Home Of The Atkins

[blondie44]

Home Of The Atkins

Starring Hugh Laurie as Kurt Atkins, an upper-middle classed suburban Illinois husband and father of two. Kurt and his lovely, supportive wife, Donna(Felicity Huffman) have two teenage sons: 17-year-old Sam (Jason Dolley) and 15-year-old Silas (Mitchel Musso). Kurt is a high school English teacher, who strives to make a difference in his students' lives by challenging them daily--often times much to his students and sons' dismays. Donna is a loan officer at the local bank branch, where she loves her co-workers, the pay, and the job itself--yet begins to feel that there's something missing from her life but can't put her finger on what. Sam is a high school senior who often lacks common sense and gets often distracted by attractive females. Silas is a high school sophomore who is bright and down-to-Earth who, like his brother, falls subject to not fully-understanding girls and the female psyche. The Atkins family have been longtime family friends with the Lawson family, which consists of Bob and Janet Lawson (Bryan Cranston, Laurie Metcalf), and their 17-year-old rebellious & promscious daughter, Bridget Lawson (Lyndsy Foncea). Kurt and Donna do almost everything with Bob and Janet.


Cast of Characters:
Hugh Laurie as Kurt Atkins
Felicity Huffman as Donna Atkins
Jason Dolley as Sam Atkins
Mitchel Musso as Silas Atkins
Lyndsy Foncea as Bridget Lawson
with Bryan Cranston as Bob Lawson
and Laurie Metcalf as Janet Lawson
Supporting Cast:
Skyler Shaye as Michelle Reynolds
Nathalia Ramos as Lisa Burlington
Janel Parrish as Anna Simmons
Beverly D'Angelo as Dr. Bobbie Hanley
Blair Underwood as Principal Tim Weston
with Rue McCalahan as Ellen Lawson Atkins
and Robert Wagner as Joe Atkins

[blondie44]

EPISODES

EP1: Pilot Episode:
Kurt and Donna's romantic, kid-free night out to celebrate their anniversary, they can't help but become reminded of their two teenage sons and their current troubles (at school & home)--and deal with a rude, obnoxious waiter who subtly-insults and annoys the married couple throughout dinner. Elsewhere, Sam & Silas decide to throw a house party for themselves and their friends. Everything is going great until Kurt and Donna show up minutes before the cops arrive after being notified by a nosy neighbor about loud music and rowdy teenagers. Kurt and Donna handle the police and cover for their sons, but then find the joy of disciplining their children afterwards (much to Kurt's excitement).

EP2: New Teachers, Old Ladies:
While grocery shopping, Donna and Janet are suscipious of an elderly woman who is apparently "following" the two women. After reaching their last resort, Donna and Janet decide to confront the woman who announces she's "just bored and looking for something to do". Meanwhile at school, Sam is awestruck by the new Math teacher, Ms. Wachs (Kim Raver), who becomes the latest topic of conversation amongst the male students at school (especially Sam and his buddies).

EP3: BBQ Bob:
Bob decides to host his annual barbecue, inviting all their family and friends (including the Atkins family). Kurt becomes jealous of Bob's new barbecue grill. Janet seeks advice from Donna about dealing with Bob's stuck up side of the family. Sam falls for Bob's attractive niece, Holly-who later informs him that she is only 13 (almost 14) which turns Sam off quickly. Also, Silas becomes hypnotized by Bridget's beauty and (skimpy, revealing) chosen clothing. Secretly, Silas begins to experience "feelings" after glancing at Bridget throughout his time at the barbecue.

EP4: Cash Flow Shortage:
Kurt and Donna urge Sam and Silas to go out and find jobs after their parents have had it with their constant begging for money for this and that. So, Sam and Silas go to the local mall to scout out some job openings. Sam successfully finds a job at the local extreme sports store (Xtreme Goods) at the mall, as Silas's new job scores big contraversy with Kurt and Donna, as Silas accepts a job at the local Victoria's Secret store. Kurt and Donna aren't exactly thrilled to have their 15 year old son working at a women's lingerie store as a sales consultant, yet Sam begs to differ and feels that is one way to meet "hot babes".

