia seemed sad now that she is leaving, even Jamie. She also shared a good scene with Julia in their room, staring at the ceiling. Kirsten helped Claudia to pack her clothes, pictures and also assists to her goodbye party at the restaurant, along with all the siblings. In the road, while asking change for the meter, she sees Daphne drinking with her friends, and then arrives a little late at Salinger's, saying she delayed in parking. Seeing Charlie nervous for Daphne's delay, Kirsten tells him what she saw while Owen, bored, watches them talk. So when Daphne arrives late to the restaurant for Claudia's last day before leaving, Charlie blasts her, not only for this, also because she drank. By the way, the day before the party, Charlie showed his concerns for Daphne's friends habits of smoking and loud music. She was tired of that and in the parental room, he asked "are we living together, so we're together, right?", and she said "are we?", deciding to sleep downstairs. So after all their struggles in the summer, Daphne decides to move out the house, because she knows that she and Charlie are not happy and are not in love. Her speech about this was a great scene, telling that if she hadn't get pregnant, they would have broke up after 2 months. This resumes pretty much how was their summer in the house, that they don't belong together not being even "in love", they are too different. She knows what he thinks about her friends, his opinion of her lifestyle. He lets her go only when she says she'll just stay in somewhere else, and will call him to inform how she is. Then, he starts freaking out thinking he lost his baby, so after sunset with both drinking coffee in the house (she serving him), Kirsten comforts him assuring that he can always find Daphne's friends or see the rights he has as a father, still she is adamant Daphne will call. At the end, he puts Owen to sleep, taking care of his "first child". The last scene between Charlie and Kirsten clearly implies how long are Paul's work hours at the hospital, and how much she got used to spend more time at the Salinger house. I think that when Social Services in 4x17 placed temporarily Claudia and Owen in Paul's house, he realized how serious is the case about the Salingers. Paul realized how alone they were and they are in life, with basically no adults in charge besides Charlie, so that's why he allows Kirsten to spend time with them. He takes care of kids in the hospital, and lets Kirsten take care of the orphans Claudia and Owen. And though he knows that Kirsten still loves Charlie, he also trusts totally in her fidelity, also aware that Charlie wouldn't try anything and that a pregnant Daphne is present (he met her in 4x23).
To finish, there's a problem with Owen: since the last time he was seen (4x20), he still was a 4 year old boy, I don't understand why they changed the actor to Jacob Smith, he is much older and different to the Cavarno twins (they don't even share the hair colour). Owen Salinger was born in february 1994, and the Cavarno twins, in july 1992. But Jacob Smith was born in january 1990. So the actor who currently portrays Owen is 4 years older than his character, which is a lot, it's like Owen grew up 3-4 years in a summer. It was a wrong choice, and this will have consequences in his storyline. In 1998, Owen was 4, so is weird that the producers hired someone who is twice that age, doesn't make any sense. Scott Wolf is 10 years older than Bailey Salinger, but it went almost unnoticed, there was no big difference. But the age for a kid, is impossible not to realize the changes, each year counts and means a lot to the character's development and personality. I can understand if the Cavarno parents wanted to take away their kids from the series, but the hired actor to replace them was too old for it.
The episode resumes moreless what happened in summer and introduces Julia's new life in Stanford. She meets Maggie, her roommate and a good friend, Ned, Maggie's boyfriend and the troubled guy, and Josh, the good writer guy who asks her out. She confides in Griffin about her new life, despite they are not together anymore. For now, things started well for Julia, she is not in trouble so far and seems somehow happier than 4 months ago. An ok story overall. Then, Bailey's worries about his "old man habits" were strange, not necessarily funny. It's also strange that Sarah didn't feel uncomfortable with this, because in the future she will. They move to a loft, and also take Claudia to her boarding school, where Bailey shares a nice farewell with his younger sister. On the other hand, Claudia seemed sad now that she is leaving, even Jamie. She also shared a good scene with Julia in their room, staring at the ceiling. Kirsten helped Claudia to pack her clothes, pictures and also assists to her goodbye party at the restaurant, along with all the siblings. In the road, while asking change for the meter, she sees Daphne drinking with her friends, and then arrives a little late at Salinger's, saying she delayed in parking. Seeing Charlie nervous for Daphne's delay, Kirsten tells him what she saw while Owen, bored, watches them talk. So when Daphne arrives late to the restaurant for Claudia's last day before leaving, Charlie blasts her, not only for this, also because she drank. By the way, the day before the party, Charlie showed his concerns for Daphne's friends habits of smoking and loud music. She was tired of that and in the parental room, he asked "are we living together, so we're together, right?", and she said "are we?", deciding to sleep downstairs. So after all their struggles in the summer, Daphne decides to move out the house, because she knows that she and Charlie are not happy and are not in love. Her speech about this was a great scene, telling that if she hadn't get pregnant, they would have broke up after 2 months. This resumes pretty much how was their summer in the house, that they don't belong together not being even "in love", they are too different. She knows what he thinks about her friends, his opinion of her lifestyle. He lets her go only when she says she'll just stay in somewhere else, and will call him to inform how she is. Then, he starts freaking out thinking he lost his baby, so after sunset with both drinking coffee in the house (she serving him), Kirsten comforts him assuring that he can always find Daphne's friends or see the rights he has as a father, still she is adamant Daphne will call. At the end, he puts Owen to sleep, taking care of his "first child". The last scene between Charlie and Kirsten clearly implies how long are Paul's work hours at the hospital, and how much she got used to spend more time at the Salinger house. I think that when Social Services in 4x17 placed temporarily Claudia and Owen in Paul's house, he realized how serious is the case about the Salingers. Paul realized how alone they were and they are in life, with basically no adults in charge besides Charlie, so that's why he allows Kirsten to spend time with them. He takes care of kids in the hospital, and lets Kirsten take care of the orphans Claudia and Owen. And though he knows that Kirsten still loves Charlie, he also trusts totally in her fidelity, also aware that Charlie wouldn't try anything and that a pregnant Daphne is present (he met her in 4x23).
To finish, there's a problem with Owen: since the last time he was seen (4x20), he still was a 4 year old boy, I don't understand why they changed the actor to Jacob Smith, he is much older and different to the Cavarno twins (they don't even share the hair colour). Owen Salinger was born in february 1994, and the Cavarno twins, in july 1992. But Jacob Smith was born in january 1990. So the actor who currently portrays Owen is 4 years older than his character, which is a lot, it's like Owen grew up 3-4 years in a summer. It was a wrong choice, and this will have consequences in his storyline. In 1998, Owen was 4, so is weird that the producers hired someone who is twice that age, doesn't make any sense. Scott Wolf is 10 years older than Bailey Salinger, but it went almost unnoticed, there was no big difference. But the age for a kid, is impossible not to realize the changes, each year counts and means a lot to the character's development and personality. I can understand if the Cavarno parents wanted to take away their kids from the series, but the hired actor to replace them was too old for it.
