It's 6 months after Valerie's death in a car accident. Michael's sister Sandy has moved in to help raise the boys - but David seems to have everything under control, making Sandy feel unneeded.
The producers fired Valerie Harper over creative differences so Sandy Duncan steps in as the new mother figure. Her character has uprooted from Minneapolis and is all set to start a new job as Guidance Counselor at David's high school. Mrs. Poole gifts Sandy with hand-knitted cozies for her pencil sharpener and stapler (shades of Iola Boylen on MAMA'S FAMILY).
There is a subplot where Mark goes around blindfolded for an experiment which ends with Willie pranking him. This culminates in a food fight in the Hogan's kitchen, which is the catalyst for a tender scene at the end where Sandy convinces David to let her shoulder some of the household responsibilities.
It's ironic that Ray Buktenika appears in this episode since he was Brenda's boyfriend Benny on RHODA and just missed working with Valerie Harper by 1 episode.
It's an okay start to the season and the new format, but the next few episodes are much better. 7/10.
The producers fired Valerie Harper over creative differences so Sandy Duncan steps in as the new mother figure. Her character has uprooted from Minneapolis and is all set to start a new job as Guidance Counselor at David's high school. Mrs. Poole gifts Sandy with hand-knitted cozies for her pencil sharpener and stapler (shades of Iola Boylen on MAMA'S FAMILY).
There is a subplot where Mark goes around blindfolded for an experiment which ends with Willie pranking him. This culminates in a food fight in the Hogan's kitchen, which is the catalyst for a tender scene at the end where Sandy convinces David to let her shoulder some of the household responsibilities.
It's ironic that Ray Buktenika appears in this episode since he was Brenda's boyfriend Benny on RHODA and just missed working with Valerie Harper by 1 episode.
It's an okay start to the season and the new format, but the next few episodes are much better. 7/10.