EP5: Mixed Emotions:
While going out to dinner with Bob and Janet, Kurt and Donna are told about how the other couple has walked in on and caught Bridget with a teenage boy upstairs in her bed. After dinner, Kurt and Donna have mixed ideas about whether or not to confront Sam and Silas to find out if they too are sexually active or not. After going back and forth over the decision, they decide to have a sit-down talk with both boys--which ends with all four Atkins family members feeling awkward and uncomfortable around each other (temporarily).

EP6: No Longer Together:
Kurt, Donna, Bob, and Janet are shocked by the news about fellow married friends of theirs- Jeff and Sarah (Michael O'Keefe, Jami Gertz) who have announced that they are getting a divorce after 17 years of marriage, which makes both couple re-evaluate their own marriages and the fact they how well do they know their friends. Meanwhile, Sam and his girlfriend, Michelle (Skyler Shaye) decide to mutually call it quits on their 4-month relationship after coming to a realization that they have crushes on other people--yet decide to remain friends though.

[blondie44]

EP7: Misery Loves Company:
The flu is going around the Atkins home like crazy. Donna is stricken with the flu during one of the busiest times of the season at work, which a mixed blessing for her. Sam goes out of his way to catch his mom's cold, so he can stay home sick from school--but then eventually it catches him and he isn't so grateful as he had thought originally. Also, Kurt is reluctant to take off of work when he feels he is slowly catching the cold yet decides to not let it bother him as he refuses to waste his vacation days when is stuck at home sick. Meanwhile, Silas has to cancel a date with his pretty lab partner to stay home to take care of his sick family on the weekend.

EP8: Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Kurt is anything but thrilled when he hosts parent-teacher conferences for his students. Kurt must deal with all sorts of different parents and personalities, but his hardest challenge is to face his friends- the Lawsons about Bridget's poor grades in his class. Meanwhile, Donna gets on Sam's case about making up all his late assignments in his History class, much to Sam's dismay. Elsewhere, Silas finds out his lab partner, Lisa (Nathalia Ramos) has asked out another boy in the class--which upsets him until he meets the new girl, Anna (Janel Parrish) who sticks out like a sore thumb but captures his initial interest.

EP9: Jealousy Is Hereditary:
Sam becomes jealous when he witnesses his ex-girlfriend, Michelle (Skyler Shaye) flirting with another guy in the hallway, also Silas is stricken with envy when he oversees Lisa (Nathalia Ramos) holding hands with her new boyfriend down the hallway. Elsewhere, Donna is becoming overstressed at work and is awestruck when she actually snaps at an obnoxiously rude customer who loves to complain and give grief to the tellers. Donna fears her boss (Dabney Coleman) will find out and fire her, yet instead her boss awards her with a paid weeks vacation out of his own happiness that she put that customer in her place after years of everyone putting up with her crap and saying nothing.

EP10: Giving Thanks And Other Things:
It's Thanksgiving. The Atkinses once again are combining their holiday feast with the Lawsons, also including Bob's newly widowed mother, Ellen (Rue McCalahan), and Kurt's long-time divorced father, Joe (Robert Wagner). During dinner, Kurt and Joe get into one of their infamous father-son arguments, Sam falsely-believes that Bridget is discretely and subtly flirting with him, Donna is still fuming about her parents chosing a 2-week cruise with friends than holiday dinner with family, and Janet happily indulges herself into the wine early to escape from her overbearing mother-in-law-Ellen. After dinner, Silas walks in on his Grandpa Joe is his bedroom with Ellen under the covers together.

EP11: We Are Adults, You Know?:
Joe and Ellen decide to announce to their families that they are now a couple after only meeting each other within the past 24 hours--which upsets Kurt and Bob mostly. Bob fears his mom is jumping into a relationship too soon after his father's death, as Kurt fears his dad is taking advantage of vulnerable Ellen and is just using Ellen to get back at him (like he has with every other woman he claims to be "in love with" after his selfish divorce from Kurt's late mother, who was dying of breast cancer at the time). Meanwhile, Janet and Donna remain supportive of their husbands yet can't help but be happy for the new couple after seeing how great they are together. Also, Silas is still mortified that his grandfather was having sex in his bedroom--in his bed...and refuses to enter his bedroom, let alone sleep in his own bed again.

