Kudos to the creative minds behind Connectedness for crafting a role for Lucy Hart that truly showcases her impressive range. As Jenna, she embodies a chaotic yet alluring spirit, striking a precarious balance between being whimsically scatterbrained and surprisingly grounded. She’s that friend we all wish we could be, one who embraces her messiness and—by not caring about others’ opinions—seems to be living life to the fullest while the “responsible adults” around her are stuck in their routines.
In this episode, Jenna fully embraces her inner life coach with her friend, Ethan. She has him sweating it out with a demanding Beachbody workout—if the high-energy jumping jacks don’t push him to the brink, Jenna’s enthusiastic shouts of “Do you want to be a star?!” certainly will.
Ethan has become Jenna’s focus, and she’s committed to helping him reshape both his physique and mindset to pursue his long-held dreams of acting. When the mailman drops off two tickets to Nick’s TV show premiere that evening, Jenna excitedly declares that she and Ethan will join Nick and his partner, Sarah, believing she can charm her way onto the red carpet sans invitation.
Nick and Sarah are hesitant to attend; they’re entangled in discussions regarding their daughter, Mia’s, kindergarten choices. While they consider private schools, Sarah feels that public school would offer a richer cultural experience.
When their babysitter cancels, Sarah bravely opts to stay home with the kids, leaving Nick to manage babysitting duties for Jenna and Ethan at their first glamorous premiere. Jenna dazzles in a shimmering one-shoulder silver dress that straddles the line between high fashion and prom night throwback. Ethan, with a little help from some body-sculpting undergarments, squeezes into a pair of trendy jeans Jenna handpicked for him.
Upon arriving at the premiere, Jenna enthusiastically drags Ethan onto the red carpet, where he awkwardly navigates the cameras and inaccurately claims to a reporter that he plays a villain in the show. “She’s a total nutcase,” Nick quips to Ethan about Jenna. “She’s wild, but somehow it’s working,” Ethan replies, clearly smitten with Jenna’s boldness. Indeed, Jenna is crazy—in the best possible way.
Nick and Ethan decide to split up to engage in typical Hollywood networking: Nick aims to mend fences with a director he recently clashed with over sound effects, while Ethan hopes to introduce himself to his favorite producer, Jimmy Matthews.
As Jenna and Ethan embark on their “Lucy and Ethel in Hollywood” escapades, they attempt unsuccessfully to strike up a conversation with Jimmy in the buffet line and even the men’s restroom before sneaking into the VIP area to chat with him. To their surprise, Jimmy turns out to be a genuinely nice guy, and Jenna beams with pride when she sees him connect with Ethan.
Meanwhile, Nick’s attempt to reconcile with the director goes awry. The director initially pretends to have no idea who Nick is, then hilariously barks at him to leave, only to burst into laughter moments later, leaving Nick feeling humiliated. Fortunately, Nick finds solace when he spots a vibrant bird and captures its beautiful song on his phone. As a sound engineer, he values this art above any recognition from the director.
Just when Sarah is about to miss the premiere, the babysitter unexpectedly arrives. However, instead of attending, she dons fishnets and a leather jacket and heads to a bar, attempting to flirt with the bartender by mysteriously suggesting she’s ready to “see where the night takes her.” Sadly, her allure falls flat when he asks if she’d like to order hummus toast instead.
On her walk home, Sarah bums a cigarette from two teenage boys. When one of them remarks that she looks attractive, she playfully beckons him closer, puffing smoke in his direction. “If you get cancer, I’m really sorry,” she quips, feeling a momentary victory over the younger crowd before strutting away with newfound confidence.
Her night takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon a meeting led by David Thompson, a divorced father who’s advocating for a new charter school in the area. Much like Nick, Sarah discovers a passion for her community and envisions a world where her daughter can truly thrive. As David drives her home, it’s evident that Sarah is drawn to him, captivated by his vision for parenting and education. As she settles in for the night, she finds herself Googling “Eagle Rock Charter School David Thompson.”
There’s also a hint of romance brewing for Jenna and Ethan, who can’t believe they actually spoke to Jimmy. Ethan, excited by the prospect, eagerly accepts Jenna’s invitation to join her on a trip to retrieve her belongings from Houston. However, his enthusiasm wanes when he spots Jenna cozied up to Jimmy. The episode concludes with Nick and a disheartened Ethan sharing a ride home, waving goodbye to Jenna and Jimmy. Nick offers Ethan an uplifting pep talk, likening him to the “Tom Sawyer” of a classic rock song—a person who inspires others around him and feels no shame. The scene ends with them jamming out to the song in the car, embodying the spirit of friendship as the credits roll.
Best 1980s Music Moment
Jenna and Ethan sweating it out to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers.
Best Response to a Private School Application Question
Nick: “Mia once convinced all the girls in her class to show each other their tattoos.”
Best Peter Gallagher Joke
Ethan: “He has more hair in his eyebrows than I have on my entire head.”
Best Visual Gag
Chubby Ethan sporting nude body shapers—welcome to reality, buddy.
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In summary, this episode of Connectedness brings to life the chaos and comedy of friendships, aspirations, and unexpected turns in parenthood, all while showcasing the vibrant personalities that make the journey worthwhile.