'The New Normal' Recap: 'Pardon Me'

In honor of Thanksgiving, The New Normal highlighted the joys and the downfalls of this holiday. Since this sitcom is all about relating to the “new normal” household, it was nothing short of dramatic and…different.

The episode begins with Bryan and David having Goldie, Shania and Rocky over for a “potting party.” While they are planting bulbs, they all go around and talk about their usual and out of the ordinary Thanksgivings.

Bryan and David have created the tradition of spending the holiday just as a couple. They travel to a remote location where they enjoy cranberry vodka, turkey meatloaf and kick back in a hot tub.

Rocky reflects back on the Thanksgiving when she told her parents she was moving to California to follow her dreams. Instead of being supportive, they tried to crush her spirit.

Goldie’s last Thanksgiving was also a catastrophe. Nana was ranting and being offensive as usual while Clay’s mother continuously put down Goldie’s ability to take care of her family.

After hearing about their friends’ disastrous holidays, the boys come up with the idea to trash their usual tradition and create a new one that only includes Goldie, Shania and Rocky.

To keep Goldie and his unborn baby healthy, Bryan travels to Ojai, California with Shania to get an organic turkey. Much to their surprise, the farmer tells them to pick out one of the live turkeys that will then be slaughtered on site. Very disturbed, Bryan and Shania agree to buy all of the turkeys to save them from their unfortunate fate.

Happy to have saved the animals, they take the turkeys back home to Bryan and David’s. When they return back to the house, David is in a pickle. He had talked to his mother and she tried to guilt trip him into inviting her over for Thanksgiving. And it worked.

Shania convinced the bunch that Thanksgiving is all about spending time with your loved ones no matter how agitating they can be. After her inspirational speech, they all decide she is right and decide to invite Goldie’s ex, Clay, Nana, David’s divorced parents and Rocky’s brother, Clint.

Things are going swimmingly until the guests eventually stop holding back and release their inner thoughts. Before the drama begins, Goldie and Clint find a moment alone to quietly discuss their growing relationship. They have been on two dates but Goldie insists they keep it a secret because she doesn’t want to hurt Clay in front of Shania.

Rocky overhears their conversation and quickly jumps in to talk with her brother once Goldie leaves. She insists that Clint stop seeing her while Nana eavesdrops. Nana is outraged at the thought of her granddaughter dating a black man so the real Nana is unleashed.

Before she addresses their relationship, she becomes furious when she learns from Bryan and David that this is a vegetarian Thanksgiving. While ranting, she brings up Goldie and Clint’s secret relationship and Clay slinks away when he hears the news.

Outraged, Nana finds a very sharp knife intending to make one of the turkeys her meal. Luckily for Shania’s feathered friends, she had discovered her Nana’s plan and hid the turkeys inside. Bryan and David tell Nana she is no longer welcome at their Thanksgiving.

Shortly after, David kicks his parents out. His reasoning is valid since he first found them fighting in the guesthouse and later walked in on them having sex.

Clay and Clint are the last guests standing but eventually Clay gets kicked out after starting a fight with Clint. He gets the boot after his jealousy takes over while watching Goldie and Rocky’s brother flirt up a storm. Taking part of the blame, Clint lets himself out of Bryan and David’s home.

Once all of the unwanted guests are requested to leave, Goldie, Shania, Bryan, David and Rocky gather around the dinner table to eat their tofurkey. Disgusted by the taste, they decide to order pizza. Bryan also makes the decision to keep Thanksgiving just the five of them, plus the baby of course, and Christmas will be the holiday spent with crazy relatives.