EP12: Ethical Dilemmas:
Silas is faced with the option of getting his hands on his dad's English test's answer key-which can help him ace a test and could be quite profitable if he was to give out copies to classmates. Also, Sam is thrilled more than words when he is asked by his ex, Michelle (Skyler Shaye) if he would gladly take her virginity (since they have a better chemistry and more history than her and her current boyfriend). Sam gladly and eagerly accepts (after dreaming of this day for the past years), yet is shocked that Michelle is still going out with her current boyfriend yet wants to have sex with Sam-who doesn't want her to cheat on him, just end the relationship and then do the deed--so his conscience isn't so greedy yet Michelle refuses to do so--which makes Sam even more turned on. Sam and Michelle consumate their former relationship/now friendship.

EP13: Cruisin' Disasters: Part One
One night before bed as they watch the news, Donna and Kurt learn of a cruiseship that has crashed and has many injured passengers (even a few casualities). They think nothing of it, until early next morning when Donna comes a realization that that could be the same cruiseship that her parents are on currently. Donna notifies her parents' travel agency and is shockingly surprised that that was indeed their cruiseship. Donna contacts her younger sister, Kim (Faith Ford), and older brother, Mark (Mark Moses) about their parents. Late that night, Donna, Kim, and Mark take a red eye flight down to Florida to be with their parents. Meanwhile, Kurt stays home with the boys. The Atkins men and the Lawsons all congregate around the house awaiting the latest information about Donna's parents.

EP14: Cruisin' Disasters: Part Two
Donna, Kim, and Mark arrive at the scene of the accident, and are denied any answers which irritates the siblings. After 48 hours of no sleep, little food, no answers, and a lot of stress, the siblings' questions are answered--however, not everything is happily ever after. The siblings learn that their father, Frank, suffered a blow to the head which caused him to go unconscious and eventually bleed to death, and their mother, Rose (Gena Rowlands) is in critical condition and is given only to the weekend to live. Donna, along with Kim and Mark, rush to the hospital to be with their dying mother. Donna begins to remember her last conversation with her mother on the phone and how she yelled at her for choosing the cruise over the holiday dinner, which causes Donna to be guilt-ridden and feel awful. In the end, Rose ends up dying in her sleep during her second night at the hospital, with her three children by her side.

[blondie44]

EP15: Thanks To Therapy:
After a week of being isolated in her bed depressed at her parents' sudden death, Donna, with advice from Janet and Kurt, agrees to go see a therapist to help her through the rough path currently. Donna comes home from her first therapy session with Dr. Hanley (Beverly D'Angelo), and she is feeling better but wants to continue until she is feeling 110% of her old self again. Elsewhere, Sam feels obligated to stand up for the new kid named Greg (Jake Thomas) who is gay and proud. Yet afterwards, Sam begins to fear that Greg will take Sam coming to his defense the wrong way. So, Sam decides to have Michelle (Skyler Shaye) stand by his side and pose as his girlfriend when Greg is about to approach him. Aware of this, Greg informs him that he knows that he is straight and that Sam is not "his type" and has nothing to worry about--which makes Sam out to feel like a fool.

EP16: Double Dating?:
Silas's most prized dream are coming true, but not exactly as planned. Silas is asked out by both his current crush, Anna (Janel Parrish) and his former crush, Lisa (Nathalia Ramos)---foolishly, he accepts to both girls and their propositions. He arranges his date with Anna on Friday night and his date with Lisa on Saturday night. Elsewhere, while shopping at the mall, Janet is not amused by Bridget's (jokingly) comment about can't waiting to buy baby clothing in nine months-which irks Janet and gets her goat (and causing a small uproar in the women's department store). Janet doesn't believe her daughter and much to Bridget's dismay, she makes Bridget take a home pregnancy test to an end to her (and Bob's) worrying after Bridget's "little harmless joke".

[blondie44]

EP17: Orchard Of Love:
Michelle (Skyler Shaye) convinces Sam to join her and her family as they go to their annual apple picking at an apple orchard, where Michelle's dad (Mitch Rouse) flat out announces he prefers Michelle's current boyfriend rather than Sam. Michelle's mom (Connie Britton) is the exact opposite of her husband and likes Sam more, which causes a little chaos when the family finds out that the patriarch has invited Michelle's boyfriend, Jake (Jacob Smith) along--which causes a rivalry between Jake and Sam. Elsewhere, Bob and Kurt decide to go hit the bars, where the duo end up at a gay bar unbeknownst to them-until the guys start getting hit on and realize the clientle.

