Kim’s friend Jodie has turned up pregnant. It’s an episode about teen pregnancy, right? Wrong. It’s an episode about a lot of things, but that’s the least of them. Because who’s the father, after all? Meanwhile, a strange woman has come to town and believes she and Kenny are destined to be together? But what’s really going on there? And Maxine is out to find out who kidnapped a child’s pet duck and you’ll never believe where THAT plot ends up going. This is the show at its most gonzo, juggling actual mysteries, slapstick comedy, thought-provoking social commentary. To the degree the episode has a theme, it’s hinted at in the title. The traditional “nuclear family” is a thing of the past maybe; everyone’s blazing their own path in this brave new world. When Jimmy, Jill & Kim end up sitting on the floor next to each other in absolute befuddlement, you sympathize. What the hell is going on? The duck plot is the best, a genuine mystery with a surprising solution. The pregnancy plot is also really good, with some great, creepy moments courtesy of Bess Myer as Jodie. The Kenny plot has moments, but ends up pretty stupidly. Still, this is an entertaining episode of the kind you’d see only on Picket Fences. 3 stars.
tl;dr – rambling episode features silly humor, real mystery and thoughtful social commentary; only on Picket Fences would you get this entertainment, though some of it doesn’t work perfectly. 3 stars.