Stephan is waiting for Lucy outside her dorm. They bid each other goodbye before CJ pulls up on campus. Because they live near each other, she says that they might even get together a day after Christmas, to which Stephan replies affirmatively. She yet again lies to him about spending the night with the girls and packs Stephan’s sweatshirt that smells of him.
Stephan’s sister Sadie picks him up in the car. When they reach home, Vince, Stephan’s brother, quietly greets them and warns them to be silent. Their mother has a migraine and has just fallen asleep. There is some noise, though, and she is woken by it. She calls out to Stephan who goes and says hello. Nora asks Stephan to say “hi” the next time he comes back without hesitation. Grace reaches home and receives news that she has got into the advanced seminar. Lucy is also invited to attend Macy’s memorial a couple of days after Christmas. At that point, CJ asks her about the boy she is dating, as Georgia had told her.
Lucy is coy with details and CJ is impressed when she hears he wants to be a lawyer. The doorbell rings and Lucy is shocked and disgusted to find James, but we don’t know why. CJ invites him in and confronts Lucy about it. The daughter takes further offense when she notices her father’s Christmas sock on display in the living room and storms out of the house.
Sadie tells Vince that she has been taking care of Freddie for the past few weeks and that he is doing well. Vince reveals that he got an offer in Long Beach and is moving back to be closer to Nora. Stephan is a bit surprised but Nora waves it off. They go together grocery shopping together and then pick up flowers.
Stephanie and Sadie’s relationship is complicated. Stephanie is distant with her son, Stephan, and does not talk to him for a week after she goes out with her friends on her birthday. Sadie reveals that she is browsing for boarding schools outside of town but needs a parent’s signature to sign the application. Stephan says he will handle it.
Lucy discusses her mother with Lydia, her best friend from school. She is having doubts about her boyfriend, Rob. Lucy is worried about James and asks if Lydia’s parents see her socially with anyone.
The DeMarcos go to Louie’s for lunch, but the children are surprised to find the same woman from the florist with their father. Her name is Abby and she is pregnant. Their father is furious and leaves, out of respect for Abby. The children too are cross with their mother for intentionally bringing them there and creating a scene.
Nora pleads her innocence and it seems like she wanted to show him what he is missing with his family. Stephan calls Lucy and admits the holidays have been hard at home. Lucy too feels the same and asks if she can come over to his house the next day. But Stephan backs off and asks her not to come. Lucy has no hesitation in picking up the phone and calling Max for plans. Diana talks with Stephan about his troubles at home, while also reminding him he needs to pull up for the other internship opportunities. Lucy and Max spend the night in a hotel. Diana surprises Stephan at his house and they have a quickie in the car. ..
In the vulnerable moment, Lucy opens up about her father for the first time in the series. She tells Max he died when she was 15 due to a long illness. Lucy also hints why she wanted to go out, regardless of with Stephan or Max – to get away from her mother. When it was apparent that he would not be getting better, the Albrights brought him home for the last two months. James, a guy he worked with, helped out with the house. He was probably best friends with him. One day, while she was alone with her father and CJ had gone out for an appointment, he started to crash. Lucy genetically called her mother but she got the call only three hours later. ..
He kept asking for CJ and hadn’t made peace with dying, yet, Lucy tearfully reveals. She later learned that CJ was having an affair with James the whole time. But she doesn’t know Lucy knows. When Max suggests that Lucy might be depressed dealing with so much emotional baggage, she gets defensive. They have a fight. Max says he knows she is seeing other people, to which Lucy says he should be with someone nicer than her. Max says that Lucy is nice enough. But not mature enough. It is too much for him and he won’t see her again, maybe.
Lydia tells Lucy that she saw her boyfriend make out with another girl at a party. Lucy offers to punch Rob in the face for Lydia at the party and she does, spectacularly so. Lucy also decides to go to the memorial when Stephan doesn’t pick her call up. Diana stays back with Stephan when she sees Lucy calling his phone. Stephan plays it down, saying she might have a crush on him. They’re both smoking pot and Wrigley’s name comes up.
Diana tells Stephan that she slept with Wrigley during the Welcome Week when she was drunk and he is visibly upset with her. Stephan has a fight with his mother, who intentionally burns her hand with hot milk to get him to take care of her again. Lucy wanders into Macy’s room at her house and notices a picture of the fake plant that Stephan drew for him on their first date. So, Lucy learns that Stephan and Macy did see each other and he hasn’t told her yet.
The Episode Review
This episode of “Merry F*cking Christmas” is one of the most compelling for a few reasons. First, it’s a great story about a family that is struggling to make ends meet during the holiday season. Second, it’s funny and entertaining. Finally, it has a heartwarming message that everyone should remember during these difficult times.
We finally got out of the dreadful college setting to a more insightful one. Seeing the home and people both Lucy and Stephen grew up with certainly explained some of their antics. I thought Jackson White handled his part pretty well in this episode. It helped that his real-life mother Katy Sagal played her real mother, Nora. Their chemistry was way better than the one he shares with Grace Patten.
I was not impressed by how Grace Patten played Lucy in this episode. I felt that she was not able to convey the emotional damage that she has done to herself. I also felt that her performance was not up to par with the rest of the cast.
The veteran actress played a commanding role in the family relationships in Tell Me Lies, but her underwhelming performance overshadowed the other episodes.
The backstories for the new story were something we all were waiting for and we got it this time. Lucy finding out about Macy and Stephen was also a much-needed push the story needed to bring some pizzazz to it. Onwards and upwards!