EP18: Attention In Detention:
After Michelle puts Sam and Jake up to duking it out to prove to her who loves her more, Sam and Jake get a weeks worth of detentions. During the brawl, the fact that Sam has taken Michelle's virginity while she was dating Jake gets out and unhappily known to Jake. While stuck in detention, Sam is befriended by Bridget-who got a weeks worth of detention for trying to seduce her male teacher into boosting her grades up. Bridget begins to find herself more and more attracted to the former "good guy", Sam after realizing he was caught in a fight with Jake over Michelle-who he has gotten his heart broken by after witnessing Michelle choosing Jake over him after the brawl was broken up by Principal Weston (Blair Underwood). Elsewhere, Bob and Silas do a little bonding, when Bob asks Silas to help him rebuild their shed. Kurt and Donna become upset with Silas for accepting money for helping Bob (after all he has done for Silas over the years), yet Bob and Janet insist Silas accept the money.

EP19: Unhappy Responses: Part One
The Atkins and Lawson families are treated to a fancy supper at a nice Italian restaurant by Kurt's dad, Joe (Robert Wagner) and Bob's mom, Ellen (Rue McCalahan). Kurt begins to have a "bad feeling" about this family dinner with his dad and Ellen, and the Lawsons. At dinner, Joe and Ellen announce that they are getting married in Las Vegas next month, and want their families to be there with them. Ellen and Joe seek their sons' approvals. Bob is awestruck, just like Janet and Donna (and the kids), but give their approval as long as they are happy together and serious about marriage (so soon after dating, and Ellen becoming a widow). However, Kurt has nothing against Ellen, yet has strong feelings of resentment and anger towards his estranged, selfish father and refuses to give them his approval and storms away from the table after having a large, loud agrument with Joe.

EP20: Unhappy Responses: Part Two
Donna and the boys leave the dinner to get and leave with Kurt, who refuses to even discuss it with Donna on the car-ride home. The next day, Joe makes a visit at his son's house alone. Joe wants to try to have a civil sit-down chat with his angry son, as Donna sends the boys out and stays herself to make sure Kurt and Joe don't kill each other. Kurt refuses to talk to his father, who then later on, confesses that his true reasoning behind why he decided to leave and later divorce Kurt's dying mother (a few months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer) is because he couldn't face the fact that his wife was dying and he couldn't think he could put himself through that, and then decided that he should leave before his late wife's cancer truly sets in. After hearing his selfish dad's reasoning, Kurt becomes more angered by his father and demands that Joe leaves his home and that he is not welcomed inside his family's home anymore. Elsewhere at the Lawson's, Bob makes sure that his mom is well aware of what she is getting herself into: marriage to another man so soon after her late husband's death. Ellen makes it be known to Bob that she is an adult and not a child, she can make up her own mind and need not to reassure her son of her happiness and decisions. Bob gives her his blessing and that alone makes Ellen to break down in tears of happiness.

EP21: Shacking Up, Breaking Up, Shaking It Up:
Silas and Anna (Janel Parrish) decide to consumate their relationship for the first time (his first time, her second). Anna decides to breaks their afterglow by announcing she wants to break up and see other people-which feels like a big slap in the face to Silas. Silas confides in his brother about what happened, then Sam tells him to forget about Anna and ask someone else out. At first, Silas thinks Sam's advice was useless and insensitive, until he bumps into Lisa (Nathalia Ramos)-who unintentionally cheers Silas up by telling him that she has just broken up with her former boyfriend and is now single. Silas then decides to ask Lisa out to the Winter Formal dance at school, she accepts. Elsewhere, Bridget sets out to "make Michelle hurt" as she hurt Sam, then she decides to spread a false rumor about her being pregnant. Sam later finds out that the rumor was made up by Bridget in his defense, Sam and Bridget share a good laugh about it together, look into each other's eyes and about to kiss--until the phone rings and the two split.

[needles1987]

This is good.