The Neighborhood Season 1, Episode 6 recap: The Johnsons anniversary

In the sixth episode of The Neighborhood, the Johnsons celebrated their anniversary. The Butlers helped out by babysitting Grover.

Happy anniversary to Dave and Gemma Johnson! They celebrated their anniversary in the sixth episode of The Neighborhood. While their anniversary did not go according to plan, they reaffirmed their love for each other. Meanwhile, the Butlers babysat Grover Johnson, and Grover shook things up in the Butler household.

The Neighborhood began when Dave (Max Greenfield) informed Calvin (Cedric the Entertainer) about his anniversary with Gemma (Beth Behrs). Because of the stress in her life with the move and the job change, Gemma needs to relax. However, the Johnsons previously celebrated their move into the neighborhood with a housewarming party. Dave wants a perfect anniversary. In order to accomplish that, he needs someone to watch Grover (Hank Greeenspan) for the night.

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Calvin realizes Dave isn’t having sex. Dave admits it, and he asks Calvin if he ever experienced a dry spell. To Dave’s surprise, Calvin says no. While Calvin understands Gemma and Dave need some time for just the two of them, he does not want to watch Grover. Isn’t that what neighbors are for?

Tina (Tichina Arnold) knocks at the Johnson door. Gemma answers, currently overwhelmed with work. Calvin told her about Dave’s dry spell, and Tina wants to help. Gemma asks if Tina ever experienced a dry spell. Like her husband said, no, the Butlers are a loving couple. Tina tells Gemma to enjoy her anniversary and reconnect with her husband. Shockingly, Gemma forgot about her anniversary. Tina makes light of the situation with this line.

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Tina offers to watch Grover, and Gemma agrees. The night of the their anniversary, the Johnsons drop Grover off at the Butler house, and they return home. I particularly enjoyed this line from Dave, who claims he looks like Tom Cruise.

Dave tries to be sexy, but he fails. Gemma is distracted by both work and worrying about Grover. While Dave understands, he wants to spend a romantic evening with his wife. To celebrate their anniversary, he got Gemma’s favorite Michigan cupcakes shipped from Kalamazoo.

I have family members in the Kalamazoo area, and I do not know the location of this cupcake establishment. Also, the Johnson are not typical people from Kalamazoo. That part of Michigan is more country than urban, and nobody there acts like the Johnsons. Also, if Dave is from Detroit, he certainly encountered black people. Alas, I digress back to The Neighborhood.

At the Butler house, Tina cooked catfish. Grover repeatedly asks for chicken nuggets, but Calvin adamantly states catfish is for dinner. The theme from the Butler house as they watch Grover is this favorite parental line.

Meanwhile, Dave and Gemma have left the neighborhood for a hotel. They both look forward to enjoying this evening, but the elevator becomes stuck.

Back at the Butler house, Grover’s refusal to eat the catfish inspires Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney). He agrees with Grover; Calvin’s reasoning is too tyrannical. Marty (Marcel Spears) is hesitant to join their protest, but he points out that Calvin has continually used the same reasoning.

Marty likes to eat though, so after Tina brings out cobbler, he changes his stance. Grover wants to eat the cobbler, but Calvin says no cobbler until he finishes his dinner. Grover and Malcolm don’t eat their catfish, so no cobbler for them. No worries, more cobbler for Calvin! Tina asks why Calvin is so firm in his beliefs. She notes he isn’t fond of trying new things.

Calvin finally explains his logic. You never know what you feel about something until you try it. If you go into something already predetermined in your thinking, you’re not open-minded. You may miss out on opportunities and things you may enjoy. Calvin makes a valid point. Grover understands and eats his catfish. The catfish is surprisingly tasty. You never know unless you try.

Back in the stuck elevator, Gemma asks Dave if moving to California was the right move for their family. They left all their friends, family, and comforts behind. Dave comforts her by saying although the move was due to her job, the family supports her. He enthusiastically will follow her anywhere. After a few issues hinted at in their marriage, it is nice to see the Johnsons reaffirm their love for each other. Marriage is work, but at the end of the day, you need to remember why you fell in love in the first place.

The episode ends with Calvin and Tina in bed. Grover enters their room after saying he cannot sleep. Tina will read to him, but he climbs into their bed rather than have her lead him to his own.

When Calvin says he should return to his own bed, Grover asks, “Why?” In continuation with the theme in the Butler house, Calvin answers, “Because I said so!” Yet he reads to Grover, showing his teddy bear personality after all.

My favorite part of this episode was the interaction between Calvin and Grover. In the two episodes where they’ve spent time together, Calvin has impacted Grover. Teaching him about baseball and this episode are two examples of why Calvin is a good man. Grover could use some tough love in the neighborhood. Hank Greenspan nicely delivered his comic remarks in his dialogue with Calvin.

The Neighborhood airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